The former Queen's student is to become a Doctor of the University

A total of 15 honorary degrees are to be conferred upon a host of people from the worlds of entertainment, academia, sport, business and the judiciary.

One of the world's most famous living composers, Mr Stockhausen, will attend a special ceremony in late April.

The avant-garde musician will be visiting the university to open the Sonic Arts Research Centre, where experts in music, computer science and electrical and electronic engineering take research in music and audio into new dimensions.

Patrick Kielty, who will become a Doctor of the University in the summer graduations, co-opened the Comedy Club at the Empire in Belfast while studying at Queen's.

Liam Neeson will receive his honour at the university's winter ceremony

He had his first television break on BBC Northern Ireland hosting his own live show and soon progressed to national television, both with his own chatshow, Patrick Kielty Almost Live, and as co-presenter of the Fame Academy series.

Three-times winner of the World Blind Water Ski Championship Janet Gray from Hillsborough, County Down, will also be honoured at the ceremony as will Tomorrow's World star Adam Hart-Davis, and the fertility expert Lord Robert Winston.

Other notables who will grace the stage of the university's Whitla Hall will be: Canadian Chief Justice Rt Hon Beverley McLachlin; Belfast-born actor Stephen Rea; Vice-Chancellor of Uganda's Makerere University, and one of Ireland's top entrepreneurs in the "e-learning" revolution, Bill McCabe.

International film star Liam Neeson will receive his honorary degree during the winter graduation ceremonies in December.

Professor Kim Barrett, one of the world's most prominent female scientists, and historian Thomas Pakenham will also accept their awards in December.