Glasgow Caledonian University

Glasgow Polytechnic

The Queen's College, Glasgow

On 1 April 1993Glasgow Caledonian University was formed from the merger of The Queen's College and Glasgow Polytechnic. The University was established by the Secretary of State by the Glasgow Caledonian University (Establishment) (Scotland) Order of 1993 and was to be eligible for funding from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. A closure order shut down Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College and their property rights and obligations were transferred to the new University's Court, which replaced the governing bodies. In 1998 the University had over 14000 students engaged in undergraduate degree programmes, masters programmes and research for PhD's. In this year there were 400 international students from over 70 countries.

Initially the University possessed 3 campuses - that of the former Polytechnic which was named City Campus, that of the former Queen's College named Park Campus and the buildings leased by Queen's College adjacent to Jordanhill College of Education named Southbrae Campus (this closed in 1998). The University's main offices are at City Campus.

The aim of the new University was to offer non-elitist, high quality education and training to a wide and diverse range of students. It sought to collaborate with commercial and industrial organisations and other providers of education. The University established a 3 faculty structure - Health; Business and Administration; Science and Technology. A Continuing Education Department which had been formed under Glasgow Polytechnic continued under the new University, which aimed at encouraging the admission of non-standard students such as mature students. Associated agreements were drawn up with local further education colleges such as Stow College and the Glasgow College of Building and Printing and the Glasgow College of Food Technology. To extend their work internationally agreements were made with some foreign governments (for example- in USA and South Africa) to allow their nationals to come to the University and enter courses in areas of national importance.

In 1996 the University conferred an honorary degree on Nelson Mandela.

GB 1847 GCU

List of sources for the administrative information:

Thompson, W. and McCallum, C.Glasgow Caledonian University: its origins and evolution, (East Linton, Tuckwell Press Ltd, 1998)

Authority record created according to the National Council on ArchivesRules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (NCA Rules)1997 and International Council on Archives: Ad Hoc Committee on Descriptive StandardsInternational Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families (ISAAR)CPF1995.

Corporate name authority record compiled for the GASHE project by Emily Woolmore, GASHE project archivist, 4 April 2000