University of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal charter in 1964 as the first technological university in the United Kingdom. Taking its name from the historic Kingdom of Strathclyde, its combined enrolment of 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students ranks it Scotland's third-largest university, drawn with its staff from over 100 countries.
The annual income of the institution for 2024-25 was £430.6 million of which £119.5 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £440.1 million.Financial Statement 2024/25"/>
History
The university was founded in 1796 through the will of John Anderson, professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Glasgow. He left the majority of his estate to create a second university in Glasgow which would focus on "Useful Learning" – specialising in practical subjects – "for the good of mankind and the improvement of science, a place of useful learning".Beginning as the Andersonian Institute, the school changed its name in 1828 to Anderson's University, partially fulfilling Anderson's vision of having a second university in the city of Glasgow. The name was changed in 1887, to reflect the lack of legal standing for the use of the title of 'university'. As a result, the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College was formed, becoming the Royal Technical College in 1912, and the Royal College of Science and Technology in 1956 concentrating on science and engineering teaching and research. Undergraduate students could qualify for degrees of the University of Glasgow or the equivalent Associate of the Royal College of Science and Technology.
Under Principal Samuel Curran, internationally respected nuclear physicist, the Royal College gained University Status, receiving its Royal Charter to become The University of Strathclyde in 1964, merging with the Scottish College of Commerce at the same time. Contrary to popular belief, The University of Strathclyde was not created as a result of the Robbins Report – the decision to grant the Royal College university status had been made in 1962 but delayed as a result of Robbins Report. The University of Strathclyde was the UK's first technological university, reflecting its history, teaching and research in technological education. Between the granting of the Charter and the late 1970s, the university expanded rapidly in size, in tandem with the ongoing regeneration of the Townhead area of the city where the campus is located. In 1993, the university incorporated Jordanhill College of Education.
The university grew from approximately 4,000 full-time students in 1964 to over 20,000 students by 2003, when it celebrated the 100th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the original Royal College building.
In recognition of its founder, and the loss of association with his name, the university named its city centre campus the John Anderson Campus in..
In July 2015, Her Majesty The Queen opened the University of Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre.
Campus
The John Anderson Campus is located mostly within the Townhead district, on the north-eastern side of Glasgow city centre, with some buildings located south of this in the Merchant City area. The campus grew initially from the Royal College Building on George Street, which was originally the location of the former Anderson's Institution. Work started in 1903 and completed in 1912, it was partially opened in 1910 and at the time was the largest educational building in Europe for technical education. Originally built as the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College Building, it now houses Bioscience, Chemistry, and Electronic and Electrical Engineering. In the mid-1950s, campus expansion began with the construction of the Engineering Block, Chemistry Block and Student's Union buildings. Following the granting of the Royal Charter and the Royal College gaining university status in 1964, the campus grew quickly in size. The Corporation of Glasgow had already rezoned what had been a densely populated residential and industrial area for educational use as part of the Townhead "Comprehensive Development Area" and by the time of the foundation of the university, slum clearances has already begun In the area. By 1974, thirteen new buildings were erected on what would grow to a site.The new Engineering Block, built in 1956 was the first major expansion of the Royal College, and was extended in 1963 in tandem with the construction of the new Chemistry Block. These buildings would be named the James Weir Building and Thomas Graham Building respectively. The former was refurbished and reopened in 2014 after a serious fire resulted in many rooms being unusable.
University of Strathclyde Students' Association was founded in 1964 out of the merger of the respective student unions of both the Royal College and the Scottish College of Commerce and was located at 90 John Street, which was constructed by the Royal College in 1959. It remained the home of the Association until August 2021, when it moved into new accommodation within the former Colville Building on Richmond Street. The original student union buildings on were left derelict until late November 2024, at which point it was announced that they were to be renovated into a Digital, Entrepreneurial and Social Engagement Hub. This is expected to be completed in 2026.
The Graham Hills Building was originally an office block known as 'Marland House', built by the General Post Office and completed in 1959 for the GPO's Telephones division and other governmental organisations but was acquired by the university in 1987 from British Telecom and converted for academic use in the early 1990s. It is now the location of the "Strathclyde Wonderwall", one of the biggest wall murals in the United Kingdom.
The early 1960s also saw the fruition of a collaborative deal between the then Royal College and the Corporation of Glasgow to regenerate the Richmond Street site opposite the main buildings. This led to the construction of the McCance Building and the Livingstone Tower between 1962 and 1964, the latter having originally been designed as a commercial office block, but was instead leased to the university in 1965, and has been used as an academic building ever since.
The Architecture Building, completed in 1967, was designed by Frank Fielden and Associates, Frank Fielden being the Professor of Architecture in the Architecture School at the time. In 2012, Historic Scotland granted Listed Building Status to it, along with the Wolfson Centre designed by Morris and Steedman Architects. 2012 also saw the 20th Century Society select the Architecture Building as their 'Building of the Month' for September due to its cultural significance and enduring appeal. Meanwhile, a new biomedical sciences building was opened in early 2010. It was designed by Sheppard Robson, and aims to bring the multi-faceted disciplines of the Institute together under one roof. Sited on Cathedral Street in Glasgow, the building is the gateway to the university campus and city centre from the motorway.
In 1973, the university reached an agreement with the publisher William Collins, Sons to purchase its former printing works along Cathedral Street and St James's Road. Three buildings from the site were ultimately retained – most notably the giant warehouse which became the Curran Building and Andersonian Library.
The University of Strathclyde Centre for Sports, Health and Wellbeing is a leisure facility undergoing construction situated adjacent to 100 Cathedral Street. Construction began in November 2016 and completed in 2019.
In 1993, the Jordanhill Teacher Training College was merged with the University of Strathclyde to produce the new Faculty of Education at a separate campus to the core university. This operated until 2012, at which point the university's Estates Steering Group and Court decided that Strathclyde should be consolidated to a single campus. The Faculty of Education was moved to a newly constructed building on the John Anderson campus in the summer of 2012.
Library and archives
The Andersonian Library is the principal library of the University of Strathclyde. Established in 1796, it is one of the largest of its type in Scotland. It is situated in the Curran Building, a former warehouse and printing works built by William Collins, Sons in 1960, but purchased by the university in the mid-1970s and converted for academic use between 1978 and 1981. Situated over 5 floors at present, the Andersonian Library has more than 2,000 reader places, 450 computer places and extensive wi-fi zones for laptop use. It has around one million print volumes as well as access to over 540,000 electronic books, 239 databases and over 38,000 e-journals that can be used 24/7 from any suitably enabled computer.The archives are divided into 3 as follows.
University Archives
The official records of the University of Strathclyde from 1796 to the present day. Includes the records of the university's predecessor institutions as well as the papers of many former staff and students and associated organisations.
Deposited Archives
A diverse range of archives which have been acquired by gift or deposit to support the university's teaching and research.
Special Collections
Rare or significant printed material and books, including the Anderson Collection, plus over 30 other collections spanning the 16th to the 21st centuries.
Technology and Innovation Centre
The University of Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre is a centre for technological research. The construction of this centre began in March 2012 and was completed in March 2015. The nine-storey, steel-framed building can accommodate around 1,200 workers from numerous fields, including engineering, researching and project management. It includes open plan space for offices, three lecture theatres and areas for specialist laboratory equipment.The project secured a £6.7 million funding from the European Regional Development Fund and another £26 million from the Scottish Government. The university itself supplied the other £57 million needed to reach its £89 million budget needed to create the centre.
In addition to the Technology and Innovation Centre, a Industry Engagement Building is located adjacent to the TIC building.
Research carried out in the Technology and Innovation Centre is in the fields of: Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing, Advanced Science and Technology, Bionanotechnology, Business Engagement, Continuous Manufacturing and Crystallisation, Energy, Health Technologies at Strathclyde, Human and Social Aspects of Technology, Photonics and Sensors, and Asset Management.
The TIC hosts the UK's first Fraunhofer research centre, the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics and TIC also plays a major role in Scotland's International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone.