The University of Aberdeen is launching a £9million investment programme to ensure that the Institution maintains its position as one of Britain's leading research-led Universities and that Aberdeen remains one of the strongest research communities in the UK.
Over the next three years, the University will recruit outstanding scholars who have achieved international distinction in their fields. Over 200 posts - many of them new - will be created and filled across three new Colleges.
The investment complements a recent restructuring of the five Faculties into three Colleges - Arts and Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Medicine and Physical Sciences.
The initiatives come at a time of ever-increasing competition and radical change in the higher education sector.
Professor C Duncan Rice, Principal of the University of Aberdeen, said: "Our drive to recruit new scholars of the highest conceivable quality is an indispensable part of our strategy to strengthen our research performance and push the intellectual quality of our community even higher.
"While nurturing the talents of existing staff, we will also view each and every one of these new vacancies as a priceless opportunity. We must spread the net for outstanding scholars, who may be attracted to Aberdeen, more aggressively than we have ever done before.
"The £9million investment will run parallel to the reorganisation into Colleges, which will enable us to be as focused and effective as possible."
The University of Aberdeen already contributes an estimated £250m to the local economy and the restructuring will further strengthen its financial commitment to the region.
The Colleges comprise:
Arts and Social Sciences Head of College: Professor Bryan MacGregor
Life Sciences and Medicine Head of College: Professor Stephen Logan
Physical Sciences Head of College: Professor Albert Rodger
The restructuring will give the University larger academic groupings, and allow flexibility to be more focused about the areas where it can become more distinguished. At the same time, the Institution can maintain the breadth of disciplines that are taught. It will also enable the University to:
· Create appropriate scale to maintain its breadth of discipline coverage for teaching and learning;
· Take a more focused approach to research activities that build on the University's strengths;
· Encourage innovation and creativity;
· Enable the academic and professional development of junior staff through working in larger units;
· Provide greater opportunities for identifying and sharing best practice in teaching and learning and to reduce duplication in teaching; and
· Create scope for developing courses and programmes within and between Colleges so as to provide new choices for students.