Dundee, University of

University of Dundee

Age: 44

History: Its roots go back to 1881, but became the University of Dundee in 1967. Merged with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in 1994, and recently absorbed two local nursing colleges. Celebrated its 40th anniversary as an independent institution four years ago.

Address: Compact city-centre campus in a lovely spot commanding views of the Tay estuary. Medical school a couple of miles away at Ninewells Hospital, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe. Some nursing and midwifery 35 miles away at Kirkcaldy campus.

Ambience: Five-minute walk from the city centre. A £200m campus redevelopment has provided new student accommodation, teaching and research facilities, extended library, improved sports facilities (including one of the largest and most hi-tech gyms in the country) and refurbished, award-winning students' association.

Vital statistics: More than 17,000 students and 3,000 staff. Around 12,000 undergrads and almost 20 per cent of students are distance learners. Four colleges: Life sciences; art, science and engineering; medicine, dentistry and nursing; and arts and social sciences.

Added value: Good employment record. Only 4 per cent of graduates are unemployed after six months, according to government figures, and all students are given their own personal development plan website. Claims to be Scotland's biggest supplier of graduates to professions such as dentistry, medicine, teaching and law. Close links with industry, especially pharmaceuticals. A new £21m interdisciplinary research centre, for work on diabetes and tropical diseases, has greatly expanded the life sciences faculty.

Easy to get into? Not particularly, though it does offer access to those without traditional qualifications. Medicine and dentistry both ask for three As at A-level or four As at Scottish Highers (360 UCAS points) in relevant subjects.

Glittering alumni: Whitbread Award-winner Kate Atkinson; Brian Wilson MP, founder of the West Highland Free Press; Chris van der Kuyl, computer games guru; Lord Robertson, former NATO Secretary General.

Transport links: Five minutes from railway station. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen are all one-and-a-half hour's drive. Direct air links to London City, Birmingham and Belfast. One hour to skiing and snow-boarding in the Scottish Highlands.

Who's the boss? Biochemist Professor Pete Downes OBE, former vice principal and head of the college of life sciences at Dundee, was named as new principal and vice-chancellor in 2009.

Teaching: Came 21st out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Research: Came 38nd out of 115 in the Research Assessment Excercise.

Overall ranking: 43rd out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Students' association has had a £5m extension and revamp and attracts big name DJs, bands and other events.

How green is it? Not briilliant. It was ranked 80th out of 138 universities in People and Planet's 'Green League 2011' - an assessment of environmental performance.

Any accommodation? Lots. Self-catering halls for undergrads average £109 per week.

Cheap to live there? Not too bad - private rooms are around £70 per week.

Sports ranking: 36th in the BUCS league.

Fees: Scottish and EU students do not have to pay any fees. Students from England, Northern Ireland and Wales are charged a standard Scottish tuition fee, which for 2011/2012 is £1,820 per year, with the exception of medicine, which is £2,895. Fees for 2012/2013 are yet to be decided, but it is expected they will rise by the rate of inflation.

Bursaries: The university offers a range of course-specific scholarships. For further details, visit the website.

Prospectus: 01382 383 838; www.dundee.ac.uk

UCAS code: D65