Ceremony a highlight of Abertay’ s academic year

Abertay University will host its winter graduation ceremony today with graduands from across all three academic schools at the Caird Hall in Dundee.

Around 220 students will be graduating from courses ranging from computer games design, ethical hacking and sociology, through to civil engineering, mental health nursing and law.

During the ceremony, the university will be conferring honorary degrees on Mandy Haeburn-little, CEO of Business Resilience International Management, and former principal Professor Nigel Seaton.

Former university secretary Sheena Stewart will be made an honorary fellow.

Principal and vicechancellor Professor Liz Bacon said: “Winter graduation is a highlight of the academic year and the Abertay community is very much looking forward to celebrating the hard work, talent and achievements of those who will be graduating this year. It will be a real pleasure to welcome Mandy, Nigel and Sheena to the ceremony.”

Mandy Haeburn-little has been a long-standing supporter of the university’s School of Design and Informatics and helped set up Abertay cyberquarter, the university’s centre for research, development and innovation in cyber security.

She said: “I am extremely humbled to be receiving this recognition. It is my view that Abertay University raised the bar early on, recognising the potential around developing ethical hacking skills as well as gaming. It is precisely because of that dynamic innovative thinking that the reputation of Dundee as a global tech leader is cemented across the UK and internationally.”

Prof Seaton stood down earlier this year after almost a decade as principal. During his tenure, Abertay was named The Times/sunday Times UK University of the Year for Teaching Quality and was shortlisted for The Times Higher Education University of the Year Award.

He said: ‘‘I am delighted to be receiving an honorary degree and I am very much looking forward to sharing in the happy occasion that is the Abertay graduation ceremony.”

Sheena Stewart joined Abertay in 1991 and gave three decades of service to the institution. As university secretary she led in a range of important areas including equality, diversity and inclusion, secretariat to University Court, and leading the response to Covid-19.

She said: “I am delighted to be invited to become an honorary fellow and to continue to be part of the wider Abertay community.”

GRANDAD’S KISS: William Slamon congratulates granddaughter Amie Smith, from Ardler, who graduated in Psychology and Counselling at a previous Abertay ceremony.

Professor Nigel Seaton.