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Robert Gordon University
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The Robert Gordon University (often known as RGU) is a modern university located in Aberdeen, Scotland. Granted university status in 1992, Robert Gordon University currently has approximately 12,790 students at its two campuses at Garthdee and Schoolhill, studying on over 145 full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The origins of the University date back to 1750, when Robert Gordon's Hospital was established to provide residential education for the sons and grandsons of Aberdeen's burgesses.
In 2009 the University was named 'The Best Modern University in the UK' by The Times Good University Guide.
History
In 1720 Robert Gordon retired to Aberdeen, having amassed a considerable fortune.
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Encyclopedia
The Robert Gordon University (often known as RGU) is a modern university located in Aberdeen, Scotland. Granted university status in 1992, Robert Gordon University currently has approximately 12,790 students at its two campuses at Garthdee and Schoolhill, studying on over 145 full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The origins of the University date back to 1750, when Robert Gordon's Hospital was established to provide residential education for the sons and grandsons of Aberdeen's burgesses.
In 2009 the University was named 'The Best Modern University in the UK' by The Times Good University Guide.
History
In 1720 Robert Gordon retired to Aberdeen, having amassed a considerable fortune. On his death 11 years later he willed his entire estate to build a residential school for educating young boys. In the summer of 1750 the Robert Gordon's Hospital was born. In 1881 this was converted into a day school to be known as Robert Gordon's College. This school also began to hold day and evening classes for boys, girls, and adults in primary, secondary, mechanical and other subjects. Many of these classes were organised after consultation with the Aberdeen Mechanics' Institute, and included scientific, technical and commercial courses for clerks, apprentices and others. In 1884 the whole educational work of the Aberdeen Mechanics' Institute was transferred to the college.
About the same time, local businessman John Gray offered to provide a school of science and art upon condition that the Governors named it Gray's School of Science and Art. In 1903 the then Scotch Education Department designated the vocational courses work of the college as a Central Institution, at which point it became Robert Gordon's Technical College.
The name Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology, or RGIT as it was popularly known, was adopted in 1965.
In 1991 the name changed again, to The Robert Gordon Institute of Technology. By this point, it was one of the largest Central Institutions in Scotland. In 1992, the RGIT was awarded university status as The Robert Gordon University, and the first Chancellor, Sir Robert Reid, was installed.
Robert Gordon's mercantile adventures founded a strong and remarkably modern belief that his investment in the education of his townsfolk would equip them with the skills and knowledge to strengthen their success in Europe and further afield.
The city of Aberdeen is also home to the University of Aberdeen. The two Universities based in Aberdeen discussed a merger in 2002 but they decided to maintain their independence.
Statistics
There are approximately 12,790 students studying over 145 full-time and part-time courses at undergraduate, post-experience and postgraduate levels. In addition, RGU is the top university in Scotland for graduate employment, and the 4th best in the UK, according to The Times . In 2002 98.1 per cent of RGU students were in employment or further study six months after graduation. (Source: HESA First Destination statistic 2002, published 2003)
As well as full-time and part-time on campus study, the University provides a complete range of distance learning facilities over the Internet via its Virtual Campus, with over 8000 students from 113 countries studying online for a wide range of courses.
Robert Gordon's currently ranks 3 in the United Kingdom for excellence in further education (according to Guardian newspaper 2/06)
Governance and organisation
Robert Gordon University’s governing body is the Board of Governors, which comprises 23 governors appointed to exercise the functions of management and control though, at an operational level, most of these functions are delegated to the Principal and Vice Chancellor. The Board of Governors also delegates functions relating to the overall planning, co-ordination, development and supervision of the academic work of the University to the University’s Academic Council. Both the Board of Governors and the Academic Council are supported by a wide range of committees.
Chancellors
- Sir Bob Reid (1992-2005)
- Sir Ian Wood CBE (2004-Present)
The Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the university is its general chief executive and is the administrative head of the institution, second in precedence only to the Chancellor.
Principal and Vice-Chancellors
- Dr David A. Kennedy (1992-1997)
- Professor William Stevely CBE (1997-2005)
- Professor R. Michael Pittilo (2005-Present)
Structure
The academic activities of the University are divided into two faculties each with constituent Schools, and the Aberdeen Business School with cognate departments:
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- Human Resources Management
- Hotel, Tourism and Retail Management
- Communication and Media
- Information Management
- Accounting and Finance
- Business and Management
- Marketing
- Economics and Public Policy
- Law
- Faculty of Design and Technology
- Gray's School of Art
- Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and The Built Environment
- School of Computing
- School of Engineering
- Faculty of Health and Social Care
- School of Applied Social Studies
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Life Sciences
- School of Nursing and Midwifery
- School of Pharmacy
Facilities
The Garthdee campus just outside the city centre has seen spending of over £60 million in recent years with two new buildings housing the Aberdeen Business School and the Faculty of Health and Social Care. The building for the Business School was designed by renowned architect Norman Foster. The building for the Faculty of Health and Social Care was designed by Aberdeen architects Halliday Fraser Munro.The Garthdee campus is also the site of a new state-of-the-art Sports Centre which opened in February 2005.
The Schoolhill campus, based in the city centre, is housed in more traditional surroundings, within some of the city’s famous granite buildings. Over the next 10 years RGU is planning to move all of its Schoolhill Campus out to Garthdee.
Students from the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and The Built Environment, RGU Garthdee Campus, run a highly successful lecture series which is known as 5710, where world renowned architects from the UK and abroad are invited to lecture on Thursday evenings.
External links
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