Ten new honorary doctorates at UiB

Richard Sennett, Aud Jebsen, Karl Ove Knausgård, Henrik Palmer Olsen, Deryn Fogg, Anna Louise Gloyn, Samah Jabr, Luciano Floridi, Tia DeNora and Paul Smith appointed new honorary doctors

– “Through their work, they have made substantial contributions to the development of their respective fields, and in different ways strengthened our understanding of the importance of research and the arts. These appointments express the University’s deep recognition of this effort,” says Rector Margareth Hagen.

Honorary doctorates are the highest distinction the University can confer on individuals who are not employed by the University of Bergen (UiB). The new honorary doctors have been appointed by the University Board based on nominations from the faculties in consultation with the Rector. The ten recipients will be formally conferred honorary doctorates at a ceremony in the University Aula on 21 May 2026.

The new honorary doctors at UiB are:

Professor Richard Sennett, The London Centre for the Humanities
For more than five decades, Professor Sennett has contributed to the understanding of issues ranging from social inequality, the public sphere, knowledge and craftsmanship, to work, employment and urban life. He combines theoretical depth with broad reach beyond academia, drawing on insights from sociology, philosophy, history, political theory, art and architecture/urban planning. A recurring central theme in his work is how we as human beings can and must develop a wide range of social skills collectively, and how social institutions may either support or hinder this development. Richard Sennett was nominated by the University leadership.

Aud Jebsen, the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation
Through the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation, Aud Jebsen has demonstrated a selfless and visionary commitment to research in Norway. Since its establishment in 2009, the foundation has funded 26 medical and two marine research centres, nine of them at UiB. In addition, the foundation supports a wide range of cultural initiatives, particularly in classical music. By the end of 2024, the foundation had awarded a total of NOK 807 million. Special emphasis is placed on the establishment of the K.G. Jebsen Academy for Young Researchers, which supports talented early-career researchers and strengthens collaboration between the Jebsen Centres. Aud Jebsen was nominated by the University leadership.

Karl Ove Knausgård, author
Karl Ove Knausgård excels at combining intense reading experiences with academic discussion and engaging, present commentary in essay and column form. He has made remarkable contributions to world literature. The novel series My Struggle, along with his other publications, demonstrates the inherent power of literature at a time when both literature and the art of reading are challenged by other media formats. Karl Ove Knausgård was nominated by the Faculty of Humanities.

Professor Henrik Palmer Olsen, University of Copenhagen and the Faculty of Law at UiB
Professor Olsen is Professor of Law at the University of Copenhagen. His scholarly work is particularly associated with legal philosophy, and more recently with issues related to artificial intelligence. Henrik Palmer Olsen was nominated by the Faculty of Law.

Professor Deryn Fogg, University of Ottawa
Professor Fogg is a world-leading researcher in the development of tools, insights and processes for the sustainable production of molecules and materials that enable modern technology. She is also distinguished as an outstanding mentor and an inspiring role model for early-career researchers. Furthermore, she has emerged as a clear ambassador for science, including in dialogue with political decision-makers. Deryn Fogg was nominated by the Faculty of Science and Technology.

Professor Anna Louise Gloyn, Stanford University
Professor Gloyn has conducted extensive, world-leading research in diabetes. She has made particularly groundbreaking contributions to knowledge about the genetic causes of and cell-biological mechanisms underlying the development of diabetes in both children and adults. This work has been of decisive importance for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Anna Louise Gloyn was nominated by the Faculty of Medicine.

Dr Samah Jabr, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author
Dr Jabr has authored books and research articles and has communicated widely about the psychological consequences of war and occupation in Palestine. She integrates medical expertise with activism and consistently highlights the mental health consequences of occupation, colonial violence and war, particularly for victims of torture and trauma in the Palestinian context. Dr Jabr has served communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank for more than two decades and currently serves as a clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at George Washington University. She is also a member of the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge. Samah Jabr was nominated by the Faculty of Psychology.

Professor Luciano Floridi, Yale University
Professor Floridi has made pioneering and internationally recognised contributions to information ethics and the philosophy of technology. Through his interdisciplinary research, he has developed key concepts such as the infosphere and the Fourth Revolution, which have reshaped our understanding of digital society, artificial intelligence and big data. He is also a leading advocate for responsible technological development and ethical reflection in the context of digitalisation. Professor Floridi contributes actively to policymaking and public debate on the role of technology in society and fosters collaboration between academia, industry and government at both national and international levels. Luciano Floridi was nominated by the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Professor Tia DeNora, University of Exeter
Professor DeNora’s work is rooted in the sociology of music. Through ethnographic research and theoretical reflection, her scholarship explores how individuals and societies use and experience music to manage their lives, create community, and foster care and wellbeing. Her work promotes music and the arts as fundamental values for individual and societal health and wellbeing. She operates within a very broad interdisciplinary field, including philosophy, anthropology, the humanities, the arts, medicine, music and health, and has been influential in advancing innovative interdisciplinary research, practice and theory across a wide musical and cultural landscape. Tia DeNora was nominated by the Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design.

Dr Paul Smith, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Dr Smith is the Secretary General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world’s largest global network for plant conservation initiatives. He is regularly consulted by senior representatives of multilateral environmental agreements, particularly the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and by organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry. Under his leadership, more than twenty presidents and directors of the world’s leading botanical institutions participate in BGCI’s international advisory council. Dr Smith’s outstanding technical, diplomatic and negotiation skills are reflected in his professional achievements both at the Millennium Seed Bank, which he led for many years, and at BGCI. He has successfully championed the planting of native and threatened trees, including as an alternative to non-native plantations for carbon sequestration. Paul Smith was nominated by the University Museum of Bergen.