What is the Honorary Diploma Award?
Michener’s Honorary Diploma recognizes and honours exceptional individuals who have made significant contributions to health care and/or post-secondary education, whose accomplishments provide inspiration and leadership to the graduates, and who, by their presence, bring distinction to The Michener Institute of Education at UHN.
The Board of Governors invites the Michener community to submit nominations.
Who can be awarded an Honorary Diploma?
Nominees must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Significant contributions and accomplishments in the field of health care (broadly defined) provincially, nationally or internationally.
- Significant contributions and accomplishments in post-secondary education provincially, nationally or internationally.
- Significant contributions and accomplishments in a professional discipline that aligns with the Michener Institute’s educational programs.
- Significant contributions and accomplishments in a community of professional practice that aligns with the Michener Institute’s educational programs.
Recipients may include members of the public, former employees, former Michener and UHN Board members, public officials, and alumni. Board members and public officials must have been away from active service or membership for a minimum of three years to be eligible.
Current employees, Michener and UHN Board members, students, Advisory Council members, and elected officials are excluded from being recipients.
How many Honorary Diploma awards are granted?
Through the auspices of the Principal’s Office, the Michener Board of Governors normally awards one honorary diploma every other academic year.
What is the role of the Honorary Diploma recipient?
The recipient usually attends convocation, or another event, at which the diploma is awarded. A brief biographical profile and photo will be displayed at Michener as a permanent plaque.
Past Honorary Diploma Recipients
- 2019 André Picard, National Health Columnist, The Globe & Mail
- 2017 Dr. Winston Isaac, Michener Alumnus of Distinction, founder of the Walnut Foundation, healthcare educator and innovator
- 2014 Dr. Samir Sinha, Provincial Lead, Ontario Seniors Strategy, Director of Geriatric Medicine, Mt Sinai and University Health Network Hospitals
- 2012 Neena Kanwar, co-founder, President and CEO of KMH Cardiology and Diagnostic Centres
- 2011 Dr. Vivek Goel, President and CEO of Public Health Ontario (formerly the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion)
- 2010 Dr. Marlene Scardamalia, Presidents’ Chair in Education and Knowledge Technologies at OISE/University of Toronto and founding director of the Institute for Knowledge Innovation and Technology
- 2009 Dr. C. Joseph Kurian, President of Alpha Laboratories
- 2008 Dr. Donald T. Stuss, Vice-President Research and Academic Education and Director of the Rotman Research Institute, and Mrs. Sonja Bata, Founder of the Bata Shoe Museum and renowned philanthropist
- 2007 Dr. Amitai Ziv, Founder and Director of the Israel Centre for Medical Simulation and Pediatrician at Hebrew University
- 2006 Dr. Robert Byrick, Clinical Anesthesiologist at St. Michael’s Hospital, and Dr. Daniel Klass, Director and Associate Registrar, Quality Management at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
- 2005 Dr. David Naylor, President of the University of Toronto
- 2004 Dr. Sheela Basrur, former Chief Medical Officer of Health and Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Health for Ontario
- 2003 Dr. Diana Schatz, founder of The Michener Institute for Applied Health Science
