Aberdeen College, Scotland’s largest college of further/higher education and vocational training, fulfils a critical role in developing the skills base and economy of Aberdeen and north east Scotland.

Aberdeen College operates across four major subject areas: arts, communication and social science; technology, science, sport and leisure; engineering, computing and business studies and professional studies, care and service industries. Its total full-time and part-time student enrolments currently number around 47,000.

Aberdeen College provides over 1,800 education and training programmes to individuals, local communities, and employers. Meeting the particular needs of such a diverse client base requires total flexibility. It operates seven days a week over 50 weeks a year, and regularly delivers directly in over 100 community settings, company premises, and international locations.

Study modes are equally flexible, with full-time, part-time, community-based, distance learning, and specialist short courses available. Its dedicated Information Technology (IT) Centres provide student-centred learning for both enrolled students and members of the public.

Being committed to quality, it is fully accredited through Scottish Quality Management Systems (SQMS) and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Aberdeen College was the first Scottish college to gain the prestigious Charter Mark for Excellence in Public Service (1994, re-awarded in 1997 and 2000). Aberdeen College is also the only Scottish college to have won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education.

In 1996, Aberdeen College was the first (and only) Scottish college to receive the Highly Commended Award for Business Excellence from the Quality Scotland Foundation. The following year, they received the overall Winner Award for Business Excellence in the Public Sector. Aberdeen College also recently received a Beacon Award, the AQA Award for College/School Partnerships, for their innovative provision of social science subjects at higher and intermediate 2 level by means of modern communication: video conferencing, e-learning and on-line interaction with tutors.

Aberdeen College works closely with Aberdeen’s two universities, and have established direct articulation routes with these and other universities in Scotland.