Weekend in Aberdeen

Robert Gordon University had great foresight in planning a day of cultural activities and leaving us to some much-needed free time. We have been going with such intensity that we all just needed some time to relax, reflect and take it all in. They hired a blue badge tour guide to take us on a coach ride around the city, providing some history and context. We are actually staying on the campus of the University of Aberdeen. So we started there.

One of the bus tour highlights was stopping to walk around a small fishing village on the outskirts of Aberdeen. Each home was once owned by fishermen and their families. Now they look to be inhabited by artists and eclectics. See what you think...

I appreciate the fine examples of meerkat sculpture. 

Afterward we were invited to a private screening of Disney/Pixar's Brave. We loved it and a few of us were fairly close to tears. Great movie about a mother-daughter relationship. It made me fairly homesick for little Helen.

Speaking of family, we learned today that our fearless Fulbright Commission leader, Eilish, has to unexpectedly leave our group and return to Ireland for a family emergency. We were all so heartbroken. She has been so amazing and a load of fun. Our Fulbright family has really appreciated all that she contributed to holding this program together. I can't imagine what it is like on the other side of the planning. Our thoughts are with her.

(Re)Introducing Lady Kelly, Laird of Dunans

Today was my birthday. I have to say I am quite lucky in two ways. First, I am having the opportunity of a lifetime as a Fulbright participant in England and Scotland. Second, our hosts at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen gave us the most unique gift at dinner...a decorative title of land ownership. Mine is Lady Kelly Jean Kirkwood of Dunans. Such a fun clever gift that supports the restoration of a castle. Now to get my frequent flyer account name changed to see if I can get upgrades :)

Robert Gordon University is really unique in that it is not like any category of institution we have in the United States. It is focused on vocational and professional education. So while it has some of the fields we might see in our 2 year institutions (medical technology) it also has architecture, business and engineering. They have very close ties to the oil and petroleum industry since Aberdeen is booming with job growth in that area. They have fantastic looking buildings and seem very much to be a rapidly expanding institution. They are very proud of their job placement statistics and see business and industry as the customer rather than the student. That does not mean that they don't care about students, but their goal is to get students placed. 

One thing I found particularly unique is that they use volunteer "patients" for their nursing students and have them conduct intake sessions. Then the patients evaluate the experience in terms of patient-client interaction. This seems like a great way to impart some of the soft skills that are important in the medical field. I am not sure if this sort of thing is done in the U.S. nursing programs, but it seems like a wonderful approach.

We are excited to have the chance to stay for 3 nights in the same accommodation. All of the moving is taking a toll. This weekend has been planned out but allows for some much needed free time. I can't wait to explore the city. 

Arrival in Scotland

I won't lie. I woke up last night to a peculiar bump in the night that made it hard to go back to sleep. Not sure if it was my wandering mind, the tolling of the Cathedral bells or knowing we had to wake for a 7 am departure, but I did not sleep well.

We said our goodbyes and headed north. The University of Stirling welcomed us with homemade treats and a local soda in our gift bags. It was so sweet--literally and figuratively.  We had a series of sessions on the internationalization strategy at Stirling and general differences between the English and Scottish systems of higher education. Most notable, they have a 4 year degree and charge English students at the international rate, but cannot do so for EU countries because of rules on equity. We also had a bit of a chance to hear about the upcoming referendum on Scottish independence.

Stirling reminds me a bit of Ball State in that they have strong sports programs and a commitment to applied social sciences. They also have a school of education. Campus is beautiful, with lush greenery and shiny new (looking) buildings for sports. They even have a lake and a small castle undergoing renovation. Out my hotel window I can see the William Wallace Memorial. I don't know how to put my finger on it, but there is just a general sense that the two schools have much in common.

After our sessions they loaded us up on a coach and took us for a private tour of Sterling Castle. Our guide was great and had a nice thick Scottish accent :-) The views from the castle were amazing. It was such a treat to have the place to ourselves and even a specially-arranged welcome from a bagpiper. Dinner afterward was in a nice restaurant by a small loch. The school arranged to have special whiskey sets made commemorating the visit. We have all decided our pants are not going to fit at the end of the program from all the good food they keep feeding us.