City finds formula for scientific success

Dundee’s reputation as a centre for scientific excellence continues to grow. For years, Dundee University has boasted a worldbeating life sciences division.

Now Abertay University is also blazing a trail, with the opening of spectacular new laboratories.

Opening the £3.5 million facilities, Professor Dame Anne Glover – a distinguished biologist, former chief scientific adviser for Scotland and former chief scientific adviser to the president of the European Commission – hailed an “investment in the future of Scottish science”.

It is a significant development and can also be seen as a wider vote of confidence in the city as a whole.

Attracting the best students is a competitive business, and naturally those universities with the most cutting edge facilities will ultimately fare best.

The success of any new project is hard to guarantee, but certainly the Abertay venture has the best possible chance thanks to the innovative way it was developed.

Students were asked to assist in the design of all the labs, and played a crucial role in shaping both the layout and decorative features.

By involving such key stakeholders from the very start, it is possible to foster a feeling of shared responsibility.

Ultimately, attracting the brightest and best students to the area can only bode well for the future of both the city and the surrounding area.