Rector, The University of Aberdeen, 2015 - present
I am proud to serve the students of the University of Aberdeen as their Rector. Since 2015 I have campaigned against staff redundancies; for improved mental health support for students; for lower rents; and, for international students' rights.
Education: the route to a better future
This is another column I wrote for Aberdeen University’s student paper, The Gaudie, about the Fees Must Fall campaign in South Africa and how education must be the foundation of a better future for all. #FeesMustFall image from Connect, the Citizen I…
A welcome to the new academic year
As Rector of the University of Aberdeen, I write a column in the student newspaper, the Gaudie. Given the recent discussions (!) about immigration and education, I thought I’d post my piece from a couple of weeks ago here. Welcome…
Maggie calls for Donald Trump to lose his Scottish honorary degree
"Donald Trump's disgustingly racist campaign shows he is an utterly unacceptable ambassador for our gloriously global city and its international universities." - Maggie Chapman
Rector installation at the University of Aberdeen
Today I had the huge honour of being installed as Rector of the Univeristy of Aberdeen. This is my installation address. “Good morning Pro-Chancellor, Principal, ladies and gentlemen, and for those of you who organised my campaign, comrades. I am…
Gender inequality in University Governance
I am fortunate enough to be the Educational Institute of Scotland’s University Lecturers’ Association (EIS-ULA) delegate to the STUC Women’s Conference happening in Dundee this week. One of the (30 or so) motions up for discussion was on gender inequality…
Why we should stand in solidarity with students
In many ways, 1998 seems a long time ago. It was before 9/11 and the war in Iraq. It was before any of us had heard about Al Qaeda, nevermind the War on Terror. It was before Hurricane Katrina, and…