Varsity launches £15m search to find brightest and best academics
aberdeen university hopes campaign will attract top achievers
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Aberdeen University has launched a £15million recruitment drive to find “the brightest and the best” academics from throughout the world.
As the university bucks the gloomy economic trend, it is hoped the three-year campaign to attract internationally renowned professors and senior scholars at the top of their fields will push it into the top 100 in the world.
The news follows Thursday’s announcement that the Scottish Funding Council has increased the university’s funding grant from £15million by 27% to £19million.
The drive is the second phase of its major academic recruitment campaign, the Sixth Century Chairs Programme – so called because the university is in its sixth century, having started in 1495.
In 2003, the university spent £9million in attracting more than 70 international scholars.
Principal Professor Duncan Rice said the university had made “remarkable achievements” in the past few years, with its turnover doubling to more than £200million in 10 years. But he said it had a long way to go before being counted among the top handful in the world.
“Universities can be counter-cyclical in times of economic downturn and there are opportunities to attract important scholars and the people we want from all over the world.
“Our splendid financial health means we can announce this spending programme while other universities may be looking at making job cuts.
“We are interested in brain power and are willing to talk to remarkable individuals who have achieved international distinction in their field, irrespective of disciplines.
Professor Dominic Houlihan, vice-principal for research and commercialisation, said the new recruits would cover all disciplines, from humanities and engineering to medical science.
He added: “The university is opening its doors and is looking for the brightest and the best around the world.
“We are in a good financial position. This is the time to invest in new people, new projects and new teams who, in joining us, will also bring in more money.”
He said the university was currently about 135th in the world, adding: “I am confident that if we carry on the way we are going then we are going to be in the top 100 within the next few years.”
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