Summer graduation 2026: ‘The built environment needs you more than ever’
Posted on: 6 July, 2026
By Linda Serck
Graduates from across the University of the Built Environment celebrated their achievements at the summer 2026 graduation ceremony, where Vice Chancellor Professor Ashley Wheaton urged them to use their skills to help create a better, safer and more sustainable built environment.
A former Premier League footballer, the new Mayor of Reading and more than 500 new graduates from around the world were among those celebrating on two very sunny days at the University of the Built Environment’s summer 2026 graduation ceremonies.
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There was pride, applause and a sea of mortarboards as graduates gathered at Reading Concert Hall in Berkshire on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 July 2026, marking the end of years of study completed alongside work and family life.
For some graduates, the day was “surreal” while for others it was a moment of relief and exhileration after years of sacrifice. For Vice Chancellor Professor Ashley Wheaton, it was also a call to action.
“Please be in no doubt, more than ever, the world needs a better, safer, and critically a more sustainable built environment,” he told graduates.
Silvain Distin: ‘We’re very proud’
More than 500 students graduated during the ceremonies, joining a global alumni community of more than 150,000 people connected to the University in its century-long history.
Among those watching from the audience was former Manchester City and Everton footballer Sylvain Distin, whose stepson Regan Kelly graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Real Estate Management thanks to an apprenticeship with Savills.
For Sylvain, who retired from football 11 years ago, the ceremony was a family milestone. “We’re very proud, it’s an achievement for him first and foremost but also for us as parents,” he said. “All the arguments, pushing him to study, pushing him to revise, where he needs to focus.”
Having moved into property management after his football career, Sylvain said he had encouraged Regan to find work that would be rewarding.
“Life is tough, so it’s very important to do a job that you can enjoy and that allows you to feel fulfilled,” he said. “We pushed him to do something he enjoyed and he found his way, so we’re really happy.”
Excited, surreal, and over the moon
For Hoi Yee Chan, who completed the Master’s in Real Estate, the ceremony was the end of a long-distance academic journey and flew 14 hours from Hong Kong with her husband to attend the ceremony in Reading.
“I’m excited to graduate,” she said. “I studied the online course for almost two years and I was working while studying online.”
She said the flexibility of online study had been essential while working in Hong Kong, where long hours and the culture of working overtime at weekends can make traditional study difficult.
“Finally it’s finished!” she said, before adding that she would celebrate with a dinner in Reading and a walk around the town in the sunny weather.
Richard Wilson, 55, had also crossed the Atlantic to be there, arriving in sunbaked Reading from Bermuda, where it had actually been raining.
After a roughly seven-hour flight covering nearly 3,500 miles, Richard graduated with a Master’s in Quantity Surveying.
“I’m over the moon,” he said. “It’s hard to describe, it’s been a long time in trying to get a degree. It’s been two years of hard work and sacrifice – it’s a great feeling.”
For Simria Kaur, 22, graduation marked the end of four-and-a-half years combining work and study through a BSc Real Estate Management degree apprenticeship with commercial property management firm Workman LLP.
“I’m very happy, it’s been a long journey,” she said, when asked how it felt to graduate. She added: “It’s been a lot of sacrifices – obviously not going down the traditional university route and not having the traditional uni life, but I’m very happy with being able to work and earn my degree at the same time. It was very rewarding and I’m just very happy to be here today. It’s all paid off.”
Aaron Addo, 23, originally from Ghana and now living in London, graduated with a Master’s in Real Estate after studying part-time through a degree apprenticeship with Canary Wharf Group.
“It’s surreal to be fair,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d get a Master’s in general, so it’s really good.”
Explaining why he chose the University of the Built Environment, he added: “It’s prestigious, and my company selected it. It was a no brainer for them.”
Vice Chancellor: ‘Guardians of our built environment’
Opening his address to graduates, Ashley told them that through hard work and determination they had achieved something remarkable.
“I have a belief that typically in life, you only ever get out what you put in,” he said. “And in all of your cases, you have put in a huge amount and richly deserve everything that you get out.”
With the sector facing fast-growing populations, rapid urbanisation, climate change, the need for resilient buildings, technological change and major infrastructure demands, Ashley said the role of built environment professionals had never been more important.
He urged graduates to consider the extent of their professional responsibility and to act as “guardians of our substantial, precious and highly intricate built environment”, whether working on new construction, restoration, regeneration, maintenance, refurbishment or the everyday use of buildings.
“We need you to be the professionals who understand the need for a long-term, human-centric approach to the built environment, who are sensitive to and appreciative of the natural environment within which our buildings sit and who add to it, rather than diminishing it,” he said.
Mayor of Reading: ‘More active travel needed’
The importance of that work was echoed by the new Mayor of Reading, Councillor Paul Gittings, who attended the ceremony and praised the University’s focus on sustainability and climate change.
“I was taken away by the number of graduates and their incredible achievements,” he said. “I know that the University of the Built Environment is one of the leading universities in this area and I think it’s fantastic as well that they’re concentrating on sustainability and climate change in the built environment, as that is so important for future generations.”
Councillor Gittings, who has championed cycling and active travel, said the built environment also had a vital role to play in creating healthier communities.
“I think we need to build in active travel into the built environment,” he said. “When we’re building new developments I think we need to make sure that they’re built in there so that people can have an alternative to using their car and use public transport and other active forms of travel because it’s good for their health and it’s good for their environment.”
Guest speakers with inspirational speeches
Graduates also heard from three guest speakers whose careers span planning, surveying, offices, policy and professional leadership.
Clare Johnson MBE FRICS (pictured), Regional Market Director for Central UK at RICS, reflected on her own non-traditional route into the profession, telling graduates: “Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not.”
Read more: ‘Talent is everywhere but opportunity is not’ – Clare Johnson MBE, RICS
Dr Wei Yang OBE, Chair of Wei Yang & Partners and co-founder and CEO of the Digital Task Force for Planning, urged graduates to have the courage to ask difficult questions about the places we create.
Read more: ‘What stops us from creating beautiful places?’ – Dr Wei Yang OBE
Richard Kauntze, former Chief Executive of the British Council for Offices, shared eight lessons from a career that began not with a grand plan, but with an unexpected job advertisement in The Times.
Read more: ‘Be in the room’: Richard Kauntze’s eight lessons from a life in the built environment
Honorary Fellowships: ‘It means the absolute world’
The ceremonies also saw University of the Built Environment award Honorary Fellowships to individuals who have made significant contributions to the institution, higher education and the wider built environment.
This year’s Honorary Fellows included:
- Amanda Clack (pictured), Regional CEO International at HKA, former global President of RICS and former Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees
- Dr Stephen Jackson, former Director of Quality Assurance at the Quality Assurance Agency and former Vice Chair of the University’s Board
- Alastair Martin, Chief Executive and Clerk of the Council at the Duchy of Lancaster and a former UCEM Trustee
- Professor Kenny Miller, Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of Strathclyde and former UCEM Trustee
- Professor Nick Morton, Academic Director of Partnerships and STEAM at Birmingham City University
- Cr Sr Chi-wang Tang, founder and Executive Director of ADWISE Building Consultancy Limited in Hong Kong and a former College of Estate Management student
Amanda said the recognition was deeply meaningful after many years of involvement with the University.
“I’m beyond proud to receive this fellowship,” she said. “I’ve been passionate about the University of the Built Environment for many years. When you get a recognition like this, it just means the absolute world.”
‘A better, more sustainable, built environment’
As the ceremonies drew to a close, Ashley paid tribute to the families, friends and supporters who had helped graduates reach the day, as well as to the University’s Trustees and staff.
He closed by asking graduates to reflect not only on their own achievements, but on the impact they can now have on the built and natural environment.
“Celebrate with your families and friends who have supported you,” he said, “and then make them even more proud of you as you develop your careers and help to make a better, more sustainable, built environment.”
For the graduates leaving the hall in gowns and mortarboards, the day was both an ending and a beginning: a celebration of what they had achieved and a reminder that the work ahead will help shape the homes, workplaces, and communities of the future.
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