The Open University will honour community leader and language activist Linda Ervine MBE with an honorary doctorate at its Belfast Degree ceremony next week, which marks 50 years since the first ever OU ceremony in Northern Ireland.
The landmark event, which takes place on Tuesday 14 October at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, celebrates the OU’s rich history of providing accessible and inclusive education in Northern Ireland, whilst looking to the future.
The first ever Open University Belfast Degree Ceremony – planned for 1974 at Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast – was cancelled due to the Loyalist Workers’ Strike and finally took place the following year. Since then, the OU has been a bridge in a divided society, enabling study through bombings, blackouts, curfews and most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its commitment to widening access, inclusion and lifelong learning has transformed thousands of lives across Northern Ireland over the last 50 years. Next week, over 300 students from a diverse range of backgrounds will take their place in history, graduating in subjects ranging from Nursing to Forensic Psychology.
Over the last 50 years, The OU’s Belfast and Dublin degree ceremonies have also recognised leaders in every sphere of public life, from peacebuilding and public service to the arts, education, sport and business.
Linda Ervine will become the latest Open University honorary graduate, recognised for her outstanding contribution to education and cultural inclusion in Northern Ireland.
Born and raised in East Belfast in a political family of socialist and trade union activists, Linda left school at 15 with no qualifications. Like many Open University students, she returned to education as an adult, balancing her studies with work and family life.
A passionate lifelong learner, a short Irish language course with a cross-community women’s group proved a turning point in her life. Through further study, she fell in love with the language, inspired by its deep roots in Protestant communities and its ability to build bridges and friendships across communities.
She went on to establish Turas, now one of Belfast’s largest Irish language centres, and Scoil na Soilta, the first integrated Irish-medium school in Northern Ireland. In 2021, her work was recognised with an MBE for services to the Irish language.
Reflecting on the honour, Linda Ervine MBE said: “This honorary degree is profoundly special to me and carries deep personal meaning. I have always admired The Open University’s mission to make higher education accessible to so many, but it also touches me personally, because my late father completed his degree through the OU.
“Like countless others, he was able to balance full-time work with his studies thanks to the flexibility The Open University provides. His graduation day was one of the proudest and happiest moments of his life. For that gift and for the memories it gave him, I will always remain deeply grateful.”
John D’Arcy, Director of The Open University in Ireland, added: “Linda Ervine embodies the mission of The Open University – proving that where you start in life should not limit where you go. Her story reflects the journeys of so many of our students: overcoming barriers, embracing flexible and inclusive learning, and using education to shape families, communities, and futures. As we celebrate our 50th Belfast degree ceremony and over five decades transforming lives in Northern Ireland, it is a privilege to award her this Honorary Doctorate.”
Former Irish presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese are amongst those to have received honorary degrees from The Open University, alongside Oscar-winning filmmaker, Neil Jordan; sporting legends, Mary Peters and Mickey Harte; Snow Patrol frontman, Gary Lightbody; and prominent peacebuilders, Lord John Alderdice and Baroness Nuala O’Loan.
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