Kenneth Alexander (economist)

Sir Kenneth John Wilson Alexander FRSE (14 March 1922 – 2001) was a Scottish economist and university administrator.

Life

He was born in Edinburgh, the son of William Wilson Alexander. He was educated at George Heriot's School and University College, Dundee.

Alexander was Professor of Economics at Strathclyde University (1963–80). In 1964 he was invited to deliver the inaugural Marlow (Scotland) Lecture to the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland. He chose the subject 'Casual Labour and Labour Casualties'. Alexander was invited by the Labour government to chair a review of the future of adult education in Scotland. This report was published in 1975 under the title Adult Education: The Challenge of Change. Its main recommendation was to create a wider community education approach by linking adult education more closely with youth and community work, in order to be able to engage more people in lifelong learning. This led to the creation of local authority community education services.

He was seconded as Chairman of the Highlands & Islands Development Board (1976–??). He served as the Principal of Stirling University (1981–86), and the Chancellor of Aberdeen University (1986–96). Alexander was Vice-president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1993–96).

He married Angela May Lane in 1949.