Ravensbourne University awards honorary doctorate degree to Idris Elba

The Ravensbourne University London has awarded an honorary doctorate degree to English actor, DJ, and musician, Idris Elba, for his significant contributions to societal growth. 

Elba is one of two recipients of this award, he was awarded alongside designer Tinker Hatfield, and the two are the first to ever receive such an award from the university. While receiving his award he expressed delight and appreciation to the university for the recognition of the work he is doing.

“I wanted to be in the creative arts because I wanted to contribute, I wanted to have a seat at the table, I wanted to have someone that looked like me, to have something to offer,” said Elba.

He started his acting career in 1994, and to date he is widely known for his role as an actor, starring in films and TV series including ‘Beasts of No Nation’, ‘The Losers’, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, and ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’.

Also, throughout his career, he has been a strong supporter of young people, especially those from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds. In 2013, he set up Green Door Pictures, a production company that was established to promote diverse storytelling and provide a more direct route for talented writers, actors, directors, and producers to succeed in the film and TV industry.

He also recently worked on ‘Fight School’, a documentary series that aired on the BBC in the spring of 2022. It set a group of disadvantaged young adults on a five-month training course to help provide them with discipline, determination, and focus by putting them through an experimental boxing school.