We are thrilled to announce that our renowned Founding Director and CEO, Mark Hannaford is to be the first person in the world awarded an Honorary Associate Professorship in Extreme Medicine by the University of Exeter.

As a pioneer of programmes of social change and medical innovation, this incredible honour is to be bestowed in recognition of Mark’s international standing in the development of extreme medicine and his significant, ongoing academic contributions to the University of Exeter’s Medical School’s innovative International Diploma & MSc in Extreme Medicine.

The University of Exeter state that ‘the title ‘Honorary Associate Professor’ should be conferred on a person who is academically qualified for the status proposed. The individual must be a leading authority in the subject with an international reputation. The individual will also normally have experience of, and a demonstrated commitment towards fostering excellence in research and/or education.” With over 30 years’ experience working in worldwide extreme environments, Mark Hannaford is widely credited as one of the drivers behind the growing importance of Extreme Medicine both in the UK and globally.

Remarking on his Honorary Professorship, Mark said, “For once in my life I have been left speechless, literally devoid of words. I am deeply honoured to receive this award, which coincides with our recent 18th anniversary celebrations at World Extreme Medicine. This award wonderfully compliments my Fellowship from both the prestigious Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of Arts, which were both received for my pioneering work in the field of the promotion of expedition & wilderness medicine in the UK. For someone who is not surgically or medically qualified, I feel humbled and privileged to have received such an honour, and even more so as it’s the first Honorary Professorship in Extreme Medicine in the world. This honour serves to recognise the growing importance of Extreme Medicine and reinforces WEM’s position as a global leader.”

Mark’s main contributions include fundamentally changing the provision of medical care on expeditions, building the world’s largest online community of medics working in remote areas, the world’s largest subject conference and the development and implementation of the world’s first MSc programme in Extreme Medicine with the University of Exeter Medical School through World Extreme Medicine (WEM), the world’s leading provider of specialist training courses for medics taking their skills into challenging environments. Mark has also helped to facilitate the raising of over £103 million for charity.

As Founding Director of WEM and now the established World Extreme Medicine global Conference, Mark has created a unique platform for inspiring medical minds to meet, share experiences and promote cross-disciplinary working. The #WEM19 Conference stimulates new thinking, extends professional relationships and shares new and more effective approaches to medical practice in challenging environments.