At a ceremony held in London recently, HRH The Prince of Wales presented an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel.

As Royal Patron of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, His Royal Highness presented the University’s highest honour of the degree of Doctor of Literature [honoris causa] to Mr Jameel in recognition of his outstanding service and international leadership in promoting intercultural understanding between Western and Middle Eastern traditions.

Mr Jameel is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Abdul Latif Jameel, a family-owned diversified business, founded in 1945 by his father, the late Abdul Latif Jameel, which today employs approximately 17,500 people in 31 countries. Abdul Latif Jameel’s core business areas are transportation, financial services, land and real estate, energy, consumer products, and advertising and media.

A graduate of Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Mr Jameel is a noted philanthropist whose community-spirited activities are focused on job creation, global poverty alleviation, food and water security, arts and culture, health and social welfare, as well as education and training. He is the founder of Community Jameel, which is dedicated to social and economic sustainability in the Middle East and beyond.

In February 2015, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II awarded Mr Jameel with an Honorary Knighthood (KBE) for his philanthropic activities and support for the development of arts and culture. His philanthropic giving includes a donation to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to restore its Islamic Gallery, which was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in July 2006 under the new name of the Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art.

Professor Medwin Hughes, Vice-Chancellor, DL, said “The University is delighted to confer our highest honour upon a remarkable individual whose distinguished contribution as an international ambassador has transcended cultural boundaries and has promoted greater understanding of multi-cultural traditions.

“The University has a long and proud tradition for promoting the importance of education and of arts and culture to build greater global understanding and relationships, and we are delighted to welcome Mr Jameel into our community.”

Mr Jameel said: “It is a great honor to receive this award from the University, an institution with a proud heritage and a long-standing tradition in the fields of cultural and Islamic studies and research. I would like to thank my family, my colleagues at Community Jameel and our partners across the globe for their hard work and support in running the numerous programmes that help drive forward our work in areas such as education, the arts and job creation, which make such a difference to the lives of so many.”

Note to Editors:

1. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David was established in 2010 through the merger of the University of Wales Lampeter and Trinity University College, Carmarthen. On 1 August 2013 the Swansea Metropolitan University merged with the University.  The UWTSD Group comprises two further education colleges – Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion – as part of a dual sector group structure.

2. The University’s Royal Charter 1828 is the oldest in Wales, and it is third behind Oxford and Cambridge in Wales and England. HRH Prince of Wales is the Patron of the University.

3. Further information on Abdul Latif Jameel– http://www.alj.com

4. Further information on Community Jameel – http://communityjameel.org