Our decade of world-changing giving
By Sophie Lambert
In the last few issues of Avenue, we've been spotlighting some of the incredible work that has been advanced or made possible by gifts to UofG. The volume and variety of projects that have been supported by our donors is truly astounding – from sports to surgical breakthroughs, from scholarships to new structures transforming our campus. This year, we have been celebrating this world-changing decade of giving.
This year marks a milestone in the long and proud history of philanthropy at the University. Over the last ten years, our community has opened our doors to hundreds more students, advanced our research and inspired new ideas that will change lives on our doorstep and around the world.
The most visible progress of the last decade is undoubtedly the transformation of the Gilmorehill campus. Supported by donations from our community, the Western Site and University Avenue are now home to four new, state-of-the-art buildings. These buildings represent the most significant development of the University estate since the Gilbert Scott Building was erected and are a legacy that will last for generations to come.
From structures and scholarships ...
These striking new spaces include the Clarice Pears Building, home to the School of Health and Wellbeing, the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre, the James McCune Smith Learning Hub and the new Adam Smith Building. These new spaces provide cutting-edge facilities for research, teaching, learning and connecting with our wider community. These enable our staff and students to push boundaries and make new discoveries.
As well as providing improved facilities, over the last ten years, donations have supported more than 1,000 students on their University journeys. Scholarships have helped to make the dream of a Glasgow education a reality for many individuals and eased the burden of the cost of living. Our Sanctuary Scholarship programme has also supported those traveling to the UK for humanitarian reasons and offers the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
.. to student experience
Gifts to the University of Glasgow are also central to creating fulfilling and rewarding University experiences. Through the Chancellor’s Fund, donations support our sports teams, help to fund clubs and societies, preserve the University’s heritage and provide access to the latest technology.
During this year of celebration, we were also delighted to hold UofG’s very first Giving Day. This action-packed 36-hour event raised over £122,000, with 544 members of the University of Glasgow community making donations. This year Giving Day will be held across 3 and 4 October and will aim to raise even more for critical areas at the University.
Taking steps into the future
As well as reflecting on the work of the last ten years, we are also looking to the future. The ambition of the campus development has been a catalyst for conversations about the University’s value to the world. Through ideas, discoveries and new generations of innovative and inspired graduates that have been supported by our donor community, UofG will continue to make a world-changing impact. From research and sustainability to civic connections, scholarships and healthcare, we look forward to sharing more stories about the impact of giving to Glasgow in future issues.
We are very grateful to our donor community for their generosity and dedication to ensuring we remain a world-changing University. Find out more about making a gift to the University on our Support Us pages, or contact our legacy team to learn more about making a gift in your will.
This article was first published June 2024.
Discover more
Read more inspiring stories of the impact philanthropy has had on UofG here:
Image above: www.hawkaye.com.
L to R: The Adam Smith Business School, the Mazumdar-Shaw Advanced Research Centre and the Clarice Pears Building (home to our School of Health & Wellbeing) are at the heart of our Western Campus.