THE ANNUAL awards ceremony of Dundee College was given a special significance yesterday when, for the first time, the civic mace was used in the formal presentation at the Caird Hall.

A symbol of the lord provost’s authority, the mace is seldom used outwith the City Chambers.

While the lord provost has, in the past, attended the college’s awards ceremonies, master of ceremonies Alan Rae was delighted at the recognition.

He said, “Given that the mace is normally only used within the City Chambers—except for the annual Kirkin’ o’ the Council, the feast of Christ the King and the graduation ceremonies of the city’s universities—we see this as a full endorsement by the city council of the work we do at Dundee College.”

Around 400 students in their formal gowns received their advanced qualifications—higher national certificates or diplomas—before a Caird Hall audience of 1500 guests.

Principal Iain Ovens said the qualifications awarded yesterday were, with one or two exceptions, vocational qualifications linked to particular professions.

“You will find that vocational qualifications can be valuable assets,” he told the students and guests.

“They are well worth having because they can help you in three ways, which we describe in the college as the three ‘E’s of employment, employability and employees’ skills.”

The college described this year’s event as a “celebration of education” as it featured not only the college but schools and Dundee University as well.

Music for the ceremony was supplied by a 25-piece school orchestra brought together especially for the day, with musicians drawn from secondary schools throughout the city.

The university connection was in the form of Sir Alan Langlands, principal of Dundee University, who was the guest speaker.

Sir Alan said the students had been “extremely lucky” to have attended a college which has an “outstanding reputation” in Scotland and beyond.

He paid tribute to the college’s growth and success in recent years under the principalship of Mr Ovens which had seen it grow massively in terms of student numbers and the range of courses on offer.

He said, “For many years now the college and the university have had very good informal relations which have resulted in a steady flow of students progressing from college courses to degree programmes.

“In January 2002 the university and college signed an articulation agreement...to allow successful students at Dundee College a fast track to a University of Dundee degree.

“The first of these students have now been admitted directly into third year of MA studying contemporary European studies and politics.”

Students’ association president Morag Maich had a dual role to play in the ceremony. In addition to officiating as students’ sabbatical president and giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the students, she had to cross the stage to receive her own HND in social science.

For Morag, the short trip had its own significance as she had to learn to walk again after breaking her back whilst lifting her disabled mother.

She said, “I was training as a midwife and raising my family of three and caring for my mother at the same time.

“One day, my mum lost consciousness and I had to move her to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It was during this manoeuvre that I broke my back.”

Sadly, Morag’s mum did not regain consciousness, but Morag made a good recovery after learning how to walk again.

She added, “I am really enjoying the job as president and feel, by coming to college, I have moved into a new phase of my life, putting a lot of sadness and negativity behind me.”