One of the West Midlands’ most respected community organisers, Saidul Haque Saeed, is to be awarded an honorary doctorate for his outstanding contribution to Aston University and the local community.

Saeed is the lead organiser for Citizens UK in the West Midlands and has been listed in the Birmingham Post’s top ten campaigners and activists.

He received the honour at a ceremony at Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on 26 July 2023 in recognition of his support for Aston University’s mission to be a ‘civic’ university, growing close links with its local community.

For over a decade Saeed has built a network of local civil society institutions and through this has trained over a thousand people in community leadership.

He has helped communities to win various social justice campaigns on youth mental health, community safety, refugee resettlement and ethnic minority entrepreneurship.

He was instrumental in persuading local employers to pay the Real Living Wage, for which Aston University became the first university in the city to become accredited.

Citizens UK supported several of Aston University’s research and knowledge exchange bids and Saeed’s advice has informed its community eyecare programme Villa Vision in partnership with Aston Villa Football Club.

Since 2018 he has also worked with and supported the University’s Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME).

On receiving his award, he said:

“I feel very humbled to receive this honour from a previous University of the Year and one of our region’s leading civic institutions. Aston University is not only on the frontline of innovation to take on big challenges we face but is relentless in its commitment to build the power of local communities to shape those solutions.”

Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive of Aston University, said:

“I am delighted to congratulate Saeed on receiving this honour. His inclusive work with communities has provided clarity on citizens’ priorities, laying the foundation for our civic university agreement. Through his work with the Aston University team to co-create projects with diverse community groups, he has built trust, shared understanding and respect, resulting in lasting benefits to Birmingham.

“His work has enabled Aston University to support citizens’ priorities, such as becoming a Real Living Wage accredited employer and becoming a University of Sanctuary. He is a keen ambassador for Aston University and often promotes our civic work as a beacon of best practice.”

Before joining Citizens UK, Saeed spent six years in NHS primary care where he was accredited for the quality of public engagement the local Trust enjoyed with its local communities

Aston University is holding its summer 2023 graduation ceremonies between 20 and 28 July.