40 Years - A Dundee Celebration

When distinguished scientist and author Professor Steve Jones gave the inaugural Dundee Christmas Lecture on December 1 it provided a fitting conclusion to a year of high profile events commemorating the University's 40th anniversary.

The lecture by the renowned Professor of Genetics at University College, London, provided an auspicious start to the new annual lecture series which was established as part of the anniversary celebrations.

Hosted jointly by the University and Dundee City Council the new series also cements the already close links between town and gown.

"The University of Dundee was granted its Royal Charter in 1967, in part due to the persistent campaign by Dundee's citizens to have their own fully independent university," said Principal Sir Alan Langlands.

"Therefore it is highly fitting that the Dundee Christmas Lecture will serve to celebrate the close links between the University and the people of Dundee".

These important links were much in evidence back in February when the anniversary celebrations began with a special honorary degree ceremony at the Caird Hall.

Those honoured included Dundee Lord Provost John Letford, journalist and former Sunday Post editor Russell Reid, former world champion distance runner Liz McColgan MBE and Dundee law graduate and former Advocate General for Scotland Lynda Clark, Baroness Clark of Calton.

Singer/songwriter Michael Marra, Professor Sir Philip Cohen, solicitor and honorary sheriff Norman Robertson and the Rt Rev Vincent Logan, Bishop of Dunkeld were all also conferred with honorary degrees.

All eight recipients were honoured in recognition of the major contribution they have made to the city of Dundee and to the University. The University was honoured in turn by a stunning contribution from the Dundee Rep Women's Singing Group

The 40th anniversary celebrations continued into the summer with an exhibition of Beatles images never before seen in Scotland. Taken by photographer Michael Peto the rare collection of photographs were discovered in the University archives. Nearly 50 of these images went on display in the Queen Mother building attracting thousands of visitors to the University.

The summer also saw the return of hundreds of alumni as they arrived back in Dundee to take part in the University's first ever homecoming weekend. Former students from as far afield as Australia, Singapore and the United States flew back to meet up with old friends and take part in a busy programme of events including a series of public lectures, golf at Carnoustie, a picnic at Glamis Castle and a gala dinner in the Caird Hall.

The University also hosted the city's newest arts event in June. The Dundee Literary Festival 2007 was launched with top literary stars Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson headlining the event.

The two-day festival which also featured David Profumo, Kirsty Gunn and John Fardell, proved a huge success with many events selling out and two authors having to be moved to bigger venues to meet demand. More than 450 people, mainly schoolchildren, turned up to hear Children's Laureate Jacqueline Wilson while around 400 attended Philip Pulman's event.

The Festival was shortlisted for a prestigious Times Higher Education Supplement Award.

As well as participating in the Literary Festival writers Jacqueline Wilson and Philip Pulman were among this year's honorary graduates at the summer graduation ceremonies when more than 2,500 students collected their degrees.

Other honorary degrees included cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, keyhole surgery pioneer Professor Sir Alfred Cushieri and poet Carol Ann Duffy along with a number of other leading global figures in a variety of fields ranging from biochemistry to design.

One of the biggest and most anticipated events of the summer took place in July when HM The Queen was welcomed to the University by the Chancellor, Lord Patel and the Principal Sir Alan Langlands.

Her Majesty was visiting the University to officially open the new £15 million teaching block at Heathfield and to participate in a 40th anniversary thanksgiving service in the University Chapel.

Following the service, which was led by University Chaplain Rev Fiona Douglas and the University Choir, the Royal visitor took time to speak to children from the University nursery who had gathered to meet her.

In September the celebrations continued when former medical students returned to Dundee for the 40th anniversary medical reunion. More than 300 delegates , many of whom have become leading figures in the world of medicine, attended the event.

Among the alumni taking part in the reunion were Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, chair of the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency; Professor Peter Illingworth, medical director of IVF Australia; and Professor Margaret Wood, Chair of the Department of Anaesthesiology at Columbia University Medical Centre in New York.

The reunion featured a series of presentations from "Local Heroes" who have become synonymous with the developments in medical research at Dundee including Sir Philip Cohen, Sir David Lane and Sir Alfred Cuschieri.

As the anniversary year draws to a close some of the events organised as part of the celebrations look set to continue into the future. Plans for Dundee Literary Festival 2008 are already well underway with an extended programme scheduled to cover four days from June 19th to 22nd.

The Dundee Christmas Lectures, launched so articulately by Professor Steve Jones this year, promise to become a major addition to the calendars of both the University and the City of Dundee.