Ken Henderson was formally made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Princess Anne at Windsor Castle.<\/p>\n
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WINDSOR, England \u2014 When Princess Anne asked Ken Henderson<\/a> about Northeastern University\u2019s dual-degree program, the chancellor and senior vice president for learning knew she had done her homework.<\/p>\n The encounter took place Tuesday at Windsor Castle, where Henderson \u2014 a native of Scotland \u2014 was formally made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE). The honor recognizes his contributions to strengthening higher education partnerships between the United Kingdom and the United States.<\/p>\n Anne, known formally as the Princess Royal and sister to King Charles, is one of only three members of the royal family \u2014 along with the king and Prince William \u2014 authorized to conduct investiture ceremonies.<\/p>\n After pinning the officer\u2019s medal to Henderson\u2019s lapel in the castle\u2019s Grand Reception Room, the 74-year-old royal asked about Northeastern\u2019s dual U.S.-U.K. degree program and its growing impact.<\/p>\n Henderson was struck by how well-informed she was.<\/p>\n \u201cShe actually asked about the dual degrees,\u201d said Henderson, \u201cand how that worked between the United Kingdom and the United States. We had a little discussion about the benefits of having both a degree from England and from the U.S., and what benefits that provides for students who can then work in both countries.<\/p>\n \u201cShe seemed to be very impressed by that. She was clearly very well briefed \u2014 it was a very comfortable, enjoyable conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n The Order of the British Empire was instituted in 1917 by King George V to honor service in civil roles, according to Michael Peplar<\/a>, an associate professor in history at Northeastern in London.<\/p>\n Peplar said the honor was created to fill a gap during World War I, as existing orders at the time primarily recognized military and royal service.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, it is used to recognize extraordinary contributions and service in a wide range of public roles, including in the arts, science, sports, education and in charitable work,\u201d Peplar explained.<\/p>\n \u201cNominations are made by government officials and are limited to a hundred or so per year. In the U.K., it is seen as a great honor, both for the individual and for the organizations they represent.\u201d<\/p>\n Henderson recalled being \u201ccompletely shocked\u201d when he was called last year by the outgoing British consul general to New England<\/a> to let him know he would feature in the King\u2019s Birthday 2024 Honours List.<\/p>\n\n The honor puts him in the same bracket as famous faces such as British actor Keira Knightley and Blur frontman Damon Albarn, who have both been appointed an OBE. Officer status is two rungs below a knighthood or damehood<\/a>.<\/p>\n Speaking outside Windsor Castle after the investiture ceremony, Henderson described it as a \u201cfantastic\u201d feeling to be recognized by his country. He was accompanied at the ceremony by Liz, his wife of 31 years, and his parents, Peter and June.<\/p>\n He cited his involvement with establishing Northeastern\u2019s presence in London, with the school merging with<\/a> the former New College of the Humanities in 2019, as his proudest achievement since joining the university almost a decade ago.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve always kept very strong ties in the U.K., through our work and through Northeastern University in London, having been very heavily involved in that over the years,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n \u201cAt Northeastern, we\u2019ve developed a whole series of programs within the U.K., so hundreds of thousands of students at this point have benefited from these programs.\u201d<\/p>\n Henderson grew up in East Kilbride, a town just outside Glasgow, and earned both his undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry from the University of Strathclyde. He got his first taste of international education between 1994 and 1995, conducting postdoctoral research at Brown University in Rhode Island before returning to Scotland to teach.<\/p>\n In 2002, Henderson and his wife immigrated to the United States with their two children, Emma, now 27, and Oliver, 24. The move marked the beginning of Henderson\u2019s 14-year tenure at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, where he focused on developing strategic international partnerships for research and educational collaboration. He joined Northeastern in 2016.<\/p>\n A respected chemist, Henderson has published more than 100 peer-reviewed research articles and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2007. He initially came to Northeastern as dean of the College of Science.<\/p>\n In 2019, he was promoted to become the university\u2019s first chancellor and senior vice president for learning. In this role, he oversees a broad portfolio that includes advancing innovation in experiential learning and expanding opportunities for students to study across Northeastern\u2019s global network of campuses.<\/p>\n His OBE means Henderson has followed in his paternal grandfather\u2019s footsteps<\/a> in being honored by the royal family. Peter Henderson was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1953 by the late Queen Elizabeth II<\/a> in recognition for his services to the mining industry.<\/p>\n The day before the investiture ceremony, Henderson and his wife toured Windsor Castle. Having met at university, the glimpse inside the royal residence \u2014 which traces its origins to the 11th century \u2014 had been decades in the making.<\/p>\n \u201cWe came to Windsor as students when we were both undergraduates together,\u201d Henderson recalled.<\/p>\n \u201cWe basically did something similar to co-ops back then. We both did five months working down in the London area. We came to Windsor but we had no money, so we decided it was too expensive to do the castle tour, so yesterday was the first time we had ever been inside.\u201d<\/p>\n Another 24 hours later, Henderson would step inside the historic walls for a second time \u2014 this time leaving with a medal from a royal to mark his new status as an OBE.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/news.northeastern.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/072225_CV_Ken_Henderson_001.jpg?w=1100\")
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