University of Dundee

The University of Dundee is a British university located in Dundee, Scotland. It officially became a university in 1967 and has around 18,000 students, including 5,500 postgraduates.^[1]

History

The university's origins go back to the college that founded both Dundee and the University of St Andrews. As Dundee grew during the 19th century, the need for a local university became clear.

In 1881, University College Dundee was established to "promote education and advance the study of science, literature, and the fine arts".^[2] At first, the college prepared students for exams at the University of London.

In 1897, University College Dundee became part of the University of St Andrews in Fife. This allowed St Andrews to expand its medical school with preclinical teaching in Dundee and clinical training at the college.

Over time, law and dentistry teaching moved to Dundee. However, relations were often tense. In 1947, Principal Douglas Wimberley wrote the "Wimberley Memo" that led to the 1952 "Cooper and Tedder" report, which said the union could not last.^[3]

In 1954, the college was renamed "Queen's College" and gained more independence but was still part of St Andrews. Growth in higher education and the creation of new universities pressured Queen's College to seek full university status.

After gaining independence, the university expanded its courses to include medicine, dentistry, and law. In 1974, it created a Faculty of Arts. In 1988, degrees from the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design were validated by the university, and in 1994 the two institutions merged.^[4]

In 1996, nursing and health studies colleges joined to form the School of Nursing and Midwifery. In 2001, the Dundee College of Education merged to create the Faculty of Education and Social Work.

In 2005, the Times named Dundee "Higher Education Institution of the Year".^[5]