diff --git a/mod/assign/locallib.php b/mod/assign/locallib.php
index 9a13f6d7434..7c5a9250f16 100644
--- a/mod/assign/locallib.php
+++ b/mod/assign/locallib.php
@@ -3182,7 +3182,7 @@ class assign {
         }
         $info->assignment = format_string($assignmentname,true, array('context'=>$context));
         $info->url = $CFG->wwwroot.'/mod/assign/view.php?id='.$coursemodule->id;
-        $info->timeupdated = strftime('%c',$updatetime);
+        $info->timeupdated = userdate($updatetime, get_string('strftimerecentfull'));
 
         $postsubject = get_string($messagetype . 'small', 'assign', $info);
         $posttext = self::format_notification_message_text($messagetype, $info, $course, $context, $modulename, $assignmentname);