Rihanna named Harvard's 2017 humanitarian

Superstar Rihanna has been recognised for her philanthropic efforts by Harvard, as the university names her the humanitarian of the year.

Rihanna has been named the 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the Year. (AAP) Source: Invision

Rihanna has been named the 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the Year.

The Grammy Award-winning singer will receive the Harvard Foundation's Peter J Gomes Humanitarian Award at a ceremony in February.

Rihanna is being honoured for several philanthropic efforts.

She built a state-of-the-art centre for oncology and nuclear medicine to diagnose and treat breast cancer in her home nation of Barbados.

She created the Clara and Lionel Foundation Scholarship Program - named for her grandparents - for students attending college in the US from Caribbean countries.

She also supports the Global Partnership for Education and Global Citizen Project to provide children with access to education in more than 60 developing countries.

Previous winners include actor James Earl Jones, activist Malala Yousafzai and four UN secretaries general.