Murdoch University has presented an Honorary Doctorate to Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Bhutan, Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, recognising Her Majesty’s commitment to changing lives and society for the better through accessible education.
At a graduation ceremony on February 9, 2025, Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Andrew Deeks said having missed that opportunity, Her Majesty now gives the highest priority to children and their education, and this shows in her actions.
“Her Majesty’s commitment to changing lives and society for the better through accessible education has benefited not only her own country – but has made an impact right across the globe – and has certainly been felt right here in our own Murdoch University community,” Professor Deeks said.
“It is Her Majesty’s aim to open the doors to education so the Bhutanese youth of today can excel in their areas of expertise and contribute to an exciting, prosperous future for Bhutan. In this sense, she exemplifies Murdoch University’s own commitment to building a brighter future, together.”
In 2023, Her Majesty was honoured by the Ministry of Education in Bhutan for her contributions to quality education, including the ‘My Gakidh Village’ project, which aims to enhance the local economy while preserving cultural heritage.
She pioneered innovative curriculum and improved school infrastructure for local communities.
Her Majesty also reformed the Bhutanese drug and rehabilitation program. This program later became a Centre, established as The Bhutan Institute of Wellbeing.
The Centre serves people in need, and is also highly recognised for its wellness program, themed ‘Gross National Happiness Journey (GNH Journey) a Leadership of Self’. The short program has been delivered to national and international groups.
Her Majesty is the President of the Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF), founded by His Majesty the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, which has served thousands of youth and children since 1999 in areas such as youth development, education, substance use prevention and treatment, disability rights, child protection, skills training, social entrepreneurship, wellbeing promotion and policy advocacy.
In 2019, Murdoch University and the Bhutan Youth Development Fund formalised their relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding, resulting in a bespoke 50% scholarship named after Her Majesty, sending one distinguished Bhutanese undergraduate student to study at Murdoch University each semester until 2027.
In Her Majesty’s address, she spoke to the graduates, saying, “Each day, the human mind brings within our experience what was unthinkable or, simply, incredible, making imagination the only limit to human enterprise! It amazes me to see how easily today’s children and you, the highly learned youth, not only adapt to the miracles of change but employ them with such enthusiastic confidence, ease and comfort. You are, as well, the beneficiary of an unceasing torrent of knowledge and information that endows you with understanding, knowledge and proficiency. Open to learning, daring in innovation, and bold in your expression, you are masters of your own indomitable will! Equally heartening is your interest, conviction and courage to transcend narrow self-interests to engage in the larger issues that concern humanity’s future. You fill me with hope!”
Right she is.
The ceremony was also attended by Their Royal Highness Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck, who is the Vice President of YDF, Princess Kesang Chodren Wangchuck and Prince Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck.
Photo: Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Professor Andrew Deeks, Her Majesty the Queen Mother Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, Murdoch University Chancellor Gail McGowan, Ambassador of Bhutan to Australia Sonam Tobgay.
