10 July 2008
LMU: No apologies for honorary doctorate to the Dalai Lama
(OoT) In a letter circulated to the media, the London Metropolitan University (LMU) has confirmed that their vice-chancellor did not apologize to the Chinese authorities for awarding an honorary doctorate to the Dalai Lama. The controversy arose after the China Daily in an article headlined "London school regrets honoring Dalai Lama reported that Mr. Brian Roper, vice-chancellor of the university, had "recently apologised for bestowing an honorary doctorate to the Dalai Lama after the move drew intense criticism from a number of Chinese". In a statement, the LMU clarified: "The Vice Chancellor of London Metropolitan University, Brian Roper, recently met with representatives of the Embassy of the PRC in the UK (…) [where] he expressed regret at any unhappiness that had been caused to Chinese people by the recent award of an honorary doctorate to the Dalai Lama. It was not the university's intention to cause any such unhappiness. LMU has not and will not be apologising for the award of an honorary doctorate to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Nor will we be retracting the award".