THOUSANDS of graduates and visitors from around the world are preparing to descend on Southampton and Winchester for the 2019 graduation ceremonies.

University of Southampton and University Centre Sparsholt are celebrating their summer graduation, which started on July 17 and will run until July 26.

Over the eight days, University of Southampton will host 45 ceremonies across three venues – the Turner Sims concert hall and Nuffield Theatre on Southampton’s Highfield Campus, and Winchester Cathedral.

This year, the University is asking its graduates and alumni to take part in its nostalgic ‘Then and Now’ challenge via social media.

Using the hashtag #UoSGraduation on Twitter and other channels, this year’s graduates are asked to share photos of themselves from their first year and one from their graduation day, saying how their lives have changed during the intervening years.

For those who have already graduated, the University is asking for photos from their graduation day together with a follow-up photo of themselves.

Among the 2019 Honorary Graduates are world-renowned anthropologist and primatologist Dr Jane Goodall; the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt Hon Helen Clark; Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Tyler of Enfield; investment manager and media commentator Justin Urquhart Stewart and leading oceanographer Sir Anthony Seymour Laughton.

This year, ceremonies for the University’s Winchester School of Art will be held in Winchester Cathedral for the first time in many years.

University Centre Sparsholt held their graduation ceremony at Winchester Cathedral.

That included celebrating a year of holding a prestigious Gold award from the national Teaching Excellence Framework , above national average National Student Survey (NSS) results and the opening of the Sir Mark Todd Rider Performance Studio.

Sparsholt undergraduate and postgraduates follow many decades of their predecessors into professions involving Animals, Zoo, Veterinary Nursing, Equestrian Science and Performance, Aquaculture, Marine, Wildlife, Ecology, Conservation and Horticulture.