University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland

File:UWS Logo.png
Type	Public
Established	2007
Chancellor	Lord Smith of Kelvin Kt.
Principal	Professor Seamus McDaid
Chairman of the Court	Professor Bob Beaty
Students	13,040 (2006) 18,000+ (2007 est.)
Undergraduates	11,395
Postgraduates	1,635
Location	Paisley; Ayr; Hamilton; Dumfries. , Scotland
Website	http://www.uws.ac.uk/

The University of the West of Scotland (Template:Lang-gd) traces its roots to the late 19th century, Paisley, Scotland. Founded at the height of the Industrial Revolution, the university has undergone numerous name changes and mergers over the last century, reflecting its gradual expansion throughout the region, culminating in a claimed merger of equals between the University of Paisley and Bell College, Hamilton in August 2007.

Today, the university operates across four campuses in south-western Scotland. Its oldest campus is located within a minute walk of Paisley town centre. Other established facilities are found in the seaside town of Ayr, at the former Bell College building in Hamilton, as well as the jointly operated Crichton Campus in Dumfries, maintained in partnership with a number of other institutions, including the University of Glasgow.

Holding a regional reputation for vocational undergraduate and post-graduate courses the University currently has over 18,000 students, with approximately 1300 staff, spread across seven schools of learning.

History

Although a 'New' University, the University of the West of Scotland has a rich, diverse history inherited from the various institutions that preceded it.

Paisley Campus

At the time of the Industrial Revolution Paisley was renowned for thread weaving. The Coats mill was run by two brothers, Peter and Thomas Coats. These men, children of the Age of Enlightenment espoused liberal ideals and became noted philanthropists. As members of the Philosophical Institution, founded in 1808 the Coats donated a museum and library to the town, funded the building of the Coats observatory and promoted education throughout Paisley.

The Philosophical Institution, helped establish the School of Arts in 1836, which become a Government School of Design in 1846, one of twenty similar institutions established in UK manufacturing centres from 1837-1851. They were set up to improve the quality of the country's product design through training in design for industry. Peter Coats was director of both Paisley Philosophical Institution and the Government School of Design. Later, the Design schools were renamed Schools of Art, and once again as Schools of Art and Science.

In 1897 Princess Louise laid the foundation stone of a grand new building for the College. The design was the winner of an architectural competition and partialy funded by local industrialists (Peter Brough, and Thomas Coats both contributed).

By the start of the twentieth century, Paisley Technical College and School of Art, (as it was known from 1904) was a centre for teaching the University of London External Programme. Throughout the first half of the century the institution had a financial struggle. After the second world war Central Institution status provided a regular income but unfortunately also meant closing the school of Art, and ceding students to Glasgow School of Art. The new entity thus became Paisley College of Technology; a Government funded Central Institution in 1950. In the 1960s a large physical expansion took place on the main 20 acre (81,000 m²) Paisley town centre site.

At the time Paisley, in common with other Central Institutions and the former Polytechnics, already offered a range of degrees under the Council for National Academic Awards. With the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the Paisley College of Technology was granted the title University of Paisley. Today, this institution forms Paisley Campus of the University.

Ayr Campus

The establishment of the University of Paisley prompted a merger with Craigie College of Education in Ayr and led to the incorporation of Nursing colleges in the town. The Ayr Campus was operated by the University of Paisley before the merger. Set in 20 acres (81,000 m²) of the old parkland of Craigie House bordering the River Ayr it claims to be almost self-contained with all teaching, lecture, workshop and laboratory space existing next to the Students’ Union, student accommodation, state of the art seating, library and all other student support services. The campus also houses the Ayrshire Management Centre, the Business School’s management training and development facility. The University is currently working on plans for the development of a new £171.2 million campus for the University in Ayr. The new campus at Ayr is scheduled for completion in 2011.

Dumfries Campus

The Crichton University Campus in Dumfries is the result of a joint project between the University of Paisley, the University of Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway College and the Open University. The campus mainly offers business, computing and, since the merger with Bell College, Nursing courses.

Hamilton Campus

The Hamilton campus was founded in 1972 as the Bell College of Technology. The main campus was constructed in Almada Street, Hamilton. A "Memorandum of Understanding" between the College and the University of Strathclyde was signed in 1993 to allow the College to offer degree level courses. In 1995, the Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway Colleges of Nursing & Midwifery were amalgamated into Bell College.

Merger

On 1 August 2007, the University of Paisley merged with Bell College, a higher education college based in Hamilton. On the 30th November 2007, the Privy Council approved the name: University of the West of Scotland for the merged institution.

The name change was resisted by many in the town of Paisley, seeing it as a break with tradition and the connections binding the previous University to the town. The 'Keep It Paisley' campaign attracted a number of supporters, amongst them local MP and then Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander.

The merged institution serves over 18,000 students and is the largest 'new university' in Scotland. The Principal and Vice-Chancellor is Professor Seamus McDaid (Vice-Chancellor of the old University of Paisley) and the Vice-Principal with responsibility for "merger implementation" is Professor Alex MacLennan, the former Principal of Bell College.

Schools

The University of the West of Scotland is organised into seven schools:

• Business School
• Computing
• Education
• Engineering & Science
• Media, Language & Music
• Health, Nursing & Midwifery
• Social Sciences

The University offers over 100 degree courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It also carries out research and consultancy work for industry. Many courses at the University of the West of Scotland have an emphasis on vocational skills and offer students the option of spending a year working in industry at home or abroad.

External links

• University of the West of Scotland
• The Students' Association of the University of the West of Scotland website
• WoSGamers - the website of the University's video games students