The president of brewery Shepherd Neame, Robert Neame, and former Kent University vice-chancellor Professor Sir David Melville are among those receiving honorary degrees from the university next month.

Becky Parker, head of physics at Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys and director of the Langton Star Centre, is also being honoured.

Mr Neame joined the company in 1956. He was appointed to the board and served as chairman and chief executive for 30 years before becoming a non-executive director. He was a member of Kent County Council from 1965 to 1989 and leader from 1982 to 1984.

Sir David was vice-chancellor of the university from 2001-2007. Under his direction Kent expanded its activities and student numbers.

Others receiving honorary degrees at Canterbury Cathedral in July are journalist Sir John Tusa; journalist and author Simon Jenkins; international reporter Robert Fisk; Professor Janet Thornton, who is director of the European Bioinformatics Institute; Professor Keith Gull, who began his career at the university where he became professor of cell biology; and Kent County Council head of heritage conservation Dr John Williams