BBC war zone journalist awarded honorary degree

Lyse Doucet has worked for the BBC for about 30 years

BBC News’ chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet is being recognised with an honorary degree for her contribution to journalism.

Ms Doucet has been reporting for the BBC for about 30 years and is known for her work in conflict zones such as Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

She will join students taking part in a winter graduation ceremony at Keele University near Newcastle-under-Lyme this week.

Ms Doucet said: “I’m really looking forward to being in Staffordshire.”

She said there had been plans for her to receive her award last year, but a last-minute call came in offering her exclusive access to a UN trip in Afghanistan.

“My editors said you can’t turn it down, it’s not as if it’s just another news story,” she explained.

Lyse Doucet is best known for her reporting from conflict zones

She added: “This is the worst part of my job, having to let people down, but of course crises happen literally without notice.”

Ms Doucet, who is from Canada, said she started in the industry with the “wrong accent” and came from the “wrong country” but managed to find her way through virtue of her personality.

In 2014 she received an OBE for services to British broadcast journalism and in 2019 was admitted to the Order of Canada.

She said it did feel a little bit uncomfortable to be the centre of attention.

“In our profession, we don’t want to be the story, we are here to tell other people’s stories,” she said.

Of the Staffordshire institution, she said: “What I really admire about Keele University is that it’s very much a practical university, very much based on research.

“It’s all about how we make our world a better place – research into poverty reduction, into sustainable solutions, into green energy, the UN sustainable development goals.”