Aberdeen University has opened a campus in Qatar.

The multi-million pound facility in Doha - a partnership between the university and the Al-Faleh Group for Educational and Academic Services (AFG) - will initially offer business degrees to Qatari nationals and the country's expatriate community, university bosses said.

The university will begin by offering two undergraduate courses at the campus, in business management and accountancy and finance, which are expected to attract around 120 students in the 2017-18 academic year.

Over the next four years, the campus is expected to expand to include additional undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

Aberdeen University said the move makes it the first UK university to have a dedicated campus in the Gulf state offering mainstream degrees.

University principal professor Sir Ian Diamond said: "The opening of the university's campus in Qatar is a significant milestone in our history, and I am proud to be working alongside our partners AFG to increase educational opportunities for Qatari citizens.

"We are one of only a select number of overseas universities to be chosen to provide higher education in Qatar, which is testament to the strength of our business programmes and our track record of excellence in teaching and research.

"In the years to come we hope to expand the range of opportunities available for students, so that as many people as possible can benefit from the world-class educational experience for which the university is renowned."