Big changes as university aims to be in world's top 100

Published on Monday 31 August 2009 21:35

ONE of Scotland's oldest universities has announced sweeping changes to its curriculum, including plans to give students the chance to study languages such as Arabic or Mandarin outside their core subjects.

The major reforms, to be officially unveiled at Aberdeen University's annual open day, will come into force next year.

University leaders claim the changes will place Aberdeen firmly in the vanguard of progressive higher education institutions, alongside Yale, Harvard, Melbourne and Hong Kong universities.

The reforms are being introduced after a year of consultation with employers, professional bodies, students and their parents, education authorities and the main political parties.

Professor Sir Duncan Rice, the university's principal, said: "

Reform of our curriculum is the single most important intellectual step that the university has embarked upon in its modern history.

"This review places us well on the way towards our ambition of becoming one of the top 100 universities of the world."

A university spokeswoman said Aberdeen was the first university in Britain to implement such a comprehensive review of its curriculum and was already advising other UK institutions that are considering following a similar path.

Iain McMillan, the director of business organisation CBI Scotland, welcomed the reforms.

He said: "I am delighted that a Scottish university is leading the way in offering the opportunity for a student experience designed specifically for the world today, and I am sure this will prove extremely attractive not only to prospective students but also to parents, careers and education staff, and to employers throughout Scotland, the UK and beyond."