 The university conferred an honorary doctorate on Rana who led a delegation of academics from the university to India to explore educational partnerships and help develop university links between India and Northern Ireland.Rana also received an Honorary Doctorate from Bengal Engineering and Science University in West Bengal in November 2008.A dispute has continued for many years over the redevelopment plans of the Tillie & Henderson factory site in Derry, this site is owned by Dijit Rana.