SIX leading figures from the worlds of science, finance, the arts and religion are to be awarded honorary doctorates by Durham University.

The university will be awarding honorary degrees during the coming year to banker Sir Derek Wanless, director of Northern Rock, Peter Carter, leader of the Allegri String Quartet, scientists Professor Julia Goodfellow and Professor Sir Gareth Roberts, American-born writer Anne Stevenson and Vatican theologian Cardinal Walter Kasper.

Announcing the University's list of honorary graduates for 2004-05, Vice-Chancellor Sir Kenneth Calman said: "The university is delighted to celebrate the outstanding work, leadership and inspiration to others that these men and women give to the wider community.

"They represent values that we also hold high - academic excellence and engagement through science, the arts and humanities, with society as a whole.

"They have a mixture of strong links with the North-East region and with national and international affairs.

"We look forward to them joining us when we confer degrees on our regular graduates in the next few months and welcoming them into the University family."

Ceremonies will be held in Durham Cathedral at the end of June and next January when more than 3,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive their degrees.

Sir Derek, who is also a director of Northumbrian Water and a former chief executive of Nat West, will receive a Doctorate of Civil Law.

South African-born violinist Mr Carter, who has been a regular performer at Durham University since 1998, will be awarded a Doctorate of Music

Professor Goodfellow, who in 2002 opened Durham's Integrated Cell Biology Lab, and physicist Sir Gareth, who was head of Durham's Department of Applied Physics from 1976 to 1985, will both receive doctorates of science.

Ms Stevenson was born in the USA but now lives in Durham and in 2002 won the inaugural £60,000 Northern Rock Foundation Writers' Award, one of the highlights of a 40-year career in poetry. She is to be awarded a doctorate of Letters.

Finally, eminent theologian Walter Cardinal Kasper - an advisor to Pope John Paul II on ecumenical matters - is awarded a doctorate of divinity.

Details of the ceremonies will be announced later this year.