It was founded in 1887 by a group including local lawyers and businessmen and Lady Christina Alexander Struthers.
[1][2] The Association established advanced classes given by professors at the University of Aberdeen in 13 different subjects across the sciences and humanities.
[3] The Association’s other aim was to campaign for the introduction of local University examinations for both sexes, which had been introduced at the Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews in the 1860s.
[4] The Association 'proved that women were mentally and physically capable of reaching the standards of male university students,'[5] but it faced several challenges, including the difficulty of drawing enough members in a small town and the work ethic of ladies who had enough leisure time to take up the courses.
[1] The University of Aberdeen admitted women to its degree courses from 1892.