Chris Patten, the man who drew up the blueprint for police reform in Northern Ireland is to be honoured today by the University of Ulster.
Now Lord Patten of Barnes, the former British government minister will receive an honorary degree - Doctor of Letters (DLitt) - for his contribution to public life and education from the at a ceremony in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Lord Patten’s recommendation that the RUC be renamed the PSNI drew the ire of unionists, while his creation of the police ombudsman was welcomed by nationalists.
His proposal that the new force should adopt a positive discrimination policy towards the recruitment of Catholics boosted their representation form 8.2 per cent in 2001 to nearly 18 per cent currently.
He chaired the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland in 1998/99 which recommended the name and recruitment policy and also proposed the new uniform, badge, oath and flag.
He went to Belfast after completing his post of Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 when the colony was handed back to China.
He was appointed a Northern Ireland minister as a Conservative MP in 1983. He was later appointed overseas development minister and environment minister. He also served as one of the UK's EU Commissioners.
He is currently chancellor of the universities of Newcastle and Oxford.
Next week the university honours one of the who has had to implement the policing reforms - Denis Bradley, deputy chairman of the Policing Board.