Aberdeen University has been praised in the Scottish Parliament for its pioneering research on subjects such as prostate cancer and smoking.
The university was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of its work on health economics and health services over the last 40 years.
North East region MSP Tom Mason lodged a motion at Holyrood asking colleagues to join him in celebrating the achievement.
The Conservative politician said: “The university was instrumental in gathering the data that ushered in Scotland’s smoking ban in public places – it’s hard to imagine a return to the days when people didn’t know any better.”
The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is awarded once every two years to recognise world-class excellence and achievement and is the most prestigious form of national recognition open to a UK academic institution.
It was presented to a delegation from Aberdeen at Buckingham Palace.