University of the West of Scotland

Infobox University
name = University of the West of Scotland
native_name =
latin_name =


image_size =
motto =
established = 1897
type = Public
endowment =
staff = 1300
faculty =
president =
principal = Professor Seamus McDaidcite web|url = http://www.paisley.ac.uk/about/structure/senior-officers.asp|title = Senior Officers|accessdate = 2007-08-01|publisher = University of Paisley]
rector =
chancellor = Lord Smith of Kelvin Kt.
head_label = Chairman of the Court
head = Professor Bob Beaty
students = 13,040 (2006)cite web |url=http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/institution0506.htm |title=Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06 |work=Higher Education Statistics Agency online statistics |accessdate=2007-04-05]
18,000+ (2007 est.)cite web|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6923967.stm|title = Merger forms regional university|accessdate = 2007-08-01|date = 2007-08-01|publisher = BBC News]
undergrad = 11,395
postgrad = 1,635
doctoral =
city = Paisley; Ayr; Hamilton; Dumfries.
country = Scotland
campus =
free_label =
free =
colours =
mascot =
affiliations =
website = http://www.uws.ac.uk/

The University of the West of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Oilthigh na h-Alba an Iar) 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

Despite its relative youth, 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. Two families, the Coats and the Clarks dominated the industry, both having thread mills in Paisley and this consequently brought much wealth to the region. In particular, 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. Both were keen members of the Philosophical Institution, founded in 1808 and promoted the study of science, literature, travel, music and the arts throughout the town. As such the Coats donated a museum and library to the town, funded the building of the Coats observatory and promoted education throughout Paisley. [cite web | url = http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/Content/els-pl-sirpetercoatsandsirthomascoats|title = Sir Peter Coats and Thomas Coats] [cite web | url = http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ilwwcm/publishing.nsf/Content/els-as-PPIexhibition|title = 200 years of the Paisley Philosophical Institution]

The Philosophical Institution, combined with the threading industry helped establish the School of Arts in 1836, succeeded by the Government School of Design in 1846. Paisley Government School of Design was one of twenty similar institutions established in the United Kingdom's manufacturing centres from 1837-1851. Set up as a consequence of the evidence given to the House of Commons Select Committee on Arts and their connection with Manufactures of 1835-1836, the Government Schools hoped to improve the quality of the country's product design through a system of education that provided training in design for industry. Notably, Peter Coats was the director of Paisley Philosophical Institution and the Government School of Design at the time. Later the schools were renamed Schools of Art, and once again as Schools of Art and Science.

The renamed institution sought a new building and found funding with gifts from local industrialists, including Peter Brough, and Thomas Coats. An architectural competition was held and Princess Louise laid the foundation stone in 1897. From the early 1900s the college was a centre for teaching the University of London External Programme. The institution had a financial struggle to retain its independence from central and local Government from the turn of the 20th century. Paisley Technical College and School of Art, as it was known from 1904 had seen funding dry up. Financial necessity meant the college had to seek local government funding to continue operation. Central Institution status would mean closing the school of Art, in the process ceding students to Glasgow School of Art. Thus, it became Paisley Technical College; 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 Technical College 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 of parkland 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, 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 £71.2 million campus for the University in Ayr. The new campus at Ayr is scheduled for completion in 2010.

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 and computing 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.

chools

The University of the West of Scotland is organised into seven schools: [cite web|url = http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/index.asp|title = Schools & Departments|accessdate = 2008-07-06|publisher = University of the West of Scotland]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/business/index.asp Paisley Business School]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/computing/index.asp Computing]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/education/index.asp Education]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/es/index.asp Engineering & Science]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/mlm/index.asp Media, Language & Music]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/hnm/index.asp Health, Nursing & Midwifery]
* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/socialsciences/index.asp 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 and home or abroad.

References

External links

* [http://www.uws.ac.uk/index.asp University of the West of Scotland]
* [http://www.sauws.org.uk The Students' Association of the University of the West of Scotland website]