Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) was founded in 1993, after the merging of Glasgow Polytechnic with The Queen's College.
Home to more than 20,000 students, it is now one of Scotland's largest universities and, with over £45million recently invested in state-of-the-art facilities, its main campus in Glasgow city centre is regarded as one of the most modern campuses in the UK.
The university is made up of three schools: the School of Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow School for Business and Society, and School of Health and Life Sciences. GCU also has a presence in New York City and in Spitalfields in London, which offers postgraduate courses in fashion.
GCU prides itself on being a practical institution that offers a unique range of degree programmes. It is the only university to offer an Honours degree in Risk Management and its London-based school of fashion is the only one of its kind to offer an MBA in Luxury Brand Management.
The university's practical approach has led to the development of teaching facilities such as a virtual hospital, broadcasting suite and a fashion factory. It’s an approach that’s been commended by the Confederation of British Industry and Future Fit, among others, for successfully preparing its students for employment.
GCU is also a popular choice among students for its courses in nursing and midwifery, and the university boasts strong links with the NHS.
It has a strong reputation for implementing effective widening access policies. Its award-winning initiative, The Caledonian Club, works with young people in Glasgow and London to tackle below average progression rates into higher education.
The university's motto is 'For the common good' and it is one of only 29 universities and colleges in the world to be certified as a 'Changemaker Campus' by Ashoka U, for promoting higher education as a vehicle for social change. It is also the first Scottish university to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.
Commonly referred to as the 'culture capital' of Scotland, Glasgow was also cited by National Geographic in 2016 as being one of the top places in the world to visit.
