Photo opportunity 3pm, Wednesday 21 November in the Ustinov Room, Bonar Hall, Park Place, University of Dundee.
One hundred and thirty staff from the Dundee campus of Northern College and from the University of Dundee will gather tomorrow ( Wed 21 November) to celebrate the merger of the two institutions.
The merger leads to the creation of a sixth faculty at the University of Dundee - the new Faculty of Education and Social Work.
The celebration - marked by a specially designed "wedding cake" - follows prolonged negotiations which are expected to officially conclude on 1 December after the merger is finally approved by the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood.
Principal of the University of Dundee Sir Alan Langlands will welcome all staff to the University and the new faculty:
"This is a historic moment for both institutions but, more importantly, for staff, students and the local community. By merging our expertise and facilities we have created a system designed to give the best possible professional training to prospective teachers, social workers and community education workers, providing a truly integrated approach which crosses existing disciplines. We are delighted to welcome the staff and students of Northern College and we are sure that the new faculty will become an important engine for change in the university."
He paid warm tribute to Vice Principal Professor David Swinfen, Professor Ron Elder and others whose tireless work over the past four years has brought the merger about.
Professor Ron Elder, formerly vice principal of Northern College becomes the Dean of new faculty and a deputy principal of the University of Dundee.
Some 425 students currently at Northern College, automatically transfer to the University.
In a gesture which brings the relationship of the college and the university full circle, the merger cake will be cut with a ceremonial trowel. The engraved silver trowel was first used by the Earl of Camperdown in 1912 to lay the foundation stone of the original Dundee College of Education in Park Place - now a part of the University campus. The building was bought by the university in 1975 and renamed the Scrymgeour Building after the college moved to Gardyne Road. The trowel was once again put to use when Principal of the University James Drever laid the foundation stone of the college buildings at Gardyne Road.
Said Professor Elder: "Over the last hundred years the teaching profession in Dundee has built in stature and ambition. At each stage in that development the silver trowel has laid the foundations of the transition. Tomorrow it will be used to cut the cake but no doubt it will re-emerge when the foundations of the planned new faculty building on the city centre campus are laid."
On Thursday (29 November) the new Faculty of Education and Social Work currently based at Gardyne Road opens its doors to visitors.
Prospective students will have the chance to visit departments and speak on course leaders in community education, social work, teachers education and professional development. Full application details will be available.
Representatives from the student recruitment service, the students union and student advisory service will be there. Three sessions run from 9.30am-12 noon, 1.30pm-3.30pm and 6pm-8pm. /ends