Charles Sturt University (CSU) must maintain its strong relationships with the many communities it relates to, according to retiring Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Blake, AM.

"At the end of the day, it will be these relationships that give it its political strength and capacity to endure," he said after receiving an honorary Doctor of the University award at the Wagga Wagga Campus yesterday.

The longest serving chief executive officer of an Australian higher education institution in Australia's history, Professor Blake was recognised for his outstanding service to the University and his contribution to the cultural life and economic fabric of regional NSW at a ceremony attended by peers, civic leaders and University academics and staff.

The ceremony was the first of a number of farewell functions for Professor Blake across the University before his retirement on 3 July.

Professor Blake said the conferring of the award was a symbol of the progress the University had made over the years.

He said the University would go forward from a very strong base, but believed it would be at least 25 years before it reached maturity.

Its greatest threat was the prospect of disintegration: "It has been very important in the management of this institution to ensure that there is strong internal cohesion between the campuses of Albury-Wodonga, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst and Dubbo.

"Because without each other this University could not survive," he said.

Professor Blake added that CSU must also continue strengthening its postgraduate and research activities.

In his welcoming remarks, Chancellor David Asimus, AO, said the ceremony was the most important in his ten years as Chancellor. "The name Blake and tertiary education in the city and this region are synonymous and have been intertwined for 30 years," Mr Asimus said.

"In fact, nothing has happened in education in this region that he hasn't been involved with."

Mr Asimus said he believed the foundation Professor Blake had made would mean that not only would his name be linked with one of Australia's foremost universities, it would in time be linked with one of Australia's greatest universities."