The graduation ceremonies for full-time and part-time students at the University of Ulster got underway today and will continue until 6 July.

The 2010 graduations began with four ceremonies at the University of Ulster’s Coleraine campus. In all, the University will hold 13 ceremonies over the graduation period.

Later this week, the University of Ulster’s graduation ceremonies will move to Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, where students from the University’s Jordanstown and Belfast campuses will receive their degrees.

Next week, the ceremonies will move to the Millennium Forum in Londonderry, where students from the University’s Magee campus will receive their degrees and certificates.

In all, more than 5000 students have successfully completed their examinations with the University of Ulster this year at various levels from Certificates and Diplomas, through Degrees to Doctorates.  They include full-time ‘traditional’ students, people who studied part-time, and those who studied University of Ulster-accredited courses through one of the Northern Ireland’s Further and Higher Education Colleges.

Students from the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences and the Faculty of Social Sciences received awards today.

At the afternoon ceremony, Richard Needham received the degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD), in recognition of his services to business development.