University alumnus Dr Hamish Dyer has enabled the establishment of a new Student Innovation & Excellence Fund with a £100,000 gift in his will.
Students studying MBChB at the University of Aberdeen will soon be able to apply for bursaries ranging from £100 to £5,000 thanks to a generous legacy from a University alumnus. Dr Hamish Dyer graduated BSc 1964, MBChB 1967 and PhD 1976 from the University and worked in pharmaceuticals, moving to Singapore in the 1980s. He maintained a keen interest in the University and his generous legacy will benefit many students for years to come.
Dr Dyer’s brother Robin and sister-in-law Aileen visited the Suttie Centre at the University’s Foresterhill campus in April to hand over the donation, meet current students and have a tour of the Centre. During their visit they were able to discuss how the gift would be used and were delighted to hear about the plans for the Student Innovation & Excellence Fund.
The projects to be funded will demonstrate excellence and innovation beyond the core curriculum and will meet criteria such as talent and skill in teaching, research or community practice and passion, commitment and engagement with wider teams and institutions.
The University of Aberdeen took an innovative step from the very beginning by establishing the first medical school in the English speaking world in 1497 and has since maintained a long track record of innovation and excellence by medical students. The School of Medicine & Dentistry actively fosters innovation and over the years students have undertaken a vast range of highly influential activities such as local curriculum development, supporting healthcare delivery, knowledge exchange in global health settings and presenting research at international forums. Student societies are actively encouraged and have engaged in pioneering work to support the education of their peers and others.
Thanks to Dr Hamish Dyer, the establishment of the Student Innovation & Excellence Fund will build on this history of innovative thinking within the School of Medicine & Dentistry and will enable students to take full advantage of stimulating opportunities to create new experiences for themselves.
While Dr Dyer’s generous gift has enabled the establishment of this new initiative, further funding is vital to ensure that as many students as possible are able to benefit from this scheme for years to come. Whether you would like to support this as an individual or maybe raise funds at your next class reunion, we would be delighted to hear from you. To find out more about supporting this fantastic opportunity contact the Development Trust on +44 (0) 1224 272281 or email giving@abdn.ac.uk. Or to give online now visit www.abdn.ac.uk/giving.