University of Aberdeen School of Law

The University of Aberdeen (Scots: University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as Aberd. in post-nominals; Scottish Gaelic: Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, petitioned Pope Alexander VI on behalf of James IV, King of Scots to establish King's College, making it one of Scotland's four ancient universities and the fifth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. Along with the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St Andrews, the university was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century. The university comprises three colleges—King's College, Marischal College, and Christ's College—that are now mainly ceremonial. The university as it is currently constituted was formed in 1860 by a merger between King's College and Marischal College, a second university founded in 1593 as a Protestant alternative to the former. The university's iconic buildings act as symbols of wider Aberdeen, particularly Marischal College in the city centre and the crown steeple of King's College in Old Aberdeen. There are two campuses; the predominantly utilised King's College campus dominates the section of the city known as Old Aberdeen, which is approximately two miles north of the city centre. Although the original site of the university's foundation, most academic buildings apart from the King's College Chapel and Quadrangle were constructed in the 20th century during a period of significant expansion. The university's Foresterhill campus is next to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and houses the School of Medicine and Dentistry as well as the School of Medical Sciences. Together these buildings form one of Europe's largest health campuses. The annual income of the institution for 2021–22 was £260.9 million of which £50.8 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £313.4 million.Aberdeen is consistently ranked among the top 160 universities in the world and is ranked within the top 20 universities in the United Kingdom according to The Times and The Sunday Times, and 13th in the UK according to The Guardian. Aberdeen has 15,185 students from undergraduate to doctoral level (as of 2019/20), including many international students. An abundant range of disciplines are taught at the university, with 650 undergraduate degree programmes offered in the 2012–13 academic year. Aberdeen has educated a wide range of notable alumni, and the university played key roles in the Scottish Reformation, Scottish Enlightenment, and the Scottish Renaissance. Five Nobel laureates have since been associated with the university: two in Chemistry, one in Physiology or Medicine, one in Physics, and one in Peace.

Old Aberdeen is part of the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. Old Aberdeen was originally a separate burgh, which was erected into a burgh of barony on 26 December 1489. It was incorporated into adjacent Aberdeen by Act of Parliament in 1891. It retains the status of a community council area.The town's motto is "concordia res parvae crescunt" ("through harmony, small things increase").

King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, the full title of which is The University and King's College of Aberdeen (Collegium Regium Abredonense), is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and now an integral part of the University of Aberdeen. Its historic buildings are the centrepiece of the University of Aberdeen's Old Aberdeen campus, often known as the King's or King's College campus. The focal point of the college, as well as its oldest building, is the late 15th century King's College Chapel. A number of other historic buildings remain, with others being subject to renovation and rebuilding in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the early 20th century, a great deal of expansion saw the university buildings increase around the historic college buildings. In the later 20th century, the university expanded dramatically in size, dominating Old Aberdeen and expanding out from the High Street with a number of modern buildings.

The origin of the Diocese of Aberdeen is unclear although Hector Boece, a 16th century scholar, used unconvincing early charters to develop a history of the diocese. He described how a succession of 11th century bishops—Bean, Denortius and Cormac—were the first bishops of Mortlach. Boece then allowed a fourth Mortlach bishop, Nectan, to translate the see to Aberdeen in the first quarter of the 12th century. That the first bishop of Aberdeen was Nectan is conclusive but his emergence as described by Boece is dubious. Nectan’s appearance as a note in the Book of Deer is undisputed and places him to c. 1132. The diocese was formed in the early part of the 12th century during changes in ecclesiastical authority. The papal bull of 1157 to Bishop Edward is the first direct documentary evidence of a bishop at Aberdeen. It referred to his cathedral and its proposed chapter and marked the beginning of the expansion of the diocesan organisation. The national development of the parochial system accelerated under David I (1124-1153) although he can't be credited with its concept which had pre-existed in Scotland, as elsewhere, since the earlier middle ages. David formalalised the rights of the parish church, both territorially and legally. His reforms ensured that parishioners could sustain their priests by the provision of teinds. Church building and the supply of priests lay with local lords, just as they had always done, and who continued to exert their rights of patronage. To see themselves safely into the afterlife, the cadre of landowners granted the patronage of most of the churches either to the cathedral or to a monastery of choice. This now provided the opportunity for the substantial appropriation of the fruits of the parish churches to the major religious institutions. Consequently, the parish churches became impoverished both in terms of their sustenance and the quality of the priesthood. In most cases, cathedral annexations were of both the parsonages and the vicarages leaving a pensioned vicar, often uneducated, to provide for the cure of souls. The annexed churches formed prebends for the chapter and dignitaries of the cathedral. The prebendary then assumed the responsibility of adequate vicarage provision. Over time, the chapter increased its numbers requiring further parish church annexations. Reconstruction of the cathedral began in the late 14th century and continued up to the 16th century.

The King's Pavilion is a building in Old Aberdeen owned by the University of Aberdeen.

The Old Town House is a municipal building in the High Street in Old Aberdeen, Scotland. The structure, which is now the home of the King's Museum, is a Category A listed building.

The Bede House in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, is a 17th-century Scottish town house. It was built in 1676 as a residence for Bailie William Logan and his wife Jean Moir of Stoneywood. During the late 18th century, Old Aberdeen Bedesmen moved from their original hospital beside St Machar's Church to the former Logan house in Don Street. In the 19th century the house changed hands. It was first owned by the Burgh of Old Aberdeen, then, by the City of Aberdeen after the merger of the two burghs in 1891. The house was refurbished by the City of Aberdeen Council in 1965. It was divided into two flats or apartments. The flats are now in private ownership. Much of the 17th-century building is in its original form. It is an excellent example of an L-shaped Scottish Town House, built on three floors with an attic. The house is designated as a Category A listed building.

Christ's College, Aberdeen was one of three colleges in Scotland founded by the Free Church of Scotland for the training of ministers following the Disruption of 1843. The other two were New College, Edinburgh and Trinity College, Glasgow. Following the Church reunion of 1929, Christ's College became a Church of Scotland college and was also integrated into the University of Aberdeen. It now is based within the University's King's College campus in Old Aberdeen. The College's former buildings in the west end of Aberdeen are no longer used by the church or university. The post of Master of Christ's College is still a Church of Scotland appointment, but for most purposes it is closely connected with the University of Aberdeen's School of Divinity, History and Philosophy. The current Master is the Rev. Professor John Swinton; who followed on from Rev Ian Dick Minister at Ferryhill Parish Church and the first full time Parish Minister to be appointed Master. The principal role of Christ's College is to oversee the preparation and formation of ministerial candidates for the Church of Scotland. From its offices in the University of Aberdeen, the College collaborates closely with the divinity faculty to ensure candidates receive appropriate academic training for the ministry, funding a lectureship in Practical Theology, organizing extramural lectures and seminars, and hosting an annual lecture at the beginning of each academic year. In addition, the College maintains the Divinity Library, which serves all undergraduates within the department. It also contributes to the spiritual life of the university, organising a weekly Chapter Service during each academic term. The College administers the Lumsden and Sachs Fellowship, awarded to the University of Aberdeen's most outstanding graduating student in Divinity and Religious Studies.

The Snow Kirk in Old Aberdeen was a small but important church in Scottish history. It is now ruinous but its site remains as a small graveyard within the bounds of Aberdeen University.

Mitchell's Hospital, Old Aberdeen, in Old Aberdeen, Scotland, was founded by the philanthropist David Mitchell in 1801 as follows: " .. from a regard for the inhabitants of the city of Old Aberdeen and its ancient college and a desire in these severe times to provide lodging, maintenance and clothing for a few aged relicks and maiden daughters of decayed gentlemen merchants or trade burgesses of the said city.. ". See the text of the 1801 Mortification or the conditions of the endowment. The Hospital is owned and managed by the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council and the Cathedral Church of St Machar in Old Aberdeen. The origins of the Hospital are due to various attempts by the Incorporated Trades and Merchants in Old Aberdeen to provide a "care home" for their elderly and infirm members and their "relicks".From 1801 until the beginning of the twentieth century, the hospital served as a refuge for "relicks" of Old Aberdeen Trade Burgesses. Mitchell's mortification laid down very specific conditions for eligibility. One of which gave preference in selecting residents to those who had the name "Mitchell". Originally, the residents lived a communal life with a strict system of management and care. A Board of Management carried out Mitchell's wishes to the letter. The operation of the hospital has been modified twice in the twentieth century to provide self-contained flats for elderly ladies. However, the original mortification by Mitchell determines its overall operation - within twenty-first century financial constraints.

The Science Teaching Hub is a building at the University of Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre (AMIC) is the largest main mosque and Islamic centre in North East of Scotland and Aberdeen, Scotland. AMIC is a charitable, non profitable, non political organisation. Its purpose is to hold congregational prayers and Islamic religious activities, with provision of free religious services to members of the Muslim community relating to Islamic marriage, birth, death and burial in accordance with Scottish law. AMIC also aims to promote unity and provide channels for better communication and understanding between the Muslims and non Muslims in the area. The mosque contributes to the local community by promoting and participating in projects related to areas of social concern. It operates from its new location at Frederick Street. Occasionally, AMIC, as well as other mosques in Aberdeen, host various types of open days to accommodate and provide some insight for the wider community.