Glasgow Caledonian University

History

• Formed in 1993 through a merger of Glasgow Polytechnic and the Queen's College, Glasgow. The predecessor colleges date back to 1875.
• GCU is the first Scottish university to open a campus in London. GCU London delivers a range of specialist postgraduate courses and CPD training programmes in banking, business, finance and risk, fashion, tourism and construction. Its programmes are underpinned by industry support from market leaders including Santander, Morgan Stanley, Marks and Spencer, AllSaints and House of Fraser.
• GCU also has an engineering college in Oman, a nursing college in Bangladesh and partnerships in China, India, and North and South America.

Location and transport

• Set in the heart of Glasgow, one of Europe's most fashionable and lively cities.
• Located on a modern campus in the city centre with excellent car, bus, train and international air links.
• 100 metres from Buchanan Bus Station. Walking distance to Central and Queen Street stations. Located near to M8 motorway; 200 metres from Glasgow's premier shopping streets.

Entry standards

• Entry requirements vary depending on course.
• Flexible entry points included.

Student mix

• 60:40 female to male ratio. There are students from more than 134 countries.
• 96% of UG students are from state schools.
• 34% of students recruited from socially disadvantaged communities.
• GCU is committed to widening access to higher education for talented individuals regardless of their backgrounds, as evidenced by 35% of full time under graduate students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and 73% being the first in their family to attend university.

Course flexibility

• More than 100 undergraduate and 80 post-graduate qualifications on offer, many with part-time options.
• Tailored programmes for students completing qualification at FE college and entering to year 2 or 3 of degree programmes.
• Bespoke professional education for industry. Glasgow Caledonian prides itself on equipping students with the real-world experience and skills to succeed as global graduates. Many students at Glasgow Caledonian undertake placements, internships, summer placements and even take a year out to work in industry before returning for the final year of their degree.

Teaching standards

• The Quality Assurance Agency awarded GCU its highest judgement after a review of academic quality standards in 2010–11. The QAA recognises GCU’s innovative approach to learning and teaching, and the creation of a flexible learning experience designed to fit a diverse student body.
• GCU aims to equip students with the key skills and attributes which employers require in a wide range of disciplines. A high number of GCU courses benefit from accreditation from professional bodies including, for example, Chartered Banker Institute, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, CIBSE, National Council for the Training of Journalist, UK Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and the UK Health Professions Council (HPC).
• 55% of undergraduate programmes include work placement opportunities and 91% of graduates are in employment or further study six months after graduation.

Research standards

• GCU ranked first in Scotland and in the top 10 in the UK for its allied health research in the latest UK Research Assessment Exercise. More than 70% of staff submitted in the RAE were categorised as producing research that is internationally recognised.
• In the area of rehabilitative health sciences, GCU rated the top research unit in the UK.
• GCU ranked first in Scotland and in the UK top 20 for research in the built and natural environment.
• Research strengths in Health the Environment, Biology, Vision Sciences, Psychology, the Environment, Social Justice and Gender Equality, and in Government Budgeting.
• As a research centre of excellence in optometry, GCU has been awarded major research grants from industry leaders including Allergan, CIBA Vision and Pfizer.
• Two new institutes have been formed to develop cross-school research networks: the Institute for Applied Health Research and the Institute of Society and Social Justice. In July 2010 Nobel prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus opened the new Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health Applied research partnerships with industry, including Shell to undertake research on learning the workplace and a £5million international collaboration with FMC Technologies to deliver remote sensing solutions for safe energy production.
• RAE ranked the university’s research in rehabilitative health sciences top in the UK and its research in the built environment the best in Scotland in the top 20 in the UK.
• Research in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies achieved world class ratings, with Business and Management, Accounting and Finance ranked as internationally excellent. Research work in History contained high combinations of internationally recognised, excellent and world-leading assessments.

Academic strengths

• GCU has three Schools, representing its core strengths and areas of academic excellence - Engineering and Built Environment; Health and Life Sciences and the Glasgow School for Business and Society.
• One in five nurses and healthcare professionals educated in Scotland is educated at GCU.
• Home of the new Scottish Ambulance Academy, which offers clinical skills training and professional development for ambulance staff. It is the only education establishment in the UK to be formally endorsed by the College of Paramedics and certified by the Health Professions Council.
• GCU’s School of Engineering and Built Environment teaches more than 75% of Scotland’s part-time construction and property students, and is committed to delivering the most modern, innovative and exciting programmes in the built and natural environment.
• GCU is the only Scottish provider of Ophthalmic Dispensing and Optometry degrees. Students benefit from studying in a recognised centre of excellence in Vision Sciences, which has developed strong links with its related professions. Its partnership approach enables GCU to innovate in delivering for the NHS, including through the provision of eye clinics for the local community.
• Centre of Excellence for Securities and Investment within Glasgow School for Business and Society.
• 43% of undergraduate and 35% of postgraduate programmes are professionally connected through professional body accreditation and strong links within industry and the public sector. 

Student facilities, including library and computing

• Saltire Centre – a multi award-winning, modern learning environment that is the hub of campus. Home to the university library and student services mall.
• Easy access to 1,800 study places, 400 computers and 250 laptops to borrow and use anywhere.
• 24-hour computer lab, Fashion Factory, TV and radio studios, state-of-the-art eye clinic and accommodation equipped with latest instruments and technology used in eye and visual systems examinations, mock hospital ward.
• Scotland’s largest student refectory
• Arc health and fitness centre.
• Flexible space for group and individual work.
• Second Life and Blackboard virtual learning environments.
• Clinical simulation laboratory in the School of Health and Life Sciences

Disability service

• In January 2011, Glasgow Caledonian's Students' Association was named University Students' Union of the Year at the NUS Scotland Awards.
• The Students' Association is run by students for students.
• It provides a variety of services from advice and representation to entertainment, sports clubs and societies.

Sport

• Arc, the university's sport and recreation centre, provides students with access to the latest fitness equipment, classes and sports facilities.
• Students who want to train and compete at a high level in competitive sport whilst studying may apply for a place on the Sports Bursary programme. This is designed to help successful applicants combine their academic work with their chosen sport.

Recent/Prospective new builds

• In autumn 2007 the Students' Association moved into a new, purpose built building, providing a focus on campus for student representatives, welfare and social activities. In 2010 a games room, cafe and 24-hour computer lab was added to the building.

Availability of part-time work

• The Student Careers Service posts a huge range of vacancies, part-time jobs and voluntary opportunities.

Notable alumni

• Prof David Gartry graduated in 1978 with a first class BSc (Hons) in Optometry. In 1989 he was the first to perform laser eye surgery for short-sightedness in the UK.
• Lena Wilson is the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise. Lena graduated with a BA in Public Administration and Management degree. She was also awarded an honorary degree for her achievements in 2010.
• David Sibbald, OBE is a graduate and honorary graduate of Glasgow Caledonian University. David is the Executive Chairman of Sumerian which provides advanced analytics services, which he founded in 2002, and Executive Chairman of Aridhia Informatics, a health informatics company he co-founded in 2007. Prior to founding Sumerian and Aridhia, David was the Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Atlantech Technologies, a communications software company which he founded in 1992 and sold to Cisco systems in March 2000 for $180M. David is also a Vice-President of UK UNICEF, the United Nations children’s fund.  He was awarded the OBE in 2010 for services to charity.
• Prof Ian Deary gained an HNC in Medical Laboratory Sciences (Haematology and Blood Transfusion) in 1976. Following further studies Ian is now an is a Professor of Differential Psychology at the University of Edinburgh and is internationally renowned for his work on human cognitive ageing and cognitive abilities, and has been invited as a key note speaker in many countries.
• Prof Michael Keating was one of the first PhD graduates from one of Glasgow Caledonian University’s founding institutions (Glasgow College of Technology) in 1975 having gained his first degree from the University of Oxford. Michael has worked in many universities world wide and is currently in the School of Social Science at Aberdeen University.  He is an Economic & Social Research Council Professorial Fellow until 2013.
• Andrew McLaughlin is the Head of Communications and Group Chief Economist with the Royal Bank of Scotland. 
• Ian McLeod is the former Chief Executive of Celtic Football Club. He is a Business Studies graduate of Glasgow Caledonian and also attended Harvard Business School.
• Actor Gary Lewis who has appeared in Billy Elliot, My Name is Joe, Mo, True North, Ae Fond Kiss, and Gangs of New York.
• Rhona Martin MBE is a Scottish curler who has skipped the Scotland women's team at both the European and World Championships, but is most famous as the skip of the Great Britain team that claimed the gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games in 2002. Rhona has two degrees from GCU, most notably an honorary Doctor of the University in 2003 following on from her HND in Hotel Catering & Institutional Management which she achieved in 1988.
• Patrick Joseph "Packie" Bonner is the Irish former football goalkeeper for Celtic and the Republic of Ireland, who earned 80 caps after making his debut on his 21st birthday. He is remembered for his famous penalty save from Daniel Timofte of Romania at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy during the knockout stage.  Bonner has an HNC in Business Development for Footballers which he gained from GCU in 1994.
• Patrick Kevin Francis Michael "Pat" Nevin is a retired Scottish professional footballer. In a 20-year career, he played for Clyde, Chelsea, Everton, Tranmere Rovers, Kilmarnock and Motherwell as a winger.  Nevin also won 28 caps for Scotland, scattered across a 10 year international career, and he was selected for the UEFA Euro 1992 finals squad. Since retiring as a player, Nevin has worked as a chief executive of Motherwell and as a football writer and broadcaster.  Nevin is a former student of Glasgow College of Technology where he studied Commerce in the 1980s.
• Gordon Duffield Smith is a former professional football player who played for Rangers and Brighton & Hove Albion. After retiring as a player, he worked as a football agent and BBC football pundit before being appointed chief executive of the Scottish Football Association in 2007, a post he held until his resignation on 19 April 2010.  Smith is currently the director of football of Rangers FC.  Gordon graduated from Glasgow College of Technology in 1977 with a BA in Business Studies.
• Fraser Wishart is a Scottish former professional footballer, former Secretary of the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association, and current chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland. He is also a regular radio and television commentator, especially on Radio Clyde's Superscoreboard.  Wishart graduated from GCU in 1994 with an HNC in Business Development for Footballers.

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