Our Strategic Plan

Welcome from Liz Bacon, our Principal

This is our Strategic Plan for 2020-2025.

It will guide the development of our University over the next five years and beyond. We remain focused on our students, and are strongly rooted in Dundee and the wider Tayside region. We remain committed to teaching a broad range of subjects and to using our research and our specialist expertise to support the development of industry and commerce.

Alongside this strong element of continuity, there are two major changes. We will build on our expertise in computer games, cyber security and computer science in order to put digital technology at the heart of all that we do. The second change is a focus on academic collaboration, particularly internationally.

I hope you will enjoy reading our new Strategic Plan. We are proud of what we have achieved as a University, and we are going forward with confidence towards the opportunities and challenges ahead.

We are a leader

Abertay has been a leader in enabling access to university and preparing students for work for 25 years.

We will continue to enable staff, students and graduates to excel in an inclusive, healthy, supportive environment.

To do this we will focus on Transformational Opportunities, Digital Innovation and Academic Collaboration.

Abertay word cloud, featuring words like Develop, Continue, University, Abertay, Student, Staff, Opportunity, Work, Deliver, New, Programme, Learn, Year, Support, and many more!

Our Purpose is:

To offer transformational opportunities to everyone who has the ability to benefit from Abertay’s approach to university education.
To inspire and enable our students, staff and graduates to achieve their full potential and to have a positive impact on the world around us.
To prepare students for the world of work and a life of learning.

Lab environment - Female working on laptop. Male leaning over desk in the background

Our Guiding Principles

From maximising digital potential to changing lives, we will be guided by these principles.

To provide opportunities to change lives, giving our students and staff the skills and support they need to thrive at work.
To promote fairness and equality of opportunity in everything we do.
To ensure that our research and programmes continue to be relevant in a changing world.
To remain sustainable, using our funding to deliver maximum impact.
To maximise the potential of digital technology across the university.

Desk with 2 Desktop computers - lecturer in the background

We will achieve this by:

Continuing to offer a range of routes to an Abertay degree, providing transformative learning opportunities to anyone with the potential to benefit.
Delivering our attractive and broad portfolio, underpinned by research and including world-leading programmes in computer games and arts.
Implementing a digital strategy that supports our whole university community to develop digital skills for a life of work and learning.
Creating a culture that promotes and supports physical and mental wellbeing in our staff and students.
Being an excellent employer and attracting, developing and retaining the best staff.
Investing in research and knowledge exchange to strengthen our reputation and in areas which enhance our academic programmes.
Ensuring a range of flexible support for students across their student whole journey.
Working with partners to deliver programmes beyond our Dundee campus including online.
Offering work-related learning opportunities on all programmes and continuing to work closely with employers to ensure our graduates are prepared for work.
Finding opportunities to increase our income from other sources.

Two people playing a virtual reality game

By 2025 we will be known for:

Providing an excellent student experience, giving them the skills to succeed at work.
The impact of our research and knowledge exchange on business and society more widely.
Our innovative use of digital technology across all activities.
Supporting our staff to develop in the workplace and have satisfying careers.
Being a leader in enabling access to university for students from a wide range of backgrounds.