Comments for University of Aberdeen Blog http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog News and updates about life at the University of Aberdeen! Sun, 27 May 2012 03:27:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on Jenny here! by Becky http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2012/01/09/jenny-here/#comment-33216 Becky Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:47:32 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=141#comment-33216 Hi Jenny, Enjoyed reading your blog. I'm hoping to come to Aberdeen this year to do History and IR too, really excited!! Good luck with your exams! Becky :) Hi Jenny,
Enjoyed reading your blog. I’m hoping to come to Aberdeen this year to do History and IR too, really excited!!
Good luck with your exams!

Becky :)

]]> Comment on Springtime Experience by Yoga Holidays http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2011/04/18/springtime-experience/#comment-20599 Yoga Holidays Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:29:06 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=133#comment-20599 Hi David, Thanks for a your writing, 6 years is a great stint as Ambassador, I actually came across the blog when doing some research for a retreat we are planning to run up in Scotland. The posts bring back good memories from my time in Nottingham @ trent uni. Referencing your community article, we had real rivalry with Nottingham Uni, the annual footmatch was legendary. It made the Old firm derby look like childs play :-) Good luck with you life after Aberdeen, I am sure your experience has stood you in good stead! Best of luck Paul Hi David,

Thanks for a your writing, 6 years is a great stint as Ambassador, I actually came across the blog when doing some research for a retreat we are planning to run up in Scotland.

The posts bring back good memories from my time in Nottingham @ trent uni. Referencing your community article, we had real rivalry with Nottingham Uni, the annual footmatch was legendary. It made the Old firm derby look like childs play :-)

Good luck with you life after Aberdeen, I am sure your experience has stood you in good stead!

Best of luck

Paul

]]> Comment on Highest Starting Salaries in Scotland for University of Aberdeen Graduates!! by Accountant Joanna http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2007/10/18/highest-starting-salaries-in-scotland-for-university-of-aberdeen-graduates/#comment-19869 Accountant Joanna Sat, 16 Apr 2011 15:35:09 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=37#comment-19869 Yeh. My sister went to Aberdeen and she never had any problem finding a first job even though she only managed a 2.2. Yeh. My sister went to Aberdeen and she never had any problem finding a first job even though she only managed a 2.2.

]]> Comment on What’s that mysterious ticking noise? by Aberdeen tradesmen http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2010/01/22/what%e2%80%99s-that-mysterious-ticking-noise/#comment-17975 Aberdeen tradesmen Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:14:48 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=97#comment-17975 All universities have their strong points and weak points.Aberdeen is a decent university.The best advice would be joining student forums and asking other people who have been to universities you're considering.Ask the right questions if you like partying as if it is a socially active university. Everyone's different,if you can get into a university that suits you there is no question you'll perform better. Work hard play hard(but take time out of both),good luck. All universities have their strong points and weak points.Aberdeen is a decent university.The best advice would be joining student forums and asking other people who have been to universities you’re considering.Ask the right questions if you like partying as if it is a socially active university.
Everyone’s different,if you can get into a university that suits you there is no question you’ll perform better.
Work hard play hard(but take time out of both),good luck.

]]> Comment on Party time!!! by Ali C http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2010/06/25/party-time/#comment-11509 Ali C Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:33:20 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=108#comment-11509 Copernicus, Thank you for your reply. The University's ambition is to be a top 100 world university and has, as a result, attempted to benchmark our curriculum, support and facilities with the best in the world, including Harvard, Yale, Melbourne and Hong Kong universities. It might interest you to note that the University has recently increased our A Level entry requirements to BBB for 2011 entry, and we are constantly reviewing our Going Rates, with the aim of making them competitive with our benchmark group, and attractive to high calibre students from across the globe. The University does not have any Clearing vacancies this year, following a record 32% increase in applications - significantly above the sector as a whole, and the highest of any of the ancients in Scotland; a trend we hope will now continue going forward. We are delighted with the exciting developments taking shape at Aberdeen, and confident that they will meet the needs of our students, graduates and employers. If you would like to continue this dialogue offline, please feel free to email us at sras@abdn.ac.uk. Copernicus,

Thank you for your reply. The University’s ambition is to be a top 100 world university and has, as a result, attempted to benchmark our curriculum, support and facilities with the best in the world, including Harvard, Yale, Melbourne and Hong Kong universities.

It might interest you to note that the University has recently increased our A Level entry requirements to BBB for 2011 entry, and we are constantly reviewing our Going Rates, with the aim of making them competitive with our benchmark group, and attractive to high calibre students from across the globe.

The University does not have any Clearing vacancies this year, following a record 32% increase in applications - significantly above the sector as a whole, and the highest of any of the ancients in Scotland; a trend we hope will now continue going forward.

We are delighted with the exciting developments taking shape at Aberdeen, and confident that they will meet the needs of our students, graduates and employers.

If you would like to continue this dialogue offline, please feel free to email us at sras@abdn.ac.uk.

]]> Comment on Party time!!! by Copernicus http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2010/06/25/party-time/#comment-11475 Copernicus Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:46:35 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=108#comment-11475 Melbourne model is too much hyped and there nothing new. I have visited Melbourne U and despite their claim what they do is a variance of the liberal arts degree one finds in liberal arts colleges in USA. We not only need broader skill but deeper as well which I doubt Melbourne model provides. As for Harvard it is a different story. I would believe if Aberdeen U raises its entry qualifications for Higher and A level achievers and cuts out the clearing weeks. As it is the latter is running for weeks, reminding about RGU and Napier. Melbourne is ranked much lower than UCL and Imperial , and Aberdeen U should emulate these two universities. Melbourne model is too much hyped and there nothing new. I have visited Melbourne U and despite their claim what they do is a variance of the liberal arts degree one finds in liberal arts colleges in USA. We not only need broader skill but deeper as well which I doubt Melbourne model provides. As for Harvard it is a different story. I would believe if Aberdeen U raises its entry qualifications for Higher and A level achievers and cuts out the clearing weeks. As it is the latter is running for weeks, reminding about RGU and Napier.

Melbourne is ranked much lower than UCL and Imperial , and Aberdeen U should emulate these two universities.

]]> Comment on Party time!!! by Ali C http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2010/06/25/party-time/#comment-11474 Ali C Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:00:41 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=108#comment-11474 Copernicus, It is an exciting time at Aberdeen with the introduction of the new curriculum. The University is the first in the UK to go through such a reform, which is based on the models used at world class universities such as Harvard and Melbourne. To find out more about the changes please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/thedifference Copernicus,
It is an exciting time at Aberdeen with the introduction of the new curriculum. The University is the first in the UK to go through such a reform, which is based on the models used at world class universities such as Harvard and Melbourne.

To find out more about the changes please visit http://www.abdn.ac.uk/thedifference

]]> Comment on New Students’ Website by leather armchair dude http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2007/09/11/new-students-website/#comment-11400 leather armchair dude Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:16:25 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=34#comment-11400 The new students' website is quite different from other freshers' sites I have come across; the number of tabs is a lot greater than most but the accessibility is good. In fact, despite the number of options available there is a very 'minimalistic' look to the site which comes across as really elegant, quite fitting in the new millennium for a university over 500 years old. I like it. The new students’ website is quite different from other freshers’ sites I have come across; the number of tabs is a lot greater than most but the accessibility is good. In fact, despite the number of options available there is a very ‘minimalistic’ look to the site which comes across as really elegant, quite fitting in the new millennium for a university over 500 years old. I like it.

]]> Comment on Party time!!! by Copernicus http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2010/06/25/party-time/#comment-11396 Copernicus Tue, 03 Aug 2010 13:34:16 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=108#comment-11396 Ali C: First about the university ranking. The Sunday-Times and QS data are skewed in favour of British universities (the ARWU takes much broader picture) and even granting 129th rank as compared to ranks within 10/20 of many British universities ( these days it is both national and transnational from the students' point of view, and any university located in the second page of the ranking list has its problems) , for example the two universities in London where I live, it is not good enough. Then you have the research-intensive Russell Group Universities for good students to pick. Second, about the UG designated degrees sounding like masters. I worked in Cambride and Oxford and also know Aberdeen U well having lived in Aberdeen and my wife was an Aberdeen U student, I was simply pointing out the usual Oxbridge pointer and saying " we designate them just they do" is not enough. I gave examples of engineering degrees in Aberdeen U. Lastly, and more importantly modernisation. I go through the web pages of the top universities ( as a retired academic, I advise the secondary school leavers in our communities here about their choices of higher education) and they modify their curricula better. Aberdeen U has done this to an extent, but not quite in the departments of English where English literature studies have shrunk dramatically, in computer science the syllabii hasveonly marginally changed, in biosciences where the fast emerging area of bioinformatics finds very little resonance etc.. Given the above rathher limited changes, I cannot see how students can be well rounded in their educational experience. In Engineering Faculty there is room for more innovation and to some extent your sister university RGU excels here. In conclusion, Aberdeen U has good potential but is shy of innovation in respect of curricular changes. Ali C:
First about the university ranking. The Sunday-Times and QS data are skewed in favour of British universities (the ARWU takes much broader picture) and even granting 129th rank as compared to ranks within 10/20 of many British universities ( these days it is both national and transnational from the students’ point of view, and any university located in the second page of the ranking list has its problems) , for example the two universities in London where I live, it is not good enough. Then you have the research-intensive Russell Group Universities for good students to pick.
Second, about the UG designated degrees sounding like masters. I worked in Cambride and Oxford and also know Aberdeen U well having lived in Aberdeen and my wife was an Aberdeen U student, I was simply pointing out the usual Oxbridge pointer and saying ” we designate them just they do” is not enough. I gave examples of engineering degrees in Aberdeen U.

Lastly, and more importantly modernisation. I go through the web pages of the top universities ( as a retired academic, I advise the secondary school leavers in our communities here about their choices of higher education) and they modify their curricula better. Aberdeen U has done this to an extent, but not quite in the departments of English where English literature studies have shrunk dramatically, in computer science the syllabii hasveonly marginally changed, in biosciences where the fast emerging area of bioinformatics finds very little resonance etc.. Given the above rathher limited changes, I cannot see how students can be well rounded in their educational experience. In Engineering Faculty there is room for more innovation and to some extent your sister university RGU excels here.

In conclusion, Aberdeen U has good potential but is shy of innovation in respect of curricular changes.

]]> Comment on All’s Well That Ends Well by David S http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/2010/07/21/alls-well-that-ends-well/#comment-11395 David S Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:46:19 +0000 http://www.abdn.ac.uk/sras/blog/?p=111#comment-11395 Dear Trotter, thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you find mention of my PhD such a turn off. I do mention it in my blog posts, because I am a PhD student and it's a pretty big part of my life currently. Are there any topics that you would like to hear more about? Not every blog post will be of equal interest to everyone, but as there are four of us writing this blog the posts should be varied enough to provide a broad spectrum of information about what student life is like at the University of Aberdeen. Cheers, David Dear Trotter,

thank you for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you find mention of my PhD such a turn off. I do mention it in my blog posts, because I am a PhD student and it’s a pretty big part of my life currently. Are there any topics that you would like to hear more about? Not every blog post will be of equal interest to everyone, but as there are four of us writing this blog the posts should be varied enough to provide a broad spectrum of information about what student life is like at the University of Aberdeen.

Cheers,
David

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