STUDENTS at Strathclyde University have criticised the institution for awarding an honorary degree to the boss of a company “complicit in war and human rights violations.”

Members of the Disarm Strathclyde group say Nigel Whitehead, the group managing director of BAE who picks up an honorary degree this week, works for a company which “provides weapons to oppressive regimes.”

The university says the company chief is being recognised for his “exceptional service to engineering, education and skills.”

BAE and Strathclyde have worked closely together in the past, and earlier this month signed a “strategic framework agreement” to “strengthen a long-term relationship in research, education and consultancy” which is likely to include collaborating on the “development of lasers, intelligent automation systems, rapid integration and manufacturing, design simulation.”

But earlier this year BAE were revealed to have secretly sold highly sophisticated surveillance technology to some of the world’s most repressive governments which was then likely used to target student campaigners.

An investigation by the BBC uncovered a paper trail showing the company had sold the Evident system through their Dutch subsidiary to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Morocco and Algeria during the height of the Arab Spring.

According to the BBC, mass surveillance tools like the ones BAE sold were used by authoritarian governments to aid a brutal crackdown on dissent after the Arab Spring in 2011 and thousands of activists and civilians – many of whom were students – have disappeared, been detained without trial and killed.

Disarm Strathclyde, a group of students at the university, said they were “disappointed” by the decision to honour Whitehead.

The group said: “We are disappointed Strathclyde has chosen to give an honorary degree to a BAE systems director, a corporation which continuously provides weapons to oppressive regimes.

“Strathclyde claims to be a ‘place of useful learning’, but here is proving itself more useful to the brand image of arms dealers, rather than ethical companies who could benefit from Strathclyde’s renowned innovative technological research.”

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: “BAE Systems has armed some of the most brutal and repressive regimes in the world, including the deplorable Saudi dictatorship. Its fighter jets have played a central role in the brutal and ongoing bombardment of Yemen. “ A spokeswoman for the university said: “Nigel Whitehead CBE is being recognised for his exceptional service to engineering, education and skills.”

Others receiving honorary degrees from the university this year include Scots comic Billy Connolly.