Bulletin Supplement May 1969

K e n n e t h E r n e s t R O B IN S O N , M .A., F.R.Hist s., J .P. K enne th E rnest Robinson is an em inen t au tho r, scho la r vice- ch a n ce llo r and F e llo w o f the p re s tig iou s R oya l H is to ric a l Society. A lth o u g h a re la tiv e ly new comer to H ong K ong 's educa tio na l scene, P ro fesso r Robinson has a lre a d y w on the a dm ira tio n o f m a n y W este rn as w e ll as Chinese educa tiona lists. A s V ice -C ha n ce llo r o f H ong K o n g 's o ldest in s titu tio n o f h ig h e r le a rn in g , he has made im p o rta n t con trib u tio n s n o t o n ly to w a r ds its scholastic excellence b u t also tow a rd s its coope ra tion and c o lla b o ra tio n w ith The Chinese U n iv e rs ity o f H ong Kong . P ro fesso r Robinson rece ived his fo rm a l educa tion in Eng land . He to o k his u n iv e rs ity degree, w ith F ir s t Class Honours, in P.P.E. and in M od e rn H is to ry a t H e r tfo r d College, O x fo rd U n iv e rs ity , and sub sequen tly pu rsued g radua te w o rk a t the London School o f Econom ics and P o litic a l Science o f the U n iv e rs ity o f London. B o th s ch o la s tic a lly and a dm in is tra tiv e ly , he devoted his e a rlie r ca ree r to c o lo n ia l and C omm onw ea lth a ffa irs . He jo in e d th e Co lon ia l O ffice in 1936, became A ss is tan t Sec re ta ry in 1946 ， and resigned tw o years la te r to em ba rk on an edu ca tiona l career. F o r nine years he was a F e llo w o f N u ffie ld College a t O x fo rd and Reader in Common w e a lth G ove rnm en t. D is tingu ishe d b y his scho la rsh ip and achieve ments, he was in v ite d to occupy th e im p o rta n t po s ition as D ire c to r o f the In s titu te o f C omm onw ea lth S tudies a t the U n iv e rs ity o f London, and c o n c u rre n tly P ro fesso r o f C omm onw ea lth A ffa irs , w h ic h posts he he ld u n til 1965. P ro fesso r Robinson's services have been in g re a t demand in te rn a tio n a lly . Am ong others, he was in v ite d to be a V is itin g L e c tu re r a t th e School o f Ad van ced In te rn a tio n a l Studies o f Johns H o p k in s U n iv e rs ity , a Re id L e c tu re r a t A ca d ia U n iv e rs ity , and a V is itin g P ro fesso r a t D uke U n iv e rs ity . Am on g his v a rie d in terests, P ro fesso r Robinson is also an a u th o r ity on A fr ic a . He tra v e lle d w id e ly in East, C en tra l and South A fr ic a , and has w r itte n e x tens ive ly on A fr ic a n a ffa irs . He has also served, a t d iffe re n t tim es f o r v a ry in g pe riods, on th e C iv il Service Selection B oa rd in the U n ite d K in gd om , C o lon ia l Econom ic Research Comm ittee, C o lon ia l Social Science Research Council, Council o f the Overseas D e ve lopm en t In s titu te , and Boa rd o f Gove rno rs o f the London School o f Econom ics and P o litic a l Science. Since his a r r iv a l in H ong K o n g in 1965, P ro fesso r Robinson has n o t o n ly e ffe c tiv e ly w o rk e d tow a rd s the progress o f the U n iv e rs ity o f H ong Kong , b u t also g re a tly he lped in the deve lopm en t o f The Chinese U n iv e rs ity o f H ong Kong . He has served on its Council since a rr iv a l and s ig n ific a n tly co n trib u te d tow a rd s smooth c o lla b o ra tio n between the tw o un ive rs ities . In re c o g n itio n o f his v a lu ab le services tow a rd s h ig h e r educa tion in H ong K o n g and tow a rd s the advancemen t o f o u r U n iv e rs ity , I have the honou r and p leasu re in p resen ting to you, M r. C hance llo r, K e nne th E rne s t Robinson f o r the c o n fe rm en t o f the degree o f D o c to r o f Laws, h o n o ris causa. — 8 —