Sir de Bunsen was a Professor of Education and later became acting Principal on Lamont’s departure.
In 1950 he was appointed Principal until 1963 when he was named Vice Chancellor of the newly formed University of East Africa (UEA) a federation of the University College at Makerere, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam campuses, each under a Principal.
De Bunsen held the two positions simultaneously until Professor Yusuf Kironde Lule was appointed Principal at Makerere College.