Arden University awards Honorary Doctorate to higher education pioneer John Holden

Trailblazer and innovator for distance learning – John Holden – has been awarded an honorary doctorate from Arden University, to celebrate his enduring legacy in the higher education field.

John’s career in higher education began back in 1988, when he established the first distance learning university programmes overseas in East Asia, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and later expanded to African and Middle East regions. His innovative work and contribution have paved the way for UK universities, not only creating a new market for higher education, but also providing wider, affordable access to students who aspire to obtain a degree.

Commenting on the award, Carl Lygo, CEO and Vice-Chancellor at Arden University, said:

“It’s such a pleasure to be able to award John an honorary doctorate.

“He paved the way for higher education, opening the doors for many who would have previously found access to university difficult to attain.

“His vision is something that has built Arden University into what it is today: a place where higher education is open for all.  We wanted to award this doctorate in recognition of his remarkable contributions and his unwavering dedication to the education sector.”

John began his career as an apprentice engineer and eventually went on to pursue education when working overseas. After recognising the gap in UK education, he founded Resource Development International (RDI) – a global centre of innovation that helped students reach their career potential by delivering education through online distance learning. RDI later grew to become Arden University.

John’s advocacy for educational reform and equity has had a lasting impact and has since influenced policies – in the UK and globally.

Speaking about his honorary doctorate, John said:

“It’s nice to have been awarded an honorary doctorate by Arden University, it is an academic award which I just didn’t ever expect to receive. I had a brilliant team that helped me launch the first distance learning degrees into the market and it’s incredibly rewarding to see that effort being recognised in this way.

“It’s remarkable how acceptable off campus learning has become in the last few years. There’s no reason whatsoever why off campus learning can’t be as effective, or even more effective, than campus learning. I’m proud to have played my part in that.”