Robert Kilgour, who founded Four Seasons Health Care and more recently Renaissance Care, received his degree from Stirling University yesterday – 45 years after leaving the university without one.

The 66-year-old left Stirling University in 1978 without finishing his degree studies. But in recognition of his services to entrepreneurship and philanthropy, he received an honorary doctorate alongside more than 600 graduates from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, and the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

As well as being an active philanthropist supporting many good causes including, in particular, Macmillan Cancer Support, Kilgour’s business interests have ranged from local radio and insurance broking to care homes and security systems businesses.

Kilgour said: “Leaving university without a degree after three years of studying wasn’t exactly ideal, but my time at Stirling taught me so much more than just about academic study. It was also crammed with life lessons about people, relationships, real-life economics and the cut and thrust of student politics, all of which have helped me massively in my subsequent career.

“I warmly thank Stirling for their recognition of my contribution to entrepreneurship and philanthropy, both of which started while I was at the university and neither of which would be possible without the amazing support of the teams I have worked with over the years, my family and friends.”

The Queen of Sweden, former Mars chief executive Grant Reid and Khadija Coll, founder of charity One Community Scotland, were also awarded honorary degrees from the University this week.

Professor Sir Gerry McCormac, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “We are delighted to be awarding honorary doctorates to such a diverse and well-deserving group, who each in their own way have had an influence on our society. They truly are inspirational in their fields, and role models for the students about to graduate with them.”