Address: Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland, United Kingdom
Life Sciences, Medicine, Art and Design (DJCAD)
The University of Dundee traces its start to 1881, when a donation from Mary Ann Baxter made it possible to found University College, Dundee. For most of its early history the college was tied to the University of St Andrews, becoming part of it in 1897, until a royal charter made Dundee an independent university on 1 August 1967.
The main campus lies in the West End of the Scottish city, on Nethergate. The School of Medicine is based at Ninewells Hospital on the western outskirts of Dundee, and the Dundee Dental Hospital and School stands on the city campus. Since the 2025-26 academic year the university has arranged its work in four faculties: Arts and Social Sciences, Health, Life Sciences, and Science, Engineering and Business.
Art and design are taught at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and law at Dundee Law School.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Engineering, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Renowned for life sciences research and spin-outs. Partnerships with NHS Tayside, industry (pharma, biotech, e.g. Boehringer Ingelheim), and international institutions.
Research:
World-leading research in life sciences (drug discovery, cell biology), cancer research, and medical sciences. Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD) is also prominent.
Famous Alumnis:
James W. Black, Gary Lightbody, B. C. Forbes, Alan Johnston, David Mach
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
3100
Current students***:
17500
Foreign students***:
25%
Cumulative former students***:
95000
Pros
Excellence in life sciences and medical research, strong art and design school, high student satisfaction, significant impact on Dundee’s regeneration.
Cons
Dundee is a smaller city, though undergoing regeneration; some older facilities.
Best For
Students interested in life sciences, medicine, or art and design, at a research-intensive university with a strong reputation in these fields and a good student experience.
University of St Andrews, a public university in Fife, has historic ties to Dundee and teaches arts, divinity, medicine and science.
University of Glasgow is a public university with medicine, veterinary medicine and engineering among its listed fields.
University of Aberdeen, public and based in Aberdeen, lists energy, health sciences and environmental science.
The University of Edinburgh combines medicine and informatics with arts and humanities at a public institution in the capital.
University of Strathclyde is a public university in Glasgow with engineering, business and pharmacy as its main subjects.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Hannover Medical School (Germany) is a public institution devoted to human medicine, dentistry and biomedicine.
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, a public German university, lists life sciences and bioengineering among its specialties.
University of Cincinnati in the United States is a public university known for design and architecture, with engineering and its co-operative education model.
University of Alabama at Birmingham, a public university in the United States, concentrates on medicine, health professions, nursing and dentistry.
Kanazawa University is a public university in Japan with engineering and pharmaceutical fields.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where did the University of Dundee come from?
It began as University College, Dundee, founded in 1881 with a donation from Mary Ann Baxter. The college was linked to the University of St Andrews for decades before independence.
When did it become independent?
A royal charter established the University of Dundee as an independent institution on 1 August 1967. Before that, the college had been incorporated into St Andrews from 1897.
What faculties are there today?
Four: Arts and Social Sciences, Health, Life Sciences, and Science, Engineering and Business. They replaced the earlier system of academic schools from the 2025-26 academic year.
Where can I study art and design?
The Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design is part of the university.
Where is medicine taught?
The School of Medicine is based at Ninewells Hospital, on the western outskirts of Dundee. Dentistry is taught at the Dundee Dental Hospital and School.
Where is the main campus?
On Nethergate in the West End of Dundee, Scotland. The university website gives maps and visiting information.
Biomedical Sensors, Environmental Impact, User experience (UX), User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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