ROME - Professor Anton Muscatelli, the Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Glasgow in Scotland has been awarded a knighthood in the UK’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. Professor Muscatelli, who was born in Bari and who has both Italian and British citizenship, will receive the honour for services to economics and higher education.

 He commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to receive this honour. But this is, of course, an award for the whole of the University of Glasgow as much as it for me. It is a privilege to lead the University of Glasgow at this exciting time, especially since this was the place where I chose to study and where I began my academic career as an economist.”

 “I am also pleased, and proud, as someone who came to the UK from abroad and who believes that science and knowledge transcends national boundaries and borders that this honour has been bestowed upon me”, he continued.

 Muscatelli’s father, who was the head of a shipping company, relocated his family first to Holland and then settled in Glasgow, where he graduated with an M.A. (Hons) in Political Economy (1984) and took a Ph.D. in Economics (1989).

 The Queen’s Birthday Honours “recognise the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people from across the UK.” This year is particularly special, as 2017 marks mark 100 years of the Order of the British Empire. In total, 1,109 people have received an award. Muscatelli’s award comes under the “Education” category, which counts for around 11 percent of the honour. A damehood for Hilary Boulding​, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama has also been awarded, and the proportion of women who have received Honours at the highest levels (CBE and above) has increased to 43 percent.

 For the full Birthday’s Honours List please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/birthday-honours-lists-2017.