“The world needs you.” Advice to the class of 2025
This September, we marked another high point in the SOAS calendar – the joyful celebration of our alumni and their achievements at our annual graduation ceremonies.
Alongside the conferment of degrees across schools and disciplines, we had the pleasure of awarding honorary degrees to those who have distinguished themselves in their field, both through their outstanding bodies of work and their championing of the progressive ideals that align with our own.
Here, alongside our President of SOAS and Chair of the SOAS Board, they share their advice to the graduating class of 2025.
Write a new story
“You get to play a part in the most amazing, fantastic, terrible and interesting game that I've ever seen.
“Because you are graduating in a world where people don't believe in economics anymore. And in that kind of world, what people want is a new story. They will ask for a new story and they will keep asking, and they will start demanding a new story until they get one.
“You are players in this game because you are graduating economics. Whether you like it or not, you are players in this game now. You have your part to play in which story will win.
“What are you going to do now?”
Gary Stevenson is one of the leading voices on the state of the UK economy, speaking to a following of well over a million on YouTube. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Social Sciences in recognition of his extraordinary work, communication and campaigning about inequality, social exclusion, financial markets, debt, and his commitment to teaching people about real world economics.
Show pride in your learning
“We are witnessing a trashing of the pursuit of higher learning, of empirical research and analysis, and of professional expertise. And it is in these uncertain times that you, the graduates of the humanities and social sciences, you need to show pride in your learning. That fight is engaged, and you must have the courage to join.
"Your degrees are not matters of private indulgence. They are needed now for the public good, because you are vital apostles for the rule of law, the guardians of wisdom for the ordering of society, and the keepers of the flame of humanity itself.
"Keep alive the values of this institution and carry with pride and as your duty, the torch that you have been given.”
Harry Matovu KC is a Ugandan-born litigation expert, with years of expertise in commercial litigation, international arbitration, civil fraud, and public international law. He has represented sovereign states, global corporations, and financial institutions in billion-dollar disputes .
Harry was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law in recognition of his substantial international contribution and commitment to the Commercial Bar and work as a Founder and Chair of the Black Talent Charter.
Challenge your worldview
“As you enter into the journey of life beyond the university, it's absolutely crucial to not merely hang around with people who have your views, your opinions, your preconceptions, your biases - which may be passionately held, which may come from experience and from knowledge.
“Truth is many sided, and one can never arrive at the complete truth as a human being. One can arrive at something that is less than untruth, and that comes from engaging and debating and conversing with people different from yourselves.”
Ramachandra Guha is a historian and biographer who is currently Distinguished University Professor at Krea University and previously taught at Stanford University, the Indian Institute of Science, and the London School of Economics. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for his substantial contributions as an historian, writer, public intellectual, and defender of the rights enshrined in the Indian constitution.
Stand by your values
“I would wager that for you, your course of study is not a fallback pursuit that you chose because you lack a genuine passion. On the contrary, your course of study is your passion as it was mine.
And passionate people are resilient people. They persist even when others tell them they are crazy to do so. So stay the course. Stay in this arena. The world needs you.
If your time at SOAS has been anything like mine, you are well prepared to take the baton which my generation now passes to you and to give of yourselves as we did.”
Elisabeth Kvitashvili is an accomplished development practitioner with global humanitarian and crisis response leadership and field operations expertise with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Social Sciences for her extensive humanitarian work and expertise.
Keep your mind vibrant
“You step out as confident men and women into a future so radically transforming, that it might even take the ability to think away from you. Don't let it. It might even give you ways in which you can avoid high pressure because somebody - some system, some computer, some technology - they'll do it for you. Don't let it. Keep your mind vibrant.
"So as you step away, step away beautifully. Be willing to look for the stress and the pressure that forms you into a resilient person. And keep changing your world because you have the will not to give up."
Lord Dr Michael Hastings, Chair of the SOAS Board
Lord Dr Michael Hastings became the Chair of the SOAS Board of Trustees in January 2022. He began his working career as a schoolteacher and is now Professor of Leadership at the Jon M Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, USA and formerly the Chancellor of Regents University London until the end of 2021.
Stay curious
“Be curious—never stop being curious. The quest for learning does not end today with the award of your certificates.
"See it as the firing of the starting pistol in a race that never ends. Continue studying with hunger and discipline, because everything you have learnt in the library can be applied in the world.”
Appointed as President of SOAS in 2021, Zeinab Badawi is best known for her broadcasting work such as on Hardtalk and Global Questions on BBC World TV and the BBC News Channel. Most recently, she published her new book ‘An African History of Africa’, a Sunday Times bestseller.
Join our Alumni community
Graduation marks a milestone—but it’s far from the end. It’s your entry into a global community of nearly 95,000 SOAS alumni who are shaping conversations, influencing policy and challenging the status quo worldwide.
As part of this bold, diverse alumni network, you’ll stay inspired by the ideas, people and opportunities that define SOAS. Whether you're building a global career, launching a new project, sharing your experience, or mentoring others—you remain a vital part of what makes SOAS unique.
