Dannii Minogue receives honorary degree of Doctor of Media
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Singer Dannii Minogue has been presented with an honorary degree by a Hampshire university.
Southampton Solent University made the former X Factor judge a doctor of media for her "outstanding contribution to the entertainment industry".
The singer said she had never been to the city but hoped to get an opportunity to visit the university soon.
The honorary doctorate was presented at a special ceremony in London.
The presentation was made by the university's chancellor in front of an invited audience of staff and students.
'Cynical impression'
Ms Minogue said: "I'm honoured and I'm shocked to receive this degree.
"You start working in the entertainment industry and you don't really stop and look back at what you've done.
"It's nice to be honoured for that and to connect with the students who are studying at the moment because a big part of their studies is having the practical side of working in the industry. You can't learn that from a book."
A spokesman for the university added: "We can quite understand the cynical kind of impression [of the award] but it is not the case.
"We would never give a degree to someone without some connection to the university or the work of the university."
'Musical inspiration'
He added that the university specialised in media teaching and had previously awarded honours to people in the industry.
Dan Prendergast, president of the students' union at Southampton Solent University, said: "She is a musical inspiration to many students.
"She has had a long-spanning career and made a big contribution to the music business.
"This is a great opportunity for students to meet someone like this."
Last month, Minogue's sister Kylie received an honorary degree from Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford.
She collected an honorary doctorate of health sciences in recognition of her work promoting breast cancer awareness after contracting the disease.
