WELCOME TO THE APRIL ALUMNI E-BULLETIN | UNIVERSITY NEWS Photo story: Gardner and Boyne among literary lights at WORD 09. Read more... Aberdeen triumph in Granite City Challenge. Read more... Top London art exhibition comes to Old Town House at University of Aberdeen. Read more... Cabinet Secretary welcomes University of Aberdeen's lead in reforming curriculum. Read more... |
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ALUMNI EVENTS AND REUNIONS 3 May 2008: Houston - Aberdeen graduates, John and Kelly Raley, have kindly offered to host a BBQ for alumni living in and around Houston on Sunday 3 May from 4pm. Professor Albert Rodger, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Physical Sciences, and his team, will also be attending and look forward to meeting graduates and friends of the University. If you would like to attend please let our UADT USA Administrator, Jim Day know, by emailing JCDay0126@aol.com. 14 May, Aberdeen - Join us on the opening night of the University's Word festival when General Council members will gather for an exclusive event. Libby Purves OBE comes to Word after the publication of her latest novel - but tonight, she joins us for a candid discussion about her career. This event will take place on Thursday 14 May at 6.00pm in King's College Conference Centre. To book your place contact h.veitch@abdn.ac.uk 15 - 17 May, Homecoming Weekend - Why not come back to campus between the 15th and 17th of May? You can visit your old department, take a tour of the campus, enjoy some Family History Research at the University's Special Libraries & Archives, attend some of the 120 Word events, join us for a ceilidh and much more. To book tickets, please click here. 27 May, Royal Over-Seas League, London - Join the Secretary of the University, Mr Steve Cannon, for a reception at the Royal Over-seas League, Park Place, St James's Street, London at 6.30pm. For more information, or to book your place email l.anderson@abdn.ac.uk. | ALUMNI GATHER AT BAXTERS Over seventy graduates of the University met at Baxters Highland Village in Fochabers last week. The evening included a welcome from Dr Baxter, drinks and canapes from the new Audrey Baxter Signature Range, a two course dinner and an update on activity at the University from the Principal Professor C Duncan Rice. All who attended had a lovely time and left with a goody bag full of products from the area. If you would like us to host an event in your area or have a venue you could recommend, please get in touch with Fiona Urquhart f.urquhart@abdn.ac.uk. |
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Word Festival Tickets selling fast! There are just six weeks to go, and tickets for the Word Festival are booking up fast. With a special programme of events for University Alumni, make sure you don’t miss out on what will be a word perfect weekend. Start the weekend with an event exclusive to alumni on Thursday 14 May, featuring writer and broadcaster Libby Purves. Libby has presented the talk programme Midweek on Radio 4 since 1981 and formerly presented Today. She is a main columnist on The Times and in 1999 was named the Granada Columnist of the Year, and awarded an O.B.E for services to journalism. She comes to Word with her newest novel – Shadow Child, and for this event, will talk about her career as a writer and in the media. Join us afterwards for drinks and canapés at the Word Festival Opening Party, which will be followed by The Way of the Drum – A Celebration of Traditional Taiko Drumming. Keep your eye on the news and win a Word weekend pass for two! On 19 April, The Sunday Herald are running a special Word Festival preview in the Arts & Culture section, as well as a Festival competition in the main paper, including a weekend pass for two to this year’s festival. Check out The Sunday Herald for more details. We also have some exciting promotions on offer for festival visitors: - Stay at the beautiful Carmelite Hotel and benefit from reduced rates in the hotel and restaurant over the Word weekend. More details are available on the Word website.
- We are also delighted to offer Alumni a special rate at the brand new Malmaison. To receive more info about this exclusive offer, contact Fiona Urquhart on f.urquhart@abdn.ac.uk or +44 (0)1224 273277.
- Once again, ScotRail is proud to be the Official Public Transport Provider to the Word Festival. For telesales please call 08457 55 00 33 or for more details of ticket types, journey information and the latest offers go to www.scotrail.co.uk
- Granta magazine is offering Word audiences £25 off the regular subscription price, plus a free gift with subscription. To take advantage of this offer, visit the Granta website and quote the promotion code AWORD when registering for your subscription. www.granta.com/AWORD
To book tickets and find out more about the Word Festival, and the exclusive features and events for Aberdeen Alumni over the Word weekend, click here. | TWO MILLION POUND GIFT WILL MAKE UNIVERSITY A CENTRE OF EXPERTISE IN PRESERVING HISTORIC COLLECTIONS The University of Aberdeen will become a centre of expertise and learning in conserving rare historic books and manuscripts, thanks to a multi-million pound gift from an American benefactor. US philanthropist Dr Loretta Brennan Glucksman is making the personal gift of three million dollars towards a purpose-designed specialist conservation studio adjacent to the new University library. To read more, click here. |
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UPDATE FROM THE STUDENT PRESIDENT, DUNCAN MACKAY Hello Alumni once more, hope this e-bulletin finds you in good health. As ever, things within AUSA are busy. At the time of writing, AUSA delegates are on our way back from sunny Blackpool where the National Union of Students (NUS) held its Annual Conference. The three day conference was a terrific show of debate and elections that very much proved that student politics isn't dead and that students aren't as apathetic as they are made out to be! Alongside Blackpool, we have also been representing our students on a national level with meetings and forums with MPs and MSPs in both Edinburgh and London which has been a rewarding task. On the sporting side of things, I am happy to report that Aberdeen regained the sporting crown within the city defeating The Robert Gordon University 19-13 in the Granite City Challenge - a great day which celebrated varsity sport. Finally, I should keep you abreast of changes within AUSA - by the next e-bulletin we will know the identity of our Executive for 2009/10. Campaigning and voting will take place during the first week back after the Easter Break - with 24 candidates standing there are certainly going to be exciting times ahead! Until next month, Duncan | EVER CONSIDERED TEACHING? If you are a student in your final year, thinking about a change in career or getting back to work after a break, why not consider a rewarding career in teaching? The University of Aberdeen would like to hear from prospective Primary and Secondary teachers to start in August 2009. Places are still available on the PGDE programme in several key specialist areas. For more information please call 01224 272090 or click here. |
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COME AND SEE THE DORIC PLAY, 'GUTS' You are invited to purchase tickets for a performance of 'Guts', the Doric play by Aberdeen graduate Charles Barron. With broad comedy and a little touch of tragedy combining in this memorable picture of Aberdeen life during World War II, the play is directed by fellow Aberdeen graduate Roddy Begg. The play will be presented at nine venues in the North East in May. Performance dates include: 20 May at Midmar Village Hall, 27 May at Kemnay Village Hall and 30 May at Aberdeen Arts Centre. Graduates of the University will be offered the concession rate of £7 per ticket. For full listings or to book tickets, email roddyandfionabegg@hotmail.co.uk.
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