Aberdeen University has launched a bid to build a new £35m science teaching hub.

The centre, which it is hoped will be completed by 2021, would provide teaching laboratories for students studying chemistry, physiology, biomedical sciences, geosciences and biological sciences.

The university hopes the hub will be a learning experience for thousands of students and encourage schoolchildren to get involved in science.

A site on the Old Aberdeen campus, near the Fraser Noble building, has been identified for the new centre.

An official public consultation period started on Friday with the first public event planned for September 26.

Principal and vice-chancellor Professor Sir Ian Diamond said: "We are extremely excited about this new science teaching hub and the benefits it will bring to our students.

"Our lecturers are world-leading and with this new facility they will have cutting-edge resources to enable them to deliver the very highest standard of teaching.

"Overall it will lead to a first-class learning environment for our students and will help us continue to attract the brightest minds from all over the world to come and study and live in the north east of Scotland."