Honorary degrees for pair

University of Otago chancellor Lindsay Brown and Dunedin architect Ted McCoy will receive honorary doctor of laws degrees at university graduation ceremonies this week.

Mr Brown, an Otago University commerce graduate, will also give the graduation address tomorrow, at the first of this week's tertiary ceremonies.

A total of 428 graduands will graduate from the university with degrees and diplomas in science, commerce, consumer and applied sciences, physical education, and surveying at the 3pm ceremony, at the Dunedin Town Hall.

A member of Otago University's governing University Council since 1993, Mr Brown has been chancellor since 2004, completing his term at the end of this month.

Mr McCoy will be honoured on Saturday at the university's last graduation for this year.

The Governor-General Anand Satyanand will give the graduation address and 513 graduands will gain qualifications in arts, law, music and theology at the 3pm ceremony.

Another 665 graduands will graduate from the Otago Polytechnic in a further ceremony at the town hall at 3pm on Friday.

University vice-chancellor Prof David Skegg said the university owed "a great debt of gratitude" to Mr Brown for his many years of dedicated service and leadership.

During his 50-year career, Mr McCoy had made outstanding contributions to the nation's architecture, including the design of landmark buildings on Otago's Dunedin campus.

University buildings designed by him included the Richardson Building (1979), formerly known as the Hocken Building, the Archway (1973) and Castle (1986) lecture theatre complexes, as well as Aquinas College (1950) and University College (1969), he said.