Photo opportunities, Monday, September 30, City Square & Caird Hall, Dundee
1. 9.45am - Principal will be mingling with new students in City Square
2. 10am-11am - Official welcome ceremony in Caird Hall - 1800 students
addressed by Principal, Rector, Chaplain and student representatives.
3. 11am - 11.30am - Fred MacAulay will meet students following the
ceremony - City Square and Marryat Hall.
The University of Dundee's highest ever intake of new students will assemble in the Caird Hall on Monday, September 30, to receive a warm welcome from University Principal Sir Alan Langlands.
A range of innovative new courses and the successful "Serious Fun" marketing campaign mean that UK admissions for the University are up by 21% while overseas admissions are up by 24% - bringing a record 1800 new arrivals to the University in 2002.
They will fill the Caird Hall on Monday for an hour-long welcoming ceremony. In addition to Sir Alan, speakers include University rector Fred MacAulay, chaplain Rev Dr Fiona Douglas, and student president Maurice Golden. The event will be hosted by Chris Bustin, deputy vice president of the Students' Association.
Before the ceremony's 10am start, the Principal will be mingling informally with students in City Square. He will then take his place in the academic procession which will cross the square and enter the Caird Hall.
Sir Alan will tell those present, " Everyone here is delighted that you have chosen to study here at Dundee. We are committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship and pure and applied research. We are determined to create a climate in which every student meets his or her full potential. We want your time here to be enjoyable, fulfilling and free from problems."
Following the ceremony, students will have the opportunity to visit the Marryat Hall where stalls will be set up offering information on every aspect of University life. Fred MacAulay will also be present to meet the students.
The welcoming ceremony marks the beginning of seven days of Freshers' Week events, throughout which a welcome desk will be placed in the Tower Building foyer area, again offering information on everything the University has to offer.
Newcomers to Dundee can familiarise themselves with the University and the city itself through a series of historical campus and city bus tours. Sport will be high on the agenda with an Institute of Sport & Exercise barbeque and a sports day organised by the Sports Union. Another highlight is "Your Future", Duncan of Jordanstone Collge of Art's first ever art-orientated Freshers' festival.
Daytime events will be rounded off on Saturday October 5 with a Mature Students' Induction Course to which partners and children are also invited - 33% of the University's students are mature. Places in the University Nursery will be available. This will be followed by a Freshers' Fayre - just one in a packed programme of entertainment which has been laid on by DUSA.
Irene Donaldson, head of the student advisory service, said, "This is going to be one of the biggest ever Freshers' Weeks and we are aiming to provide activities to suit the tastes of every one of the new students we are welcoming to the University.
"Whether they come from Dundee itself, or from overseas, we want to give them the best and most enjoyable start to their University careers."
By Jane Smernicki, Press Officer 01382 344768 j.m.smernicki@dundee.ac.uk