University for the
Common Good
Strategy 2020
Contents
04-05Foreword
06-07Our mission, our vision,
our values
Strategic goals
08-09Transforming lives
through education
10-11Enriching cities
and communities
through research
12-13Innovating for social
and economic impact
14-15Engaging globally
16-17Aligning for the
Common Good
18-19Measuring our impact
and strategic enablers
20-23
Delivering Strategy 2020
24-25
Powerful partnerships
26-27Working with
thought leaders
28-29Glasgow Caledonian
University Foundation
30-31
Engaging with GCU
Principles for Responsible
Management Education
Designed by: Print Design Services,
Glasgow Caledonian University.
Printed by: J. Thomson Colour Printers, Glasgow.
© Glasgow Caledonian University 2015.
02
03
Foreword
Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies CBE FRSE
BSc PGCE MEd MMedSci PhD FRSA FFPH FAcSS Hon FRCPS (Glasg)
The community of staff, lay governors
and students of Glasgow Caledonian
University have worked very closely
together to craft a future Strategy for
the institution.
This Strategy places active and
cooperative effort towards creating
a better and fairer world at its heart.
This means that as the University for
the Common Good we are ‘doers’,
harnessing all of the institution’s
intellectual, social and emotional
capital, and working collaboratively
with others to deliver social benefit.
It means we aim to do this in a way
that embraces, and goes beyond,
the traditional role of a university in
the creation, curation and transfer of
knowledge and problem-solving skills.
We aim to challenge conventional
thinking about how a university
should operate.
Our Caledonian Club already raises
the aspirations and life skills of pupils
from nursery, primary and secondary
schools and their parents, supported
by student mentors. Thousands of our
students volunteer each year and the
establishment by students of the GCU
Law Clinic, for individuals who do not
qualify for legal aid, is an example of
their commitment to social justice.
Our facilitation of the microlending
initiative Grameen in the UK is directly
tackling inequalities in Glasgow,
while our Chief Scientist
Office-funded research measures
the intervention’s impact on the
health of borrowers and their families.
The co-creation of a relevant
work-based degree in railway
operations management is enhancing
the skills and capabilities of a large,
local workforce in South Africa.
Our University community is rightly
proud of these achievements. I believe
that this ambitious and bold Strategy,
collectively agreed upon, will allow us
to exceed our expectations in our
ability to deliver academic excellence,
an outstanding student experience and
social benefit, as we work together
towards 2020.
Chancellor Professor Muhammad Yunus
On my engagements around the
world, I am always eager to highlight
my role as Chancellor of Glasgow
Caledonian University. This is because
GCU is a bold and creative institution
that exemplifies its mission to be the
University for the Common Good.
GCU is serving communities at its
home campus in Glasgow and others
around the world such as the Unilever
Global Development award-winning
Nursing College in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
04
It is producing graduates who are
embracing new ideas and new
technologies, so that they do not
think of themselves only as job
seekers, but as having the potential
to create jobs as well.
The basis for this is a student
experience at GCU that fosters
entrepreneurialism, responsible
leadership, and divergent thinking,
so students truly understand
their potential to not only be the
leaders of tomorrow, but leaders
today.
Since I became involved with the
University in 2008, I know from
experience that GCU lives up to its
founding motto and delivers on its
social mission to work for the
common good. I am proud to be its
Chancellor and proud to commend
to you this Strategy 2020, which I
believe will see the University flourish
in the future.
05
Strategy 2020
Our mission
Glasgow Caledonian University is the University for the Common Good.
Our University’s heritage dates back to 1875 through its founding
institutions and our coat of arms incorporates the motto For the Common
Weal. Established as a University in 1993, our commitment to the
common good underpins everything we do.
Our vision
By 2020, Glasgow Caledonian University will have a global reputation for
delivering social benefit and impact through education, research and
social innovation. We will be recognised as the University for the
Common Good that transforms lives, enriches cities and communities,
innovates for social and economic impact, engages globally and aligns
with others in partnership and collaboration to deliver our goals.
Our values
Our core values are shared by staff and students and they underpin what
we do and how we do it. They are the foundations upon which we build
collaborative relationships with like-minded partners to deliver our social
mission for the common good.
Our values are
Integrity
Creativity
Responsibility
Confidence
Our goals
Transforming lives through education
Enriching cities and communities through research
Innovating for social and economic impact
Engaging globally
Aligning for the Common Good
Our graduates, pictured on the roof terrace of GCU London, benefit from an outstanding student experience underpinned by our mission, our vision and our values.
06
07
Goal One
Transforming lives
through education
We will deliver excellence in learning and an outstanding student
experience which equips students with the employability and
entrepreneurial skills to succeed as global citizens, and enables them
to make a positive impact within their communities, transforming their
lives and the lives of others.
To achieve this we will:
• Deepen
our commitment to widening access
and articulation, raising aspirations and
creating flexible learning pathways in
partnership with schools and colleges
through programmes such as College
Connect, and demonstrating the impact of
initiatives including the Advanced Higher Hub.
•D
eliver a distinctive approach to learning and
teaching that supports the development of
social entrepreneurialism, responsible
leadership, curiosity and divergent thinking,
and creates distinctive global graduates who
can address real-world issues and put their
ideas into action.
•O
ffer high-quality programmes based on our
academic strengths, informed by research
and practically applied to meet the needs of
students, employers, professional bodies
and wider society.
•G
row our postgraduate provision to deliver
innovative advanced education offerings
and accessible continuing professional
development and work-based education.
•E
nhance the personal, professional and
employability skills of our students by
expanding opportunities for work placements
and internships, research, enterprise and
innovation projects, volunteering and
mentoring, and international study and
cultural experiences through our international
campuses and global networks.
•D
evelop our digital education environment
and expand the use of learning technologies
to enhance the student experience,
support high-level digital literacy, scale up
our online and distance learning offerings,
and increase the connectivity of our campuses
and communities.
Photographs
Main: Students benefit from the expertise of our academic staff and
links with industry professionals, such as former Disney animator
Fraser Maclean.
Bottom Left: GCU is Scotland’s only Ashoka U Changemaker
Campus, which recognises our commitment to social innovation
through education.
Bottom Right: GCU’s partnership with the Transnet Foundation
provides unique student volunteering opportunities in South Africa
on the Phelophepa Train of Hope.
08
09
Goal Two
Enriching cities
and communities
through research
We will build on our key areas of research strength in inclusive societies,
healthy lives and sustainable environments, applying our research and
knowledge to address societal challenges and enrich cities and communities.
To achieve this we will:
• F ocus on building our research excellence
under the broad interdisciplinary themes
of inclusive societies, healthy lives and
sustainable environments to enhance
the impact of our research outputs.
•P
romote a holistic approach that is based
on multidisciplinarity and collaboration with
strategic national and international partners
in the private, public and voluntary sectors.
•E
nhance our research culture, building
capacity and capability and supporting
early-career researchers to achieve the
highest standards of research excellence.
•S
trengthen our research-teaching nexus to
foster innovation and equip our graduates
with the skills to deal with complex global
challenges.
• Increase the number of postgraduate research
students while continuing to enhance the
student experience and promote successful
student outcomes.
•D
evelop our research infrastructure and
expand our use of technologies to collaborate
with partners, and users and beneficiaries of
our research.
Photographs
Main: GCU, the top modern university in Scotland by research power,
is working on award-winning projects customising 3D-printed orthoses
for people with foot and ankle problems.
Top: Experts work with companies including Doble Engineering and
EDF Energy to ensure safe and reliable electrical power supply through
condition-monitoring instrumentation.
Centre: GCU is ranked in the top 20 in the UK for world-leading and
internationally excellent health research, recognising collaborative and
interdisciplinary activity that is helping people live healthier lives for longer.
Bottom: GCU’s research into poverty in Scotland has ranked the University
in the top 10 in the UK for social work and social policy research impact at
world-leading levels.
10
11
Goal Three
Innovating for social
and economic impact
We will provide solutions to real-world problems through applied
research and development, working in partnership with business,
the public and voluntary sectors.
To achieve this we will:
•B
uild on our reputation as an accessible
partner with a commitment to responsible
business and social benefit to engage with
business, the public and voluntary sectors,
and respond to their needs for relevant
applied research, knowledge exchange and
consultancy in a changing global economy.
•E
xpand our successful model of co-creation
of programmes with business for capacity
enhancement, to deliver high-quality,
flexible and accessible education for
employees in partnership with leading local
and global companies in Scotland, London,
New York and key international markets.
•S
upport the creation of an entrepreneurial
environment and mindset in our staff and
students, which encourages collaborative
approaches and a culture of social enterprise
and innovation.
• L everage our relationships with business,
industry and the professions to enhance the
employability of our students through the
co-creation and co-teaching of curricula and
increased work placements and internships.
•E
xplore opportunities for pioneering digital
developments to generate and share
our research, knowledge and expertise,
fostering social business and promoting
social innovation through new platforms
which are accessible on a global scale.
Photographs
Main: GCU and Scottish Canals are working in partnership to increase
tourism on the canals and build on the success of the Helix project,
of which the pictured Kelpies are a part.
Bottom Left: In partnership with African Leadership Unleashed,
GCU is launching the African Leadership College of Higher Education,
a world-class tertiary institution which will offer affordable programmes
to develop the future leaders of Africa, building on the achievements of
the African Leadership Academy, pictured.
Bottom Right: The Scottish Ambulance Service at GCU trains 300
ambulance technicians and paramedics every year to deliver the
highest standards of patient care.
12
13
Goal Four
Engaging globally
As a globally networked University, we will harness our campuses
in Glasgow, London and New York and our educational offerings
in Oman, Bangladesh and Africa to extend our global reach and
impact, engaging in new ways with learners, partners and communities
at home and overseas.
To achieve this we will:
•B
uild on the success of our global hub model
to establish a stronger international presence,
extending our international reach and impact
in education and research.
•E
nhance our commitment to educational
development in emerging economies,
working with partners who share our mission
and values.
•G
row the international community of students
and staff at our Glasgow, London and New
York campuses, promoting cultural diversity
and access through our summer school,
an expanded range of scholarships and
articulation agreements with college partners.
•D
evelop and deepen our European and
international alliances in research and
business development to create innovative
opportunities to deliver social and economic
impact in Scotland and around the world.
•D
eliver a globally relevant curriculum and
student experience, harnessing our global
networks to increase international exchanges
and study and cultural trips and equipping
our graduates with international perspectives
to enable them to succeed in local and
global contexts.
Photographs
Main: The award-winning Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing,
co-founded by GCU as a social business, is helping to raise healthcare
education provision in Bangladesh to an international standard.
Bottom Left: GCU New York is home to the innovative Fair Fashion Center.
Centre: The enduring partnership between GCU and Caledonian College
of Engineering was celebrated when Professor Gillies joined more than
400 students and academic staff in Oman for its 20th graduation
ceremony in 2014.
Bottom Right: GCU London, also home to the British School of Fashion,
offers programmes which are underpinned by strong industry and global
professional connections.
14
15
To achieve this we will:
•R
aise aspirations and widen access to our
University by, for example, embedding our
successful Caledonian Club across our
campuses in Glasgow, London and New York,
working with children and families to unlock
talent and fulfil potential.
•E
nhance capability and capacity through,
for example, our partnership with the
Institution of Railway Operators and the
University of Johannesburg to expand our
successful BSc in Railway Operations
Management to Transnet, South Africa’s
largest freight-rail company. In Glasgow
and at GCU London, GCU delivers bespoke
programmes to energy leader SSE to
develop new recruits.
• Reduce inequalities and promote social
justice through, for example, the Grameen
in the UK initiative based at the University,
which brings the Grameen approach to
micro-credit to Glasgow to help local people,
establish social businesses, create jobs and
alleviate inequality, poverty and welfare
dependency. Internationally, the Grameen
Caledonian College of Nursing helps to raise
healthcare education standards in Bangladesh
and provides educational and career
opportunities for young women.
Goal Five
Aligning for the Common Good
We will develop and deepen our strategic relationships with local and global thought leaders,
aligning with others to champion social justice and promote our For the Common Good mission
to deliver social benefit and impact.
16
Photographs
Main: GCU’s Centre for Climate Justice plays a key role in the Scottish Government-led Scotland
Lights Up Malawi campaign by measuring the project’s impact on communities in the country.
Top: The Caledonian Club has worked with 11,500 children aged from 3-18 and 3000 families
since 2008.
Centre: More than 600 people have enrolled on the Railway Operations Management programmes
offered to Transnet Freight Rail employees in South Africa.
•C
ontribute to regeneration and growth,
enhancing the University’s social and
economic impact in the communities we
serve in the city of Glasgow and beyond.
GCU is engaging with Glasgow City Council
in support of regeneration of Glasgow.
The University contributes nearly
£500million to the city’s economy each
year and supports 6000 jobs. In Africa,
working in partnership with the Scottish
Government and other agencies, we offer
families in Malawi the opportunity to replace
dangerous oil lamps with eco-friendly,
cheaper solar alternatives as part of the
Scotland Lights Up Malawi campaign.
Bottom: GCU supports Grameen in the UK, a microfinance lending system created by Professor
Yunus and in use across the globe. In its first year, Grameen in the UK issued more than 100 loans
to support aspiring entrepreneurs in the west of Scotland.
17
2020 Strategic indicators
•M
aintain a leading position for
widening access
al & glo
£880 million
12,400 jobs
N
o
1
bal
Scotland
in Scotland for a
modern university
EcoCampus
Platinum
for every £1
95%
graduates
university
in work or
further study*
Measuring our impact
The University has developed a set of 2020 Strategic Indicators which set ambitious outcomes
for measuring progress against our 2020 goals, which have been approved by the University
Court. These are complemented by a clear focus on enhancing our social and economic impact
as the University for the Common Good through a range of mechanisms from student enterprise
and volunteering to our innovative outreach and environmental initiatives. Our pursuit of
Common Good goals and economic regeneration and growth are not mutually exclusive.
18
• Diversify our student population
from funding bodies
widening
access
partnership working
Scotland’s first
14.75
•E
nhance staff engagement and grow the
proportion of our academic staff holding
doctoral and postgraduate qualifications
• Ensure sustainability
Strategic enablers
Leader in
impact
through
for
research
power
£
from ELIR
Loc
to UK economy
every year
•E
nsure positive outcomes for our students
and graduates
Our people
*Within six months of graduation. BIGGAR Economics 2013/14, DHLE 2013/14, HESA 2012/13
£1 billion
Highest
outcome
• Achieve excellent student satisfaction
• Increase the proportion of our research rated
as world class or internationally excellent in
key areas of strength
We will promote equality and value diversity
in attracting, retaining and developing talented
staff; and we will encourage transparency,
accountability and agility in our processes and
decision making to support effective leadership
which is underpinned by the highest standards
of governance.
Students as partners
We will work with our students and the GCU
Students’ Association as responsible partners
in learning, responding to their feedback to
enhance the student experience and increase
opportunities and choices for students.
Aligning with others through
partnership and collaboration
We believe that we can best lead and deliver
our distinctive impact for the common good
by aligning with national and international
higher and further education institutions,
the professions, our partners in business,
the public and voluntary sectors, and our
alumni, supporters and friends.
Philanthropy
We recognise philanthropic and charitable
giving as key enablers for change, and we
will work with philanthropists and donors to
promote access to education and the practical
application of research, knowledge and
innovation to deliver social benefit and impact.
Digital development
We understand the vital role of technology in
connecting our campuses and communities,
and we will invest to improve our digital
infrastructure and our digital environment to
support excellence and engagement in learning
and research, and enable collaborative working.
Campus development
Underpinned by a commitment to
environmental sustainability, we will deliver
our Heart of the Campus development to
transform our Glasgow campus and continue
to provide the highest-quality learning
environments for our students and partners
in London and New York.
Sustainability
Building on our record of strong financial
management, we will ensure our long-term
financial sustainability by growing and
diversifying our income base. We will also
continue to build upon our credentials and
awards for the environmental sustainability of
our campus, which is the first in Scotland to
achieve EcoCampus Platinum status.
19
Our Campuses
Glasgow
The modern city-centre campus provides an
excellent learning environment for more than
20,000 students from Scotland and around
the world. A £30million development project
will transform the city campus to offer an
outstanding learning environment for our
students, researchers and partners from
business and the local community.
GCU London
GCU London provides access to high-quality
study programmes in the heart of the UK
capital and offers a diverse and enriching
student experience underpinned by a vibrant
international, intellectual and cultural life on
the doorstep of the campus. Also home to
the British School of Fashion, GCU London
programmes are underpinned by strong
industry and professional connections.
GCU New York
GCU is the first UK university to launch
a campus in New York. Modelled on the
successful GCU London campus, the Wooster
Street campus, in the city’s SoHo district,
has adopted a pioneering approach to advanced
education, evolving business-relevant content
and new teaching methods to complement
the digital age.
GCU is in the heart of three great cities: Glasgow, London and New York.
Delivering Strategy 2020
Our staff, students and partners are central to the delivery of Strategy 2020. The Strategy is
underpinned by a set of cross-cutting 2020 strategies in learning, research and enterprise,
and development of our people and digital capabilities, supported by an integrated approach
to strategic and financial planning and risk management.
20
21
Delivering Strategy 2020
Our Academic Schools
and Research Centres
Our Academic Schools, staff and students
drive the delivery of our academic goals
• The Glasgow School for Business and Society
• The School of Health and Life Sciences
•T
he School of Engineering and the
Built Environment
• GCU London
Supported by:
• The School for Work Based Education
• The British School of Fashion
Our Research Centres drive forward
and support innovation
• Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health
• Centre for Climate Justice
• Centre For Living
Photographs
Our Core Partners
Oman
GCU has been working with the
award-winning Caledonian College of
Engineering since 1996 and offers its largest
programme of transnational education there
to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Bangladesh
The award-winning Grameen Caledonian
College of Nursing (GCCN) is a visionary
partnership between GCU and the Grameen
Healthcare Trust. Established as a social
business in 2010, GCCN is raising healthcare
education provision to an international
standard and transforming the lives of young
women across Bangladesh and the health
and wellbeing of the population they serve.
GCCN was recognised with a Unilever
Global Development Award, supported by
Business Fights Poverty.
Africa
GCU’s collaboration with Transnet Freight
Rail and the University of Johannesburg to
deliver its BSc Railway Operations Management
celebrated its first graduations in October 2014.
The partnership was showcased at the South
Africa UK Bilateral Forum as an “excellent
example of partnership” between the nations.
Also, an exciting new partnership between
GCU and the African Leadership Academy
will see the launch of a joint initiative in
transnational education – the African
Leadership College of Higher Education,
a world-class tertiary institution which will
offer affordable programmes to develop the
future leaders of Africa.
Main: Led by Professor Tahseen Jafry, pictured in Malawi, GCU’s Centre
for Climate Justice places social and environmental justice at the heart
of research, education and advocacy in the field of climate change.
The Centre is working among the poorest and most vulnerable groups
in Malawi, Zambia and Asia.
Bottom Left: The Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health,
established in the name of Chancellor Professor Yunus and Chaired
by Professor Cam Donaldson, is undertaking pioneering research to
help transform disadvantaged communities.
Bottom Right: GCU’s Centre for Living brings together world-leading
researchers in the areas of public health and long-term conditions,
advanced learning and teaching programmes, and the provision of
specialised social health care through community partnerships.
22
23
As a signatory to PRME, the United Nations
agreement on the Principles for Responsible
Business Management Education, GCU is a
member of its select PRME Champions group,
an international consortium working to drive
forward responsible management and
leadership education. In addition, GCU is
the first Scottish university to become a
signatory of the UN Global Compact,
the world’s largest voluntary corporate
responsibility initiative.
As the University for the Common Good,
we are proud of our pioneering work in social
innovation, which is reflected in social business
initiatives such as the Grameen Caledonian
College of Nursing in Bangladesh, winner of the
Unilever Global Development Award supported
by Business Fights Poverty. There was further
recognition when GCU was awarded Ashoka U
Changemaker Campus status in 2015 and
became a member of a dynamic global network
of universities and colleges including Brown,
Cornell, Duke and Johns Hopkins in the US.
GCU is also supporting the Glasgow Declaration
on Viral Hepatitis, launched by the World
Health Organization (WHO), World Hepatitis
Alliance and Scottish Government to set global
2030 targets to eliminate the world's seventh
biggest killer.
GCU launched its pioneering Fair Fashion
Center at GCU New York which, by working
in partnership with the Sustainable Apparel
Coalition and engaging with industry leaders
in New York and beyond, is examining the
business case for sustainability in the fashion
industry. The Fair Finance Center at GCU New
York, in collaboration with Babson College,
is exploring sustainability in the financial sector.
These join the University’s acclaimed research
centres, including the Yunus Centre for Social
Business and Health, which examines the
relationship between social business and health
improvement, and the Centre for Climate
Justice in association with the Mary Robinson
Foundation, supporting climate justice for the
world's most vulnerable communities.
Through our partnership with the charity
Playlist for Life, founded by Dr Sally Magnusson,
Honorary President of the University’s Magnus
Magnusson Fellowship, GCU is helping to
enhance the lives of people with dementia
and their carers.
Our partnership network continues to be
developed in a way that delivers unique and
invaluable opportunities for our students.
Exciting exchange programmes have been
created in partnership with the Grameen
Caledonian College of Nursing in Dhaka,
and opportunities are available through our
Ashoka U networks. Our enduring partnership
with South Africa’s Transnet has been extended
to the Transnet Foundation, which enables
GCU students to volunteer on board the
Phelophepa Trains of Hope, travelling the
country taking healthcare services to rural
and vulnerable communities.
Powerful partnerships
GCU collaborates with influential partners and is a member of prestigious international networks
in support of its commitment to deliver an outstanding student experience, world leading
research and innovation that delivers social benefit to communities at home and overseas.
24
25
Professor Muhammad Yunus
GCU’s Chancellor since 2012, Professor
Muhammad Yunus is one of the world’s most
decorated citizens for his pioneering work
to alleviate global poverty. His microfinance
lending system, which was created in
Bangladesh, is in use around the world,
providing credit to millions of people and
promoting social entrepreneurialism. One of
only seven people to have won the Nobel Peace
Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and
the Congressional Gold Medal, Professor Yunus
has worked with GCU since 2008, when he
gave the inaugural Magnusson Lecture and was
awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters. Our
collaboration inspired in 2010 the foundation of
the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing in
Dhaka. In the same year, GCU established the
Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health.
Dr Mary Robinson
GCU’s Centre for Climate Justice works with the
Mary Robinson Foundation − Climate Justice,
established by Dr Robinson, former President
of Ireland and former United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights. An honorary
graduate of GCU, Dr Robinson delivered the
annual Magnusson Lecture in 2011. She is one
of The Elders, founded by Nelson Mandela in
2007 to work for peace and human rights.
Dr Mary Robinson
Dr Kofi Annan
Dr Graça Machel
Fred Swaniker
Dr Kerry Kennedy
Dr Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Working with thought leaders
GCU’s defining commitment to deliver for the common good has engaged global thought leaders
and influencers who share our vision and sense of purpose.
26
Dr Kofi Annan
Nobel Laureate Dr Annan served as the seventh
Secretary-General of the United Nations and
is the current Chair of The Elders. In 2007,
he established the Kofi Annan Foundation
to work towards a fairer, more secure world.
In 2011, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate
of Laws from GCU for his work to address
issues such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic, poverty,
conflict and human rights. It was the first time
Dr Annan had accepted an honorary award
from a Scottish university and only the second
time he has accepted one from a UK university.
Dr Graça Machel
A former freedom fighter and global
humanitarian, Dr Machel served as
Mozambique’s first Minister of Education and
Culture from 1975 to 1989. She is the inaugural
Global Ambassador of the African Leadership
College of Higher Education, of which GCU is
the founding academic partner. Dr Machel is a
founding member of The Elders, the recipient
of numerous international awards and honorary
doctorates, and in 1997 was made an honorary
British Dame. Dr Machel was First Lady of
Mozambique from 1975 to 1986 until the death
of President Samora Machel, and First Lady of
South Africa from 1998 to 1999, when Nelson
Mandela retired as President.
Fred Swaniker
Fred Swaniker is the chairman and founder of
the African Leadership Group, which includes
African Leadership Unleashed, the African
Leadership Academy and, in partnership with
GCU, the African Leadership College of Higher
Education, which aims to develop the next
generation of transformative leaders for Africa.
Mr Swaniker is considered as one of the world’s
leading emerging social entrepreneurs, his work
has been praised by President Barack Obama
and he has been recognised as a Young Global
Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Dr Kerry Kennedy
As President of Robert F. Kennedy Human
Rights, GCU honorary graduate Dr Kennedy
seeks to realise her late father’s dream of
a peaceful and just world by creating
lasting change through litigation, advocacy,
education and training, and sustainable
investment. She is committed to promoting
human rights with a particular focus on women
and children. Her work exposes injustice and
educates audiences about sexual slavery,
domestic violence, workplace discrimination,
sexual assault, abuse of prisoners and more.
Dr Kennedy has worked in over 60 countries
and led hundreds of human rights delegations.
Dr Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
Dr Finnbogadóttir, former President of Iceland
and the world’s first democratically elected
female president, is a GCU Magnusson
Fellow and honorary graduate. She attended
the 2014 Magnusson Fellowship event in
Reykjavik to collaborate with the University
on both applied research and social innovation
activity, consistent with GCU’s social mission.
Dr Finnbogadóttir remains the longest serving,
elected female head of state of any country,
from 1980 to 1996.
27
Our tradition of widening access to talented
individuals regardless of their backgrounds
has inspired the long-term support of Sir Alex
Ferguson CBE, an honorary graduate of GCU
and the founding donor to the Glasgow
Caledonian University Foundation.
The £500,000 Sir Alex Ferguson Scholarship
and Awards Fund will support 200 students
over the next 10 years through widening access
scholarships for selected undergraduates who
join GCU via our flagship outreach programme,
the Caledonian Club. The Fund will also provide
mobility scholarships to enable the students to
participate in study-enhancing opportunities in
the UK and internationally.
The Caledonian Club, which is engaging with
young people and their families in Glasgow,
London and soon New York, continues to inspire
our donors. Since 2008, more than £1million
has been contributed in support of its work
to raise educational aspiration.
The Glasgow Caledonian University Foundation
works with a range of generous donors,
facilitating such initiatives as the Magnus
Magnusson Awards, established in honour
of our late Chancellor, Magnus Magnusson
KBE. These awards support and nurture the
ambitions and dreams of students to undertake
life-changing community projects at home
and overseas. Each initiative demonstrates the
compassion and commitment of our students
and delivers genuine social benefit.
The Glasgow Caledonian
University Foundation
Through the Glasgow Caledonian University Foundation we are committed to creating
life-enhancing opportunities for our students that will, in turn, generate positive impact for
their communities and others.
28
Photographs
Main: Sir Alex Ferguson CBE
engaged with students and staff
on GCU's Glasgow campus after
helping to launch the Glasgow
Caledonian University Foundation.
Top: Professor Eva and
Dr Yoel Haller.
Bottom: Dr Don McCarthy.
Recipients have been involved in innovative
and diverse projects such as the development
of a child-friendly plaster cast that can be
removed without the use of a saw; the delivery
of healthcare to Ghana and Cambodia; and the
creation of a support network for women.
Thanks to contributions from alumni, friends
and organisations, more than £272,000 has
been raised for the Magnusson Awards Fund,
and scholarships are given to students and early
career researchers each year. Our late
Chancellor also inspired the founding of the
Magnus Magnusson Fellowship, a group of
influential global figures who convene annually
to debate issues of major concern to society.
The inaugural Magnusson Fellowship Lecture
was delivered by Professor Yunus in 2008,
and Fellows include Professor Eva Haller,
a leading human rights activist committed to
the welfare of children. She and her husband
Dr Yoel Haller were each awarded an Honorary
Degree of Doctor of Letters in recognition of
their outstanding contributions to social
activism and philanthropy. Professor Haller
and Dr Haller have spent time at GCU’s
Glasgow, London and New York campuses,
and Professor Haller delivered the 2013
Magnusson Fellowship Lecture.
GCU’s MA TV Fiction
Writing programme,
which is the only
dedicated full-time
postgraduate programme
of its type in the UK,
was established with
the help of Shed Media
co-founder Eileen Gallagher OBE (pictured)
and the production company’s former Creative
Director Ann McManus. Since 2009, they have
personally supported annual scholarships
and students benefit from their experience in
writing and producing TV shows such as Bad
Girls, Waterloo Road and Footballers’ Wives.
The programme also benefited from the support
of Shed Media.
The University is grateful for the support of
Dr Don McCarthy, who has been recognised
for his achievements and philanthropy by
organisations including the retailTRUST,
who presented him with the prestigious
retailLEGEND award.
The former House of Fraser Chairman is the
founding donor of the GCU British School of
Fashion, the innovative academic hub at GCU
London. Dr McCarthy continues to support the
British School of Fashion and its students.
From 1998, the Moffat Charitable Trust
generously donated £1.6m, supporting more
than 160 students through one of the largest
tourism scholarship programmes in Europe and
establishing GCU’s Moffat Centre for Travel and
Tourism Business Development.
29
Engaging with GCU
Our growing network of inspirational leaders in business, industry, the third sector and the arts
supports the delivery of an enriched student experience that embraces real-world learning,
creativity and social justice. Here are just some of the exceptional colleagues who support us.
30
Dr Sally Magnusson
Broadcaster and author
Honorary President of the
University's Magnus Magnusson
Fellowship and honorary graduate Dr
Magnusson is founder
of the Playlist for Life charity,
which, in collaboration with the
University, is enhancing the lives of people with dementia
through research and a music-based intervention. She is the
daughter of the University's late Chancellor Magnus
Magnusson KBE.
Honorary Professor
Caroline Rush CBE
Chief Executive of the British
Fashion Council
Professor Rush delivered her inaugural
professorial lecture at GCU’s British
School of Fashion, focusing on the
development of fashion over the past
20 years and predicting aspects of its continuing evolution
over the next decade. Her influence is truly global and has
significantly enhanced the prospects of young professionals
as they enter the industry. Professor Rush has led the British
Fashion Council since 2009.
Visiting Professor
Richard Lemarchand
Renowned games designer
Professor Lemarchand has hosted
Masterclasses for the University’s
game design students. He helped drive
the concept for all three Uncharted
character-action games, the
blockbuster series which sold millions of copies around the
world, and won more than 200 industry and entertainment
awards. An honorary graduate of GCU, Professor
Lemarchand is currently an Associate Professor of the School
of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
Honorary Professor Mal Young
TV producer and writer
Through his engagement with GCU’s
MA TV Fiction Writing students,
Professor Young provides unique
insights into the highly competitive
industry. During his seven-year tenure
as BBC Head of Continuing Drama,
Professor Young championed the return of the iconic
Dr Who series and is now leading television projects in
the US, Canada and in the UK. He has most recently
launched his own international production company,
Dynamo Entertainment.
Honorary Professor Denise Restauri
Author and CEO of GirlQuake
Professor Restauri has hosted
Masterclasses at GCU New York
and Glasgow. She is the Executive
Producer of the inaugural Forbes
Women’s Summit, which took
place in New York City in 2013, and
serves on the boards of a number of influential female-led
organisations. Throughout her career, Professor Restauri has
been committed to amplifying the voices of girls and women
by providing platforms to share their stories, define the
notion of power and create a global force for positive change.
Dr Manuel Carballo
Executive Director of the
International Centre for Migration,
Health and Development
Dr Carballo, an epidemiologist based in
Geneva, has hosted lectures at GCU,
including at the University’s Annual
Research Day. He was awarded an
Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science in recognition of his
outstanding contribution to academic research, public health
and international development throughout the world. He also
led the development and adoption of the WHO-UNICEF
International Code on Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.
Dr Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow OBE
Founder and CEO of Mary’s Meals
Honorary graduate Magnus
MacFarlane-Barrow’s
Scottish-based charity Mary’s Meals,
which began feeding 200 children in
Malawi in 2002, now provides more
than one million of the world’s poorest
children with a nutritious meal every day they attend school.
He engages with GCU on a number of levels, and believes
students should “use the gift of education to do good in
the world and make this world better”.
Dr Blythe Duff
Actor
In her role as a Cultural Fellow,
Dr Duff works with GCU’s MA TV
Fiction Writing programme to deliver
workshops to students, offering them
advice on scriptwriting from an actor’s
perspective. She has performed
extensively in the UK and internationally. For 21 years Dr Duff
played Detective Inspector Jackie Reid in STV/ITV’s drama
series Taggart. In June 2011, she was awarded an honorary
degree for her outstanding contribution to performing arts.
Dr Anne Donovan
Author
An award-winning fiction writer,
Cultural Fellow Dr Donovan contributes
to the work of the University’s
Caledonian Club through workshops on
campus. She was awarded an Honorary
Degree of Doctor of Letters by the
University in 2011 in recognition of the outstanding
contribution she has made to the arts. A former English
teacher, Anne made the transition to full-time writing
following the success of her first novel, Buddha Da.
John Browne
Renowned composer
Cultural Fellow John brings with him a
wealth of experience uniting education
with the transformative power of
music. John has hosted a ‘Common
Good’ event at GCU London, which
included a series of practical activities
to explore themes such as teamwork, collaboration and
storytelling. He has composed choral works for Westminster
Abbey, a hip-hop opera for the Royal Opera House, and
choral arrangements for the band Elbow.
Honorary Professor Dan Bena
Head of Sustainable Development
and Operations Outreach agenda
for PepsiCo Global Operations
Professor Bena has participated in the
Fashion Sharing Progress Town Hall
series at GCU New York, discussing
water efficiency in the fashion industry.
In 2015, he was elected to the Board of the US Water
Alliance and the Creative Visions Foundation, a non-profit
organisation dedicated to using the media and the arts to
develop agents of positive change.
Honorary Professor
Gary Gillespie
Scottish Government's Chief
Economic Adviser
Professor Gillespie acts as
an important link between Glasgow
School for Business and Society
and the policy-making community,
helping support, strengthen and consolidate the
School's applied research interests, as well as delivering
state-of-the-economy lectures and Masterclasses to
University staff and students.
Dr David Hayman
Actor and humanitarian
Honorary graduate Dr Hayman is
founder of Spirit Aid, a charity that
helps people in Afghanistan, Malawi,
Sri Lanka and also Scotland. He has
delivered guest lectures at GCU,
including an address in memory of
Scottish trade unionist Bill Speirs. He also took the lead role
in the play Six and Tanner, which was performed at GCU,
and has been awarded an Institute of Contemporary
Scotland Gold Medal for Services to Humanity.
Dr Mark Millar MBE
Comic book writer and film producer
The creator of global hit comic
and movie Kick-Ass, GCU honorary
graduate Dr Millar shares his insights
and creativity with students and
staff alike through Masterclasses and
further engagement. Dr Millar is
CEO of television and film company Millarworld
Productions and serves as an advisor on film to the
Scottish Government. He was awarded an MBE for
services to film and literature.
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www.gcu.ac.uk
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Glasgow Caledonian University is a registered Scottish charity, number SCO21474. Glasgow Caledonian University Foundation is the operating name for the charitable fundraising activities of Glasgow Caledonian University.