Henry Frendo

His main areas of research and interest are related to history since 1798; related to imperialism, nationalism, decolonization, postcolonialism, journalism, migration and ethnicity - in Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean and MENA.

Other areas of his interest are languages, culture and statehood.He is from Floriana and is brother of Michael Frendo.

Henry Joseph Frendo (born 29 August 1948) is a professor of modern history, teaching at the University of Malta since 1992.

Frendo has previously worked with the UNHCR, and was stationed in Switzerland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Egypt and Papua New Guinea.

During the 1960s Frendo was involved in a number of youth and student groups.

From 1968 to 1969 Frendo was chairman of a student-led campaign called ‘Djar ghall-Maltin’ (Houses for the Maltese), which aimed to secure low-cost housing and land planning in the wake of newly achieved independence from the British.

In 1970 Frendo completed his bachelor's degree in Maltese, English and history at the University of Malta.

From 1970 to 1971 Frendo was made editor-in-chief of daily Maltese newspaper called Il-Hajja (The Life).

In 1973 Frendo graduated with a master's in history from the University of Malta, with a thesis on the language-culture clash in the 19th – 20th century between traditional italianita’ – latinita’ adherents and utilitarian assimilationist pro-English supporters and the codification of the historic and enduring Maltese language.

In the same year, Frendo became resident at University College at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Frendo received his Doctor of Philosophy in Modern History from the University of Oxford in 1976.

Frendo later returned to Malta, between 1976 and 1978, to be promoted from assistant lecturer to lecturer in history at the University of Malta.

In 1978 Frendo accepted a position with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at their headquarters in Geneva, after he encountered fierce resistance to his academic work by the Labour government.

In his doctoral thesis, Frendo wrote on the formation of political parties in Malta under British rule, which was later published in his 1979 book Party Politics in a Fortress Colony.

In 1979 Frendo was promoted to the position of programme officer in the Middle East and North Africa section, whilst still in Geneva.

During his tenure there, Frendo was assigned to liaise in mass voluntary repatriation operations in Zimbabwe from neighbouring countries - such as Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana.

In 1982 Frendo was assigned as the UNHCR's deputy representative to Egypt.

There Frendo was awarded indefinite appointment by Kofi Annan, then serving as chief of personnel.

From 1984 to 1985, Frendo was assigned as head of mission in Papua New Guinea where he was responsible for the first international assistance agreement between the UNHCR and the Papua New Guinea government.

From 1985 to 1988 Frendo was a senior lecturer in European political development, Commonwealth history and lllEthnic lllStudies at La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.

At this same time, Frendo also worked as a consultant with the Australian National University in Canberra on the Australian bicentennial social encyclopaedia, and as a consultant to the Victor Ethnic Affairs Commission where he set up Victoria's Legal Interpreting Services.

In 1988 Frendo returned to Malta, where he was appointed as associate professor of modern history with the university.

Since 1988 Frendo has been involved in extensive television, radio and journalist work.

In 1989 Frendo accepted a lllFellowship with the University of Salzburg, Austria.

Frendo started off 1992 by being appointed a full-ranked professor in modern history at the University of Malta.

In this same year, Frendo also appeared as a guest professor with the University of Augsburg in Germany lecturing in their faculty of philosophy and sociology.

In 1993 Frendo was appointed Chairman of the European Cultural Foundation's Malta branch, a post which he held until 1997.

From 1994 to 2001 Frendo served as Mayor of Attard (Malta) and as the president of the College of Mayors.

In 1996 Frendo was elected a Life Member of Clare Hall at the University of Cambridge whilst there as a visiting fellow.

From 1996 to 1998, Frendo was chairman of the Euro-Med Group and was head of delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CLRAE) for two terms.

In the summer of 2000 Frendo received a Fulbright Scholarship to lecture at Loyal University in New Orleans (US).

In 2001 Frendo became the Vice-President of the CLRAE.

In this same year, Frendo was appointed as the Maltese Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs’ Chairman of the Refugee Appeals Board in Valletta (Malta).

In 2002 Frendo became a visiting professor at Indiana State University (USA).

Frendo is also director of the Malta University Broadcasting Services Limited, where he also serves as co-editor of the Journal of Mediterranean Studies, editor of the Maltese history journal Storja and is vice-president of the University of Malta's History Society.

Since 2005 he was involved with the Centre of European Policy Studies 5-year Challenge programme on ‘Freedom and Security’.

In 2006 Frendo was appointed guest professor at the University of Enna (Italy) where he lectured in contemporary history and politics of the Mediterranean.

Frendo was the convenor of two international conferences on Migration, asylum and security: the Eastern and Southern border experiences; and The European Mind: Narrative and Identity for the International Society for the Study of European Ideas.

He is fluent Arabic, English, French, Italian and Maltese.