Wang Gungwu receives Queen's Birthday Honours

Prof Wang was recognised for his distinguished service to tertiary education and enhancement of Australia-Asia relations

University Professor Wang Gungwu, who is Chairman of the East Asian Institute at NUS, has been recognised as an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia as part of the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours. Prof Wang was bestowed the honour “For distinguished service to tertiary education as an academic and researcher, particularly to far eastern history and the study of the Chinese diaspora, and to the enhancement of Australia-Asia relations”.

Prof Wang, who is also Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University (ANU), is an eminent historian who has made immense contributions to Asian studies, particularly with regard to overseas Chinese. He was formerly Head of the Department of Far Eastern History and Director of the Research School of Pacific Studies at ANU. He also served as former President of the Asian Studies Association of Australia and the Australian Academy of the Humanities, as well as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, and last year stepped down as Chair of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Governing Board after 12 years at the helm. For his contributions, Prof Wang received the Outstanding Service Award from NUS in 2005 and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Cambridge in 2009.

On this latest accolade Prof Wang said, “It is an honour. Australia during the 1960s to the 1980s led the Western world in its keenness to understand the new Asia. I was privileged to be among those who tried to make that wish come true. It was a most exciting time."