Stephen Henry Roberts - Later Academic Career

Later Academic Career

In 1946 Roberts became Acting Vice-Chancellor of The University of Sydney, the full post confirmed in 1947. In 1955 he became the university's principal. He chaired the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee in 1952–53. While principal he called for financial backing for university foundations from leaders of commerce, industry and public life. The success of these appeals enabled the university to be promoted abroad.

He developed and expanded the University of Sydney after post-war austerity ended, and oversaw a building programme extension into Darlington. This development was aided by Sir Keith Murray's 1957 Committee on Australian Universities with concomitant funding from the Australian government.

Roberts gave support to the training of Pacific Islanders and Papua New Guineans in Sydney's medical faculty, while he celebrated Charles Perkins as the first Aborigine to graduate with a degree.

From 1952 he chaired the New South Wales State Cancer Council.

Having transformed the University of Sydney into a modern institution of more than 16,000 students, in 1967 Roberts retired, leaving Sydney with new faculties and increased research capacity. His archives hold his notes for a major work on The Mind of France. The project remained unfinished.