Adam Smith College celebrated this week at our annual Graduation event on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October 2011.
Professor Nicholas Terry, Graham Johnstone, Dr Gordon Brown and Dr Craig Thomson
Graduation at Adam Smith College recognises the achievements of students studying HNC, HND, degrees and professional awards with over 1,200 people eligible for these formal qualifications this year. Over 400 graduands, from all over Fife and as far afield as Zimbabwe and Zambia, will wear their formal academic dress in front of their proud family, friends and College staff.
The first of the four ceremonies, which are hosted in the impressive setting of St Bryce Kirk, opposite the College’s St Brycedale Campus, saw College Chancellor, Dr Gordon Brown MP leading proceedings.
Dr Brown, who is the local member of parliament for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, said to the graduands: “As Chancellor, I am proud to be able to be with you today to pass on my personal congratulations to you all. Your hard work and determination to complete your higher education studies will enhance not only your career paths and lives in the future but the opportunities of companies in Fife and beyond.”
The ceremony attended by Dr Brown focussed on care and education courses. He told the students: “Without your qualifications and skills companies cannot prosper or look to the future with aspiration and strength. The care sector is one of the fastest growing in the UK. Adam Smith’s range of courses is one of the country’s largest, meaning those sitting here today and those learning at the College now and in the future can make the most of their part in this.”
Over 1,200 students will graduate from Adam Smith College this week, gaining awards in subject areas from education and care, sports, tourism and creative industries to hair and beauty, engineering, science, computing, business and management.
Dr Craig Thomson, Principal of Adam Smith College commented: “Graduation is one of the highlights of our year where we recognise the achievements of our higher education students. The flexibility of our HE provision is reflected in the fact that 50% of our total of almost 4,000 higher education students study on a part-time basis balancing home and work lives to complete their studies.
“We are strongly committed to ensuring Fife develops as the most successful economy in Scotland, taking full advantage of Scotland’s largest ever infrastructure project, the new Forth crossing, building a new energy industry, hosting developments in everything from bottling to tourism, ports and aircraft carriers. We will help to build the Fife of tomorrow – a tomorrow that can only be built through our staff and students’ skills and knowledge, talent and enterprise.”