The University of Aberdeen will launch a new scheme on Monday, November 24 at King's College Centre, which aims to continue to ensure a fair and equitable admission process to University studies. Special guest and speaker for the launch ceremony will be Lewis Macdonald, MSP for Aberdeen Central, who is also Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning.
aim 4 uni has been set up as a collaboration between the University's Office of External Affairs and KEY Learning Opportunities with the principal aim of providing a new approach to supporting schools and colleges across the North East of Scotland. This new initiative will bring together, develop and extend the provision of widening access activities for schools, focusing University support on schools with low rates of participation in higher education and ensuring that pupils in schools with the potential to study at university are encouraged and supported to do so.
The launch will take place at 7.00pm on Monday and is intended to raise awareness of the new scheme to the wider community and update schools on available events and activities. The key speech will be given by Lewis Macdonald, with Dr Graeme Roberts, Vice-Principal (Teaching and Learning) chairing the event. Dr Roberts will provide guests with an insight into the University perspective while Mr Macdonald will give details on the national remit. Also in attendance and speaking at the ceremony will be Jim Purdie, Deputy Head Teacher, St Machar Academy, Paul Thain, an ex-St Machar Academy pupil and now University of Aberdeen student, and Amy Thain a S6 pupil of St Machar Academy - all three will be presenting a school's perspective of widening access to higher education activities.
Denise Shearer, aim 4 uni, University of Aberdeen, said: "The University of Aberdeen has a long-standing commitment to widening access to higher education and we are delighted to be launching this very exciting and new initiative as a further response by the University to the national agenda for widening participation.
"While focused support will be provided to schools with traditionally low rates of participation in higher education, all schools and colleges will benefit from the range of informative, interactive events and activities available. We will continue to regard students' individual circumstances and backgrounds when considering applications to degree courses, ensuring that those students whose marks do not reflect their true ability to perform well at university, have an opportunity to access higher education studies."
Further information on the aim 4 uni scheme is available from Denise Shearer, tel: (01224) 273118, or email: d.shearer@abdn.ac.uk