The University of Aberdeen’s Graduate Attributes are a wide-ranging set of qualities which you will develop during your time as a student, in preparation for employment, further study and citizenship.

There are four main areas of the Graduate Attributes:

You will have many opportunities to develop and achieve these attributes. These will include learning experiences on credit-bearing courses and co-curricular activities such as work placements, study abroad and volunteering. In accordance with the University’s commitment to Equality and Diversity, you can request support with any aspect of the Graduate Attributes framework.

The ACHIEVE website offers resources that will enable you to assess and reflect upon your present skills and development needs. You will also find resources to help you to improve your skills and links to a range of university services. When you have access to MyAberdeen you will find ACHIEVE in the ’My Organisations’ section.

To help you make the most of the ACHIEVE website, workshops will be available at the end of October. Details and booking information will be available from the Student Learning Service website.

Academic excellence Critical thinking and effective communication
  • In-depth and extensive knowledge, understanding and skills at internationally-recognised levels in their chosen discipline(s);
  • A breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills beyond their chosen discipline(s);
  • An ability to participate in the creation of new knowledge and understanding through research and inquiry;
  • A contextual understanding of past and present knowledge and ideas;
  • An intellectual curiosity and a willingness to question accepted wisdom and to be open to new ideas
  • A capacity for independent, conceptual and creative thinking;
  • A capacity for problem identification, the collection of evidence, synthesis and dispassionate analysis;
  • A capacity for attentive exchange, informed argument and reasoning;
  • An ability to communicate effectively for different purposes and in different contexts;
  • An ability to work independently and as part of a team;
  • A diverse set of transferable and generic skills
Learning and personal development Active citizenship
  • An openness to, and an interest in, life-long learning through directed and self-directed study;
  • An awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses,
  • A capacity for self reflection, self discovery and personal development
  • An awareness and appreciation of ethical and moral issues;
  • An awareness and appreciation of social and cultural diversity;
  • An understanding of social and civic responsibilities, and of the rights of individuals and groups;
  • An appreciation of the concepts of enterprise and leadership in all aspects of life;
  • A readiness for citizenship in an inclusive society