“The University of Hull is unique with its distinct independence and progressive approach. There is no sense of entitlement amongst Hull graduates. We stand for originality, industry and commitment.”
Baroness Virginia Bottomley, Chancellor of the University of Hull 2006 – 2023, Honorary Graduate 2026
Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and welcome to our University of Hull Alumni Community.
This July we had the privilege of attending the Summer 2026 Graduations at the Connexin Arena, and to be part of the celebrations at Zebedee’s Yard where we met so many new alumni and their families. The whole University of Hull community came together to celebrate over four days with the Class of 2026, and to honour four outstanding new Honorary Graduates and our second cohort of Alumni Laureates. Our Alumni Laureate award celebrates alumni who are fewer than ten years since graduating but have already made substantial achievements early in their careers.
We are proud of our alumni community and we’d love to stay in contact. You can help us keep in touch by doing the following:
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Below you can find out more about our Honorary Graduates, the new Alumni Laureates, and see the photographs from four wonderful days of celebration.
Meet the Honorary Graduates
Baroness Virginia Bottomley of Nettlestone
Former Chancellor of the University of Hull, Baroness Virginia Bottomley has been a passionate champion of the University and the city for almost two decades. A social scientist by background, she enjoyed a distinguished career in public service, holding senior ministerial roles including Secretary of State for Health and Secretary of State for National Heritage.
Alongside her work in government, she has devoted her career to supporting charities, education and public life, while consistently advocating for issues including mental health, poverty and opportunities for women. Her enduring commitment to Hull and higher education has left a lasting impact on generations of students and graduates.
Philip Norton (Lord Norton of Louth)
Professor Philip Norton, Lord Norton of Louth, is one of the UK’s leading authorities on Parliament and constitutional affairs. A member of staff at the University of Hull since 1977, he became the country’s youngest Professor of Politics at just 35 and has spent almost five decades shaping the study of government and democracy right here at Hull.
Author of more than 50 books and hundreds of academic publications, he has also played an influential role in public life as a member of the House of Lords. Described as “our greatest living expert on Parliament”, Lord Norton has helped establish Hull as a centre of excellence for political studies and inspired generations of our students.
Barbara Mills KC
Barbara graduated from the University of Hull in 1989. She is a specialist family law barrister based in London. She qualified as a barrister in 1990 and was appointed a KC in 2020. As well as being an arbitrator and mediator, Barbara sits as a Deputy High Court judge and is the joint head of chambers of 4PB – the leading family law set of chambers in England and Wales.
In 2025, Barbara became the first Black and first person of colour to Chair the Bar Council of England and Wales, the representative body of the 18,000 barristers in England and Wales. She was also the first specialist family practitioner to be Chair for over 35 years.
During her time as Chair of the Bar of England and Wales in 2025, Barbara worked tirelessly to raise the profile of family law and to support the Government in its mission to halve violence against women and girls. She also made strides to ensure that wellbeing was recognised as a skill and a core part of effective practice management, while continuing to drive forward progress in equality, diversity and inclusion.
Since being awarded her Honorary Degree it has been announced that she is set to become a life peer in the House of Lords.
Neville Reyner CBE
Neville Reyner CBE has enjoyed an extraordinary career spanning engineering, manufacturing, business leadership and economic development. Beginning his working life as a coal-face electrician in Lancashire, he rose to become a senior executive in the UK’s semiconductor industry, helping to grow one of the country’s most important technology sectors.
Passionate about skills, innovation and education, Neville has spent decades supporting business growth and workforce development at regional, national and European levels. A strong advocate for lifelong learning, he has also played an important role in strengthening links between industry and academia, including at the University of Hull.
Meet the Alumni Laureates
Eden Barnes OBE
Eden graduated in 2016 with a First Class Honours degree in Law and Legislative Studies. She began her career in politics with the Conservative Party before moving into communications at HM Treasury. Between 2022 and 2024, Eden served as Senior Special Adviser to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, for which she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her contribution to public and political service. After subsequently running her own business, she joined Barclays in January 2026 as Head of Regional Corporate Affairs.
Dr Nina Purvis
Recently named by the Explorer’s Club as one of 50 people changing the world, Nina served as the European Space Agency’s biomedical research doctor and search & rescue lead at Concordia Station, Antarctica for 13 months. Known as ‘White Mars’ it is one of the most remote and extreme environments on Earth. She holds an MPhys Astrophysics from the University of Hull and a PhD from Hull York Medical School, switching to a clinical career via graduate-entry medicine and a second MSc in Space Health. She works as a general surgery resident doctor in the NHS.
Dr Phininder Balaghan
Dr Phininder Balaghan is an award-winning global AI leader. He has worked across multiple AI-related sectors including autonomous systems, computational science research and global strategy – in which he earned the Global Roch Wiesman Innovation award. He is currently the co-founder and CTO of Traversally, having previously been a Lead AI consultant for PA Consulting and Global AI Lead for QinetiQ. Phininder is a highly-sought speaker at events with highlights including AWS, Google, Qlik and many others. He has also contributed to international tech delegations.
Photo Galleries
Day One – Monday 13 July
Day Two- Tuesday 14 July
Day Three- Wednesday 15 July
Day Four – Thursday 16 July
University of Hull Alumni Association 