Professor Andrew Rowland recognised in the King’s Honours list

18th June 2025, 4:03 pm

Professor Andrew Rowland, Honorary Professor (Children’s Rights, Law and Advocacy), has been appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty the King’s 2025 Birthday Honours list for services to Safeguarding and the Protection of Children’s Rights.

The King’s Birthday Honours recognise the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom. They are awarded twice a year – at New Year and in summer to mark the reigning British monarch’s official birthday.

Andrew has worked with the University of Salford, as Honorary Professor, for over a decade and has a breadth of experience in child protection, both nationally and internationally, after years of advocating for and with children and young people and safeguarding vulnerable groups. Andrew is both an Honorary Professor and an alumnus, having completed his PhD at Salford in 2020.

In 2023, Andrew was appointed to the role of Officer for Child Protection at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) for an initial three-year term of office. The RCPCH works to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people across the world, by supporting paediatricians, shaping policy, and improving practice. The Officer for Child Protection is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction in all aspects of child protection, safeguarding children, and Looked After Children (LAC) across all four nations of the UK. Prior to this, in 2021, Andrew was awarded a Senior Fellowship of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, which is awarded to members of the faculty who are General Medical Council (GMC) or General Dental Council (GDC) registered and who have made a significant contribution to leadership and management in the health sector. And in 2024, to recognise his work in children’s public health, Andrew was awarded Honorary Membership of the Faculty of Public Health.

On receiving the news, Andrew said: “I’m absolutely delighted, and truly thankful, to receive this award! I work in fantastic teams at the University, at M’Lop Tapang (in Cambodia and with whom the University has a partnership), and at SicKids charity, with hugely experienced friends and colleagues who are all passionate about improving the lives of children and young people. I’d therefore like to dedicate this award to the work of my colleagues – without whose support I would find it much more difficult to undertake the work I am passionate about as we collectively do everything possible to protect and promote children’s rights now and in the future. I hope that this award is as much of a boost for my fantastic colleagues as it is for me, as we continue our work to build child-safe communities with happy, healthy, and safe children and young people firmly in their hearts.”

Professor Vicky Halliwell, Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the School of Health and Society, commented: “On behalf of the School of Health and Society, and our entire University community, I am absolutely delighted to congratulate Andrew on his appointment. This is thoroughly deserved and is a testament to his commitment to safeguarding children and young people. I’m proud of the work of my colleagues and the fantastic teams we have at Salford every single day, but it is lovely to have this recognised and celebrated publicly – shining a spotlight on this important work that has such a positive impact. Very many congratulations Andrew.”

Next Article

North West start-ups fall to 2025 low, R3 research shows

The number of start-ups set up in the North West hit the lowest level of 2025 so far in May, […]
Read Article