The Musician and novelist Nick Cave has been presented with an honorary law degree from Monash University in Australia.

At a ceremony in Melbourne, Professor Richard Larkins said that Cave’s achievements in the creative arts and in raising Australia’s profile internationally made him a worthy candidate for the Doctor of Laws honour.

Cave began studying for a Diploma of Art and Design at the Caulfield Institute of Technology - which is now the Faculty of Art and Design at Monash - in 1977.

The singer left his studies at the university in 1978, however, in order to pursue his music career.

Professor Larkins said that Cave’s “reputation and popularity crosses age and culture barriers."

“As an Australian largely based out of London, and previously in Sao Paulo, Los Angeles and Berlin, Nick Cave has been successful in increasing the profile of Australia internationally, particularly in terms of our nation’s creative and artistic capabilities,” he continued.

During his career as frontman in such bands as Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Cave has released over twenty albums.

(by Jason Gregory)