The International Commencement Ceremony (ICC), held at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), saw more than 500 students from over 100 countries across the world聽welcomed to the town by a host of local dignitaries and university staff.
The formal event saw BU Vice Chancellor Professor John Vinney, members of the university鈥檚 board, executive team and academic faculty members take to the stage in ceremonial graduation dress before joining students at their tables for an evening three-course meal.
Dr Milena Bobeva, Principal Academic and Associate Dean of Global Engagement at BU, led the ceremony, before speeches from Professor John Vinney, Angus Campbell Esq, Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, Ade Balogun, President of BU Students鈥� Union, SUBU, and Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West.
Professor Vinney said: 鈥淚鈥檓 particularly pleased that we have so many distinguished guests from the local community here to welcome students to the region in person. It just goes to show what a fantastically friendly and welcoming place Bournemouth is.
鈥淭his year, more than 2,000 international students will have travelled here from around the world and chosen to study in the UK, but no other university in the UK welcomes their students in this manner, so that makes the International Commencement Ceremony unique and truly special.鈥�
Addressing the students in his welcome speech, the Lord Lieutenant said: 鈥淎s Her Majesty the Queen鈥檚 Lord Lieutenant for Dorset, it is my particular privilege to welcome you all to the United Kingdom, and in particular to our wonderful county of Dorset.聽 I鈥檓 quite confident that you will enjoy your stay and your studies in this, our most beautiful and vibrant of counties, which is renowned for its magnificent Jurassic coastline.鈥�
Also in attendance was SUBU President, Ade Balogun: 鈥淚t鈥檚 my pleasure to be standing this evening addressing my fellow students. As an international student, moments like this mean a lot to me, because we鈥檝e come a long way to have an amazing journey at BU. I started to make new friends by attending SUBU events just like the Fresher鈥檚 Fair, and got involved with the Students鈥� Union, and got elected as the second international student to do so.鈥�
Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West, said: 鈥淚t is a particular pleasure to follow the President of the Students鈥� Union, and you could not ask for a more graphic representation of how welcome all of you, as international students, are here in Bournemouth. In recent years, there has been this very important ceremony which I鈥檓 delighted is a part of my civic life here in Bournemouth.鈥�
Students were then served a three-course meal before a speech from BU Honorary Doctorate recipient, Kate Kinninmont MBE, CEO of Women in Film & Television UK. Kate elaborated upon her varied work across the film industry and her life growing up in Glasgow, before looking at some of the challenges facing young people in 2018.
Kate, who took up her honorary title from the university in 2017, also spoke of how students would, in later life, talk about their experiences at university, imploring them to work hard, enjoy themselves and explore new possibilities.
She said: 鈥淭his is a fantastic occasion for me because I absolutely loved receiving the doctorate from BU last year, and now I鈥檝e got the chance to put on this magnificent gown again. I鈥檓 really pleased to be able to do the commencement speech for all of these young people who have come to university from all over the world. Many of them will be feeling lonely and that they might not belong, but what I鈥檇 like to do is make them feel at home here in Bournemouth.鈥�
To read more about global opportunities open to students, visit
members of the Procession at ICC
Kate Kinninmont at ICC
VC John Vinney at the ICC
Conor Burns MP at ICC
SUBU President at ICC
The Procession at ICC
Guests at ICC
Band at ICC
