Dundee shortlisted as University of the Year

The University of Dundee has been shortlisted as University of the Year in the prestigious Times Higher Education Awards 2011.

Dundee is one of only six institutions in the running for the award.

This is the third time in seven years that Dundee has been nominated for the award, having also been in the running in 2005 and 2008.

\'We are delighted that the University of Dundee has been shortlisted for the University of the Year award,\' said Professor Pete Downes, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University.

\'This recognises the work being carried out across the University to build on our existing reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Dundee is making a significant global impact in many areas, and this is something we are striving to build on across the board as we seek to establish ourselves as one of the top 100 universities in the world.

\'The award does not only recognise our achievements in these activities, however, and the past year has seen us demonstrate many other ways in which we contribute in economic and cultural terms, locally, nationally, and internationally.

\'This nomination is testament to the hard work of thousands of students and staff who have helped make Dundee the university it is today. The fact that Dundee has regularly featured in this shortlist over the years shows the esteem it is held in, and we are hoping to go one better this time and win the award.\'

Dundee was shortlisted following a year in which the University achieved widespread social, cultural and economic impact in many ways including:

The University\'s achievements in the life sciences were recognised with a double win at the 2011 BBSRC Awards. Dundee was first for \'Greatest delivery of impact\' while Professor Jason Swedlow was named \'Innovator of the Year\'. The University is the central hub for a multi-million pound biotechnology sector in the east of Scotland, which now accounts for 16% of the local economy.
Being a lead partner in the V&A at Dundee, which has grown from initial conversations between the University and the V&A to a multi-partner project at the heart of the £200million regeneration of Dundee’s central waterfront.
Creating an \'open campus\' ethos by welcoming well over 20,000 visitors through a rich programme of public events. The architect of the V&A at Dundee, Kengo Kuma, drew an unprecedented 1500 people to two public lectures at the University, while the 2011 Degree Show at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design welcomed over 10,000 people in one week, generating over £1.5million for the local economy. Our Café Science and Café Arts public outreach events are bringing the work of researchers closer to the public than ever before.
Our Medical School was ranked best in the UK for training future doctors in the Goldacre Survey. An innovative new approach to internationalisation with a new initiative with the Dasman Diabetes Institute and Ministry of Health in Kuwait has led to the development of the Kuwait Scotland Health Innovation Network. This builds on Dundee\'s immense strengths in health informatics, which have contributed greatly to what Sir Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust, hailed as a \'medical revolution\' in Dundee.
This all complements the University\'s core academic and research activity, which itself has drawn major accolades - one of the world’s top 150 universities (Times Higher Education), 1st in Scotland and fifth in the UK for student experience (Times Higher Education) , and ranked top University in the world for pharmacology research (Thomson Reuters).

The Times Higher Education Awards 2011 take place in London on Thursday November 24th, when Dundee will compete with Edge Hill, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton and Sussex for the top prize. For more information on the awards see www.timeshighereducation.co.uk

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