University of the West of Scotland
The University of the West of Scotland, formerly the University of Paisley, is a public university with four campuses in south-western Scotland, in the towns of Paisley, Blantyre, Dumfries and Ayr, as well as a campus in London, England. The present institution dates from August 2007, following the merger of the University of Paisley with Bell College, Hamilton. It can trace its roots to the late 19th century, and has undergone numerous name changes and mergers over the last century, reflecting its gradual expansion throughout the west of Scotland region.
The university currently has students, with approximately 1300 staff, spread across four schools of learning. The Crichton Campus in Dumfries is maintained in partnership with a number of other institutions, including the University of Glasgow.
History
Origins of the University of Paisley
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 Scottish Enlightenment, had 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 became a Government School of Design in 1846, one of twenty similar institutions established in UK manufacturing centres from 1837 to 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, Duchess of Argyll laid the foundation stone of a grand new building for the college. The design was the winner of an architectural competition and partially funded by local industrialists.
By the start of the twentieth century, Paisley Technical College and School of Art, was a centre for teaching the University of London External Programme. Perhaps the most famous principal of the college was Lewis Fry Richardson, FRS principal from 1922 to 1940. A mathematician, physicist, meteorologist, psychologist and pacifist who pioneered modern mathematical techniques of weather forecasting, as well as the application of similar techniques to studying war. He also carried out ground breaking work on fractals.
Throughout the first half of the century the institution had a financial struggle. After the second world war Central Institution status provided a regular Government 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 alongside the Neo-Classical original building on the main 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 1992, the Paisley College of Technology was granted the title University of Paisley and was established as a university with a royal charter and degree awarding powers.
Merger with Craigie College of Education
The establishment of the University of Paisley prompted a merger with Craigie College of Education in Ayr in 1993, and led to the incorporation of nursing colleges in the town. The Ayr Campus was operated by the University of Paisley before the merger that established UWS. Set in of the old parkland of Craigie House bordering the River Ayr, the campus also houses the West of Scotland Management Centre, the business school's management training and development facility.University of the West of Scotland
On 1 August 2007, the University of Paisley merged with Bell College, Hamilton. On 30 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 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.Today the University of the West of Scotland has over 15,000 students and remains one of Scotland's largest 'new universities'.
The university reported a cyber incident that happened in July 2023 which affected its systems and staff data. It was reported that the attack affected staff laptops, half of the university's systems, and student submissions. The hacking group Rhysida put the stolen information which reportedly contained staff's personal details and internal university documents.
Campuses
Paisley
The Paisley campus of the University of the West of Scotland is situated in the centre of Paisley, Scotland's largest town. The campus is home to roughly 10,000 students of the universities enrolment, offering a range of courses and research opportunities in areas such as business, computing, social sciences, engineering, science and health, nursing and midwifery. Student accommodation at the Paisley campus is provided in a recently opened £13.2 million student residence development. The Paisley campus of the university spans and consists of four University of the West of Scotland academic schools.Ayr
In August 2011, a new campus for the university in Ayr opened on a riverside site adjacent to the previous campus. It is shared with the Scotland's Rural College. The campus was constructed at a cost of £81 million, and provides the Ayrshire region of Scotland with "one of the UK's most modern, environmentally friendly and sustainable higher education learning facilities". The design of the campus building was taken from inspiration of the surrounding land and environment in Ayr, with the university claiming that the campus provides students with a "stunning space for study".The Ayr campus has its own student accommodation facilities on site, with student accommodation buildings located roughly three minutes away from the main campus. The accommodation has the capacity to house up to 200 students.
Lanarkshire
The Hamilton campus was previously based at Almada Street, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire previously known Bell College of Technology, before its merger with the University of Paisley.Following extensive consultation with the local authority, stakeholders, students and staff about the future of the Hamilton campus, UWS announced plans to relocate to the new UWS Lanarkshire Campus at Hamilton International Technology Park, within the neighbouring town of Blantyre, off the A725 bypass road near to West Craigs. The Almada Street campus closed and the HITP campus opened in September 2018.
Dumfries
The university's Dumfries campus is a compact multi-institution facility located within the Crichton estate, a historic parkland estate from the centre of Dumfries. It was borne from the amalgamation with South West School of Nursing and Hamilton's Bell College and was Joined by Paisley University, the University of Glasgow and latterly by Dumfries College. The UWS campus has state-of-the-art learning facilities, experienced staff and currently operates within a building shared by Dumfries College. A range of flexible full and part-time study opportunities are offered. The university claims that students benefit from 'small class sizes, low staff: student ratios and a supportive and friendly study environment.'The Crichton University Campus in Dumfries is the result of a joint project between the University of the West of Scotland, the University of Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway College and the Open University. The campus mainly offers computing, social work and, since the merger with Bell College, Adult and Mental Health nursing courses. Established in 1999 to provide a hub for higher education in the south-west of Scotland, the Crichton Campus has helped the regeneration of the Dumfries and Galloway economy.
London
The London Campus is currently located in the East India Dock area of London Docklands. It was launched in March 2016 and provides UWS degree and postgraduate programmes to the international student population in London.Organisation
The University of the West of Scotland is organised into four schools:- School of Business and Creative Industries
- School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences
- School of Education and Social Sciences
- School of Health and Life Sciences
The university has also worked with NHS Ayrshire and Arran resulting in a partnership in 2012 in the renaming of Ayr Hospital to University Hospital Ayr and Crosshouse Hospital to University Hospital Crosshouse, a hospital which is based in nearby Kilmarnock. Its partnership with the Gaiety Theatre, Ayr has established Scotland's first 'Learning Theatre'.
Rankings and reputation
University of the West of Scotland has been named the top young higher education institution in Scotland in the prestigious THE World University Rankings 2020 league table. The university retains its place with in the 101–150 division of the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings.UWS is Scotland's leading university for widening access to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
UWS is also a sector leader in course articulation, and is committed to articulating over 1,200 students with advanced standing each year.
The university has the 4th highest level of student satisfaction in Scotland in the 2020 Complete University Guide
The university is ranked second in the United Kingdom for Education in the 2020 Complete University Guide.