Jackie Kay CBE

The Professor of Creative Writing, has been awarded the CBE for services to literature. She told The Times she was accepting the award on behalf of her peers.

The award-winning and acclaimed author was born in Edinburgh, raised in Glasgow and is the Scottish Makar, the country's national poet.

Her memoir, Red Dust Road was awarded the prestigious Scottish Book of the Year in 2011 and was one of 20 books to be selected for World Book Night in 2013.

The judges who chose it said: "Jackie Kay is one of our greatest poets and this is, quite simply, her story. Of growing up, of wanting to know where we come from, who we are, and of what happens when we discover the truth. Beautiful and brilliant."

Professor Kay was awarded an MBE in 2006, again for services to literature, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Her most recent poetry collection, Bantam was published in 2017 to critical acclaim.

Outstanding work

Also recognised in the New Year's Honours is Teresa Graham CBE, a member of the University's Council and an alumna, who is awarded a damehood for services to small businesses. Teresa holds a number of appointments, including non-executive, mentoring and advisory roles in growth businesses and has recently been appointed as a NED to the newly created British Business Bank. She is also currently Chairman of the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board of HMRC and a member of their Office of Tax Simplification, and immediate past Chair of the Regulatory Board of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors receiving an honorary membership in recognition of her contribution to the Institution.

Newcastle University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Day said: "I am delighted to see that Jackie and Teresa's outstanding work has been recognised in this way. This is well deserved and testament to their talent and expertise."