First OU degree ceremony

The first Open University degree ceremony held in the Great Hall of Alexandra Palace on Saturday 23 June 1973. Part of the ceremony was broadcast live on BBC2.

The ceremony included the installation of the new Chancellor, Lord Gardiner, who replaced the late Geoffrey Crowther. The OU’s first honorary degrees (Doctors of the University) were conferred, including Jennie Lee, Peter Venables, Lord Campbell of Eskan (Chair of Milton Keynes Development Corporation), Jane Drew (Open University Architect), Paulo Freire, and Michael Young.