A year of celebrations for Robert Gordon University’s Aberdeen Business School continued yesterday as the latest batch of students in its 50-year history took part in graduation ceremonies at His Majesty’s Theatre.
Following years spent in the library battling deadlines, it was a chance to finally relax as family and friends from near and far joined them to mark the landmark occasion.
They were addressed by RGU principal and vice-chancellor, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, who told them they were well placed to go out into the world and succeed.
He said: “Robert Gordon University was named as the top university in the whole of the UK for graduate employees, second was the university of Lancaster and third place was somewhere you might have heard of – the university of Cambridge.”
He said it was an exciting time for the university.
“We’ve set up the Sir Ian Wood building, meaning that all of our academics provisions will now take place on the Garthdee campus,” he added.
“We have also moved up five places in the Guardian’s league ranking of universities.”
And Prof von Prondzynski underlined the university’s place on an international stage at a time when migration is never far from the headlines.
He said: “Many of you will have come from far away to attend this graduation ceremony today, and the university welcomes people from all over the world.
“Over recent years immigration has become a sensitive topic in the UK, with some parties calling for much tighter visa and work permit restrictions.
“This is part of a general debate on what it means to be in a globalised world.
“But in the meantime the continuing and more and more intrusive restrictions are having a damaging effect on universities.
“Higher education operates internationally, and in order to gain the full benefits there should be easy mobility between countries for both students and academic staff.
“This hugely benefits the economy of the host country.”