Chief Executive of the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, Professor Bates Gill is being awarded one of the highest honours Sweden can give a foreigner.

Professor Gill will receive the Swedish Insignia of Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star, a chivalric order bestowed by the King Carl XVI Gustaf.

The award recognises Professor Gill's distinguished service to Sweden, during his five years as Director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), his post prior to becoming head of the US Studies Centre in Sydney last year.

The award will be presented to Professor Gill by the Ambassador of Sweden, His Excellency Sven-Olof Petersson at a Canberra reception on Wednesday 24 April 2013.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award," said Professor Gill, "and proud to have had such a remarkable opportunity to work in Sweden."

The Royal Order of the Polar Star was created by Sweden’s King Frederick I in 1748 for civic merits, devotion to duty, science, literary, learned and useful work.