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            <title><![CDATA[Legacy Is Helping Louise Discover Her Future]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[When Duncan Hopkin passed away in December 2023, he left a gift in his will for the Hopkin Scholarship and the Hopkin Chapel Conducting Scholarship, extending his lifetime support for the University. His legacy will continue to enrich the lives of Aberdeen students for many years to come.
Louise Ward is one of the students whose life has been changed by Duncan&rsquo;s generosity. Here, she tells her story.
&ldquo;My name is Louise and I&rsquo;m a mature student studying Marine Biology at Aberdeen. I&rsquo;ve always been fascinated by the ocean, ever since I was a young girl, and had always dreamed&#8230;]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[The impact of scholarships and hardship support]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Thanks to the generosity of Aberdeen alumni, staff, and friends, hundreds of students benefit from life-changing opportunities every year. You can read more here about some of the students that have been supported and some of the initiatives that have been made possible thanks to these individuals over the past year. If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact giving@abdn.ac.uk.
Lydia's stressful move made easier thanks to a scholarship
The thought of moving to a new city was a stressful experience for first year Politics student Lydia*, but with the help of a Development Trust&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/margaret-piries-unrestricted-gift-in-memory-of-husband-sandy/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Margaret Pirie's unrestricted gift in memory of husband Sandy]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[After emigrating to the US in the mid-1950s, Sandy and Margaret Pirie enjoyed a culturally rich and exciting life in both North and South America. But they never lost their love of Scotland and, following Margaret&rsquo;s death last year, an unrestricted gift in her will in Sandy&rsquo;s memory will have a lasting impact on the ºÚÁÏÍø.
Sandy graduated MA (Hons) History in 1948 and, following further graduations from Oxford, enjoyed an international career spanning Europe, Africa and North and South America. He sadly died many years ago in 1995, but Margaret lived for another 30 years, passing away&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/inverurie-fundraisers-donate-2650-to-cancer-research/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Inverurie fundraisers donate Â£2,650 to cancer research]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[After 10 years of organising hugely popular gigs in Inverurie with local band Four Way Street, and raising over &pound;100,000 for local charities, Ian &amp; Christine Hay, along with their friends Mike &amp; Wendy McDonald and Eddie Burnett have marked the end of their fundraising efforts with a donation of &pound;6,300 split between three local charities, including &pound;2,650 to the ºÚÁÏÍø&rsquo;s cancer research.
This takes the total they&rsquo;ve donated to the University&rsquo;s cancer research to &pound;14,000 over the years which has had a significant impact on the work we&rsquo;ve been able to undertake as we strive to find&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/500000-donation-establishes-neurodegenerative-disease-research-lectureship-at-university-of-aberdeen/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Â£500,000 donation establishes neurodegenerative disease research lectureship at ºÚÁÏÍø]]></title>
            <pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[A new lectureship focused on understanding and tackling neurodegenerative diseases has been established at the ºÚÁÏÍø thanks to a &pound;500,000 donation from one of north-east Scotland&rsquo;s most important medical research charities.
The lectureship has been made possible thanks to Saving Sight in Grampian (SSIG), which donated half a million pounds to fund the post.
The Saving Sight in Grampian Lectureship in Neuroimmunology will carry out research into how human stem cell models can be used to understand neuro-immune interactions in neurodegenerative diseases including motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia. The main aim of the research is to understand&#8230;]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[Gifts in wills transform eye and brain research at Aberdeen]]></title>
            <pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Since the appointment of Professor John Forrester and the establishment of the Department of Ophthalmology in 1984, eye research at Aberdeen has grown from strength to strength. What was a programme that focused mainly on three major causes of blindness - diabetes, corneal disease, and uveitis (inflammation inside the eye) has now evolved to include conditions affecting both the eye and the brain. Four gifts in wills received in recent years are contributing to life-changing advances in both ophthalmology and neuro-immunology.
Alistair Lynn CVO CBE QPM was born in Carradale, Argyll in 1926. On leaving school at the age of&#8230;]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[Champion of Education: David Eastwood's Lasting Gift to Medical Research]]></title>
            <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[During a long and distinguished career, David Eastwood dedicated himself to the education of others. As well as being a former lecturer at the University where countless students benefitted from his wisdom and outstanding skills as an educator, he was also a much-loved head teacher and worked with the newly formed Aberdeen City Council as Assistant Director of Education. When he passed away in 2022, he left a significant gift in his will to the University for medical research, creating impact that extends from individual lives to wider societal wellbeing.
David started his career teaching Physics at Fettes College before&#8230;]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[Aberdeen through and through: Meghan's passion for creativity shines in her home town]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Following in her father&rsquo;s footsteps, Aberdonian Meghan Penny always wanted to study at the ºÚÁÏÍø, and this week her years of hard work come to fruition as she graduates with an MA in English with Creative Writing. Here she tells us about her passion for her subject, her time at the University and how a William Benzie Scholarship has supported her during her studies.
&ldquo;Choosing to study at the ºÚÁÏÍø felt like a natural decision for me. As an Aberdonian, I&rsquo;ve always felt a strong sense of pride in my city and the University. Studying at&#8230;]]></description>
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            <title><![CDATA[From Windrush legacy to Law degree: support from The Robertson Trust has helped Mia Kilduff along the way]]></title>
            <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Mia Kilduff&rsquo;s Grandad was a huge motivation behind her decision to study law at university. As a descendant of the Windrush generation, Mia has always been aware of all the unseen efforts and struggles that have allowed her to attend university and graduate on Wednesday 1 July with the degree of Bachelor of Laws with English Law (Honours). Here she tells us more about her inspiration, her time at Aberdeen, and how a Robertson Trust Scholarship has helped her along the way.
&ldquo;I originally applied to the ºÚÁÏÍø based upon it having the best prospects for my course.&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/from-adversity-to-achievement-dianas-determination-ensures-a-bright-future/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[From adversity to achievement: Diana's determination ensures a bright future]]></title>
            <pubDate>Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Following the invasion of her home country of Ukraine, Diana Postavka has made a new life in Scotland while making the most of her time at the ºÚÁÏÍø. Diana&rsquo;s determination and commitment to her studies sees her graduate on Tuesday 30 June with a first-class degree and she has been supported along the way by both a Horn Family Scholarship and an Alistair Findlater Trust Bursary. Here she tells us more of her story.
&ldquo;My name is Diana Postavka, and this year I&rsquo;m graduating from the ºÚÁÏÍø with a first-class degree in Business Management.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m from&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/two-alumni-recognised-with-benefactor-to-the-university-awards/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Two Alumni Recognised with Benefactor to the University Awards]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[On Saturday 21 March, Professor Peter Edwards, Principal &amp; Vice-Chancellor, and Clare Livingston, Interim Director of Advancement, were delighted to be part of the Aberdeen University Hong Kong Association&rsquo;s Scottish Evening where two alumni were recognised for their support and personal commitment.
Jean Hamilton and Edward Lam were presented with Benefactor to the University awards which recognise exceptional individuals or organisations that have given significant philanthropic, or longâ€‘standing personal contributions, service, or support to the University.
Jean graduated in 1958 and became one of our most dedicated ambassadors in Hong Kong during the many years she spent there. She was&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/exciting-new-development-in-the-cruickshank-botanic-garden/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Exciting New Development in the Cruickshank Botanic Garden]]></title>
            <pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The Cruickshank Botanic Garden has been an important part of the ºÚÁÏÍø&rsquo;s Old Aberdeen campus for over 125 years after being founded in 1898 thanks to a generous gift of land from Miss Anne Cruickshank (1820-1911), in memory of her brother Dr Alexander Cruickshank.
Anne wanted the Garden to help further the study of science and was determined that it should be open and free to enter for everyone. It exists to promote an appreciation of the beauty, diversity and importance of plants, and an understanding of their role in the natural world.
Over the next 70 years,&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/founders-week-2026-celebrating-the-benefactors-who-shape-the-university-of-aberdeen/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Founders' Week 2026: Celebrating the Benefactors Who Shape the ºÚÁÏÍø]]></title>
            <pubDate>Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[The ºÚÁÏÍø concluded this year&rsquo;s Founders&rsquo; Week with its Benefactors&rsquo; Lunch last Friday - a special event honouring individuals and organisations whose generosity and commitment continue to shape the University&rsquo;s future.
Founders&rsquo; Week offers a moment of reflection on the institution&rsquo;s origins in 1495 and on the generations of people whose support has allowed the University to thrive. This year&rsquo;s celebration held additional significance as it marked the first Founders&rsquo; Week under the leadership of the University&rsquo;s new Principal &amp; Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Edwards. The occasion provided an opportunity to recognise those whose belief in the University&rsquo;s mission&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/wartime-bursary-helps-inspire-legacy-gift/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Wartime bursary helps inspire legacy gift]]></title>
            <pubDate>Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[When Robina (Ruby) Cormie enrolled at the ºÚÁÏÍø to study a BSc in Science during World War II, pursuing her passion for Physics and Mathematics, she received a &pound;90 bursary, equivalent to approximately &pound;5,550 today, from the British Government to help with the cost of her studies. She considered herself very fortunate to have received financial support and maintained throughout her life that it had a hugely beneficial impact on her studies and her subsequent distinguished career as a scientist.
While at Aberdeen, Ruby met fellow student, David Tough, who was studying for an MA in Mathematics. David&#8230;]]></description>
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            <link>/giving/blog/celebrating-dereks-long-association-with-the-university/</link>
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            <title><![CDATA[Celebrating Derek's Long Association with the University]]></title>
            <pubDate>Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0100</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[Few people have demonstrated such an impact and commitment to the ºÚÁÏÍø more than Derek Ogston. After first setting foot on campus at 17, he enjoyed a 70-year plus association with the University which, since his death in 2021, is continuing with a gift in his will.
Derek was born in Aberdeen in 1932 to Frederic and Ellen Ogston. Brought up in Aberdeen, along with brother Bill, the family moved to London with his father&rsquo;s work in 1939. He attended King&rsquo;s College School in Wimbledon and decided to board there when the family moved back to Aberdeen. A&#8230;]]></description>
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