“For everyone graduating, this is a time to reflect on your achievements and the challenges that lie ahead, a time to celebrate and a time to be proud,” he said. “Today is mainly about you but I hope you will also draw inspiration from our honorary graduands Sir Alasdair Breckenridge, Sir John Sulston and Sir James Black.

“Alasdair Breckenridge was the best medical student in his year at Queen's College, Dundee the forerunner to our medical school in 1961. He is one of the founding fathers of modern clinical pharmacology and a scientist and policy maker of distinction.

“John Sulston, as head of the human genome project, worked with others to uncover our genetic instructions for life. He is, of course, a Nobel Prizewinner and now works tirelessly to pursue truth and public good in science. And finally Sir James Black — our own Chancellor, another Nobel Prize Winner who graduated nearly 60 years ago and whose pioneering discoveries triggered the development of two major families of drugs, alleviating untold suffering and saving countless lives.

“All three made their mark in the second half of the 20th century. Your time is the first half of the 21st century, which will bring even more rapid scientific and technological developments, the challenge of closing the health and wealth gap between Northern and Southern hemispheres and a new professionalism which will be examined in ever greater detail under the microscope of public opinion.

“The Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh already seems a long time ago — a lot has happened since then — but it was powerful and effective in drawing attention to the plight of Africa. Few of us here will directly influence wider political and economic debate but we can give practical help to the poorer countries of the world through education, improving health and tackling disease.

“Dundee graduates —particularly in medical education and nursing — are already leading this work in many countries and others contribute on a part-time basis. Later this year I will be taking part in a graduation ceremony for Dundee graduates in Eritrea. They are part of a network of nearly 60,000 alumni in Scotland, the UK and the world who are making a real difference through education and increasing access to effective health services.”