Shirley Pearce, who is being recognised for ¡°services to higher education¡±, was vice-chancellor at the institution from 2006 to 2012, and since 2009 has been a board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. She is also the current chair of the College of Policing.

Others who have been made dames include Frances Kirwan, professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford and Pamela Shaw, professor of neurology at the University of Sheffield.

Among those receiving knighthoods were Adrian Bird, Buchanan professor of genetics at the University of Edinburgh; Richard Blundell, David Ricardo professor of political economy at University College London; Noel Malcolm, senior research fellow at All Souls College, Oxford; Geoffrey Palmer, professor emeritus at Heriot-Watt University¡¯s School of Life Sciences; and Peter Ratcliffe, Nuffield professor of clinical medicine at the University of Oxford.

Meanwhile, Baroness O¡¯Neill of Bengarve, the ethicist and philosopher, was awarded the Companion of Honour - the highest possible award in the list - for services to ¡°philosophy and public policy¡±.

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A professor emeritus at the University of Cambridge, Baroness O¡¯Neill has served as president of the British Academy, was principal of Newnham College, Cambridge, and is current chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, as well as having performed a variety of other roles for public bodies and universities.

One of the archaeologists behind perhaps the most high profile academic discovery of recent years ¨C the unearthing of the skeleton of Richard III in a Leicester car park ¨C was also honoured.

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Richard Buckley, who project managed the dig for the royal remains, is to be awarded an OBE.

The excavation, which began in 2012, received huge media attention in February earlier this year when experts from the University of Leicester publicly announced they believed the skeleton was that of the slain king.

There were also CBEs announced for two current vice-chancellors: Stuart Bartholomew of the Arts University Bournemouth and Van Gore of Southampton Solent University, both for services to higher education.

Ed Smith, who this autumn stepped down as the chairman of the Student Loans Company at the end of his first term, is also to receive a CBE.

He presided over a controversy at the company in 2012 when it emerged that the then chief executive Ed Lester was being paid through a private company, therefore allowing him to cut his income tax bill.

Mr Smith is also pro-chancellor and chair of the University of Birmingham.

david.matthews@tsleducation.com

Among those given knighthoods are:

Adrian Bird, Buchanan chair of genetics at the University of Edinburgh, for services to science;

Richard Blundell, professor of political economy at UCL and director of the ESRC Centre for the Micro-Economic Analysis of Public Policy, for services to economics and social science;

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Noel Malcolm, senior research fellow at All Souls College, University of Oxford, for services to scholarship, journalism and European history;

Godfrey Palmer, professor emeritus at Heriot-Watt University, for services to human rights, science and charity;

Peter Ratcliffe, Nuffield professor of clinical medicine at the University of Oxford, for services to clinical medicine:

Among those made dames are:

Frances Kirwan, professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford, for services to mathematics;

Shirley Pearce, former vice-chancellor at Loughborough University, for services to higher education;

Pamela Shaw, professor of neurology at the University of Sheffield, for services to neuroscience, particularly through the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience;

Celia Hoyles, professor of mathematics education at the Institute of Education, for services to education;

Among those awarded CBEs are:

Ash Amin, chair in geography at the University of Cambridge, for services to social science;

Helen Atkinson, head of mechanics of materials research group and head of the department of engineering at the University of Leicester, for services to engineering and education.

Stuart Bartholomew, principal and vice-chancellor at the Arts University Bournemouth, for services to higher education;

Doreen Cantrell, vice-principal and head of college of life sciences at the University of Dundee, for services to life sciences;

Marian Dawkins, professor of animal behaviour at the University of Oxford, for services to animal welfare;

Alastair Fowler, emeritus professor of rhetoric and English literature at the University of Edinburgh, for services to literature and education;

O James Garden, Regius chair of clinical surgery at the University of Edinburgh, for services to Surgery;

Kate Gerrish, professor of nursing research at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for services to nursing;

Carole Goble, professor in the school of computer science at the University of Manchester, for services to science;

Van Gore, vice-chancellor of Southampton Solent University, for services to higher education;

John Kay, supernumerary fellow in economics at St John¡¯s College, University of Oxford, for services to economics;

Douglas Kell, former chief executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, for services to science and research

Peter Macfarlane, emeritus professor at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, for services to healthcare;

Patrick Morrison, honorary professor of human genetics at Queen¡¯s University, Belfast, for services to healthcare in Northern Ireland;

David Morton, veterinarian, for services to the UK and international veterinary profession especially animal welfare and ethics;

David Neal, professor of surgical oncology at the University of Cambridge, for services to surgery;

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Stephen Scott, director of the National Academy for Parenting Research, for services to families.

John Smith, former chair of the Student Loans Company and pro-chancellor and chair at the University of Birmingham, for services to higher education;

John Williams, professor of health services research at Swansea University, for services to medicine;

Lesley Yellowlees, president of the Royal Society of Chemistry, for services to chemistry;

Among those given OBEs are:

Elaine Acaster, former vice-principal for strategy and governance at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, for services to higher education;

Nigel Brown, president of the Society for General Microbiology and emeritus professor of molecular microbiology at the University of Edinburgh, for services to science;

Richard Buckley, co-director of the University of Leicester archaeological service, for services to archaeology;

Paul Cannon former director of the Poynting Institute, QinetiQ and University of Birmingham, for services to engineering;

Linda Cardozo, consultant gynaecologist at King¡¯s College Hospital, London, for services to urogynaecology and women¡¯s health;

Juliet Compston, emeritus professor of bone medicine at the department of medicine, University of Cambridge, for services to the treatment of osteoporosis;?

David Cracknell, director of teaching and learning at the University of Chester Academies Trust, University of Chester for services to education;

Carl Gilleard, former chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, for services to higher education and graduate employability;

Lenox Green, admissions officer at the University of Manchester, for services to the community through the Rainbow Christian Centre in Hulme;

Ruth Jones, researcher and consultant in the department of applied social sciences, University of Worcester, for services to victims of domestic and sexual violence;

Maire Kerr, head of the higher education division in the department for employment and learning, Northern Ireland Executive, for services to social and economic development in Northern Ireland;

James Knowlson, emeritus professor of French at the University of Reading, for services to literary scholarship;

Sonia Livingston, professor in the department of media and communications at the London School of Economics, for services to children and child internet safety;

Mary McColgan, professor of social work at the University of Ulster, for services to the social care sector in Northern Ireland;

Elizabeth Rouse, former head of the London College of Communication and deputy rector at the University of the Arts, London, for services to higher education;

Elizabeth Tansey, professor of the history of modern medicine at Queen Mary University of London, for services to research in the medical sciences and to the public understanding of science;

Moira Whyte, professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Sheffield, for services to respiratory medicine;

Alison Wild, former chair of the Association of Heads of University Administration and deputy chief executive of Liverpool John Moores University, for services to higher education;

Among those awarded MBEs are:

Mary Brittain, former manager of the schools, colleges and community outreach department at Nottingham Trent University, for services to higher education;

Robin Eady, emeritus professor at the St. John¡¯s Institute of Dermatology, University of London, for services to dermatology and voluntary service to governance in the charitable sector;

Hazel Johnstone, department manager at the Gender Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, for services to higher education;

Albert Jones, head of conservation at the Mary Rose Trust, for services to the conservation of the Mary Rose;

Peter Lansley, professor emeritus of construction management at the University of Reading, for services to research into ageing and well-being of older people;

Kenton Lewis, partnership manager at The Higher Education Academy, for services to higher education;

Anne-Marie Martin, former head of the careers group at the University of London, for services to higher education;

Joanna Newman, director of the UK Higher Education International Unit. For services to promoting British higher education internationally, particularly in Brazil;

Christine Robertson, professor and head of the Institute of Education at the University of Worcester, for services to higher education;

John Ryan, pro vice-chancellor for students at the University of Worcester, for services to higher education;

Georgina Seddon, co-founder and co-organiser of Welcome International Students of Cambridge, for services to higher education and international relations;

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Paul Tyler, professor of deep-sea biology and professorial research fellow at the University of Southampton National Oceanography Centre, for services to science.