ARISE, Sir Ron! The man who has steered York University to its position as "the Cambridge of the North" was today knighted for his services to higher education.

Sir Ron Cooke, 60, was among local heroes from across the region who were included in today's New Year honours list.

Denise Howard, owner of YorkBoat and the former chairman of the York Tourism Bureau, received an OBE for her services to tourism, Professor Thomas Baird Clarkson McGuffog, a former Nestl Rowntree boss, received the MBE for services to electronic business, and John Henry Gibson, the founder of an East Yorkshire football club, received the MBE for services to the community.

Among the showbiz names to be honoured today were Radio 2 presenter Jimmy Young and Yorkshire-born Ghandi actor Ben Kingsley, who were both knighted, and the Bee Gees brothers, who received the CBE.

WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis also got the CBE and England cricket captain Nasser Hussain received the OBE.

Sir Ron, who has been at helm at the university since 1993 and is to retire next summer, said: "Naturally I am delighted to receive this accolade, and I hope my colleagues feel that they can share some of the credit for it."

Born in Kent, he arrived at the university after an academic career spanning 30 years, largely based at University College, London, specialising in the study of desert geomorphology.

During his time at York, the number of students has risen from 5,200 to over 8,000. The university is now placed second nationally for its teaching standards and sixth for its research work.

Alongside the pursuit of academic excellence, the other cause most dear to Sir Ron's heart has been to build closer links between "town and gown", between the university and the city.

Again stressing the team effort involved, he said the university had built up stronger relationships through music, through collaboration with schools, through working with museums and art galleries, and with the Minster.

It has also seen closer work with health service organisations with the establishment of the Hull-York Medical School, which is to open to students in autumn 2003.

The Science City York project, a collaboration with the City of York Council and industry, has encouraged new jobs, companies and inward investment in the science sector in York, which now has a workforce comparable with the tourism industry.

The university's own science park is now full, and other ongoing building developments include new biology facilities and the Alcuin project, covering health care, social care and social sciences research and teaching. New accommodation blocks and a retail centre were completed this year.

In his last year, Sir Ron said he hoped to see the success of a lottery application to pay for moving the Borthwick Archive on to the campus next to the new humanities library.

After his retirement he is to stay in York with his wife, Barbara, and he will retain his two national posts, as president of the Royal Geographical Society and as a board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Updated: 10:04 Monday, December 31, 2001