The University of Glasgow is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in 1451 [O.S. 1450], it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Along with the universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh, the university was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century. Glasgow is the largest university in Scotland by total enrolment and, with over 15,900 postgraduates, the fifth-largest in the United Kingdom by postgraduate enrolment.
A rector is a senior official in an educational institution, and can refer to an official in either a university or a secondary school. Outside the English-speaking world, the rector is often the most senior official in a university, while in the United States, the equivalent is often referred to as the president, and in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, the equivalent is the vice-chancellor. The term and office of a rector can be referred to as a rectorate. The title is used widely in universities in Europe and is very common in Latin American countries. It is also used in Brunei, Macau, Turkey, Russia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Israel and the Middle East. In the ancient universities of Scotland the office is sometimes referred to as Lord Rector, is the third most senior official, and is usually responsible for chairing the University Court.
John MacDonald MacCormick was a Scottish lawyer, Scottish nationalist politician and advocate of Home Rule in Scotland.
Glasgow University Union (GUU) is one of the largest and oldest students' unions in the UK, serving students and alumni of the University of Glasgow since 1885.
Margaret Patricia Curran is a Scottish Labour Party politician. She served in the British House of Commons as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow East from 2010 to 2015 and was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland from 2011 until 2015. She was previously the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Baillieston from 1999 to 2011, and held a number of posts within the Scottish Executive, including Minister for Parliamentary Business, Minister for Social Justice and Minister for Communities.
The Glasgow University Students' Representative Council, also known simply as the Students' Representative Council or by the acronyms GUSRC and SRC is a student union at the University of Glasgow. Unlike at other universities in the United Kingdom, the University of Glasgow operates a unique system, with four separate and independent bodies providing services to the student body. In contrast with the Glasgow University Union, Queen Margaret Union, and Glasgow University Sports Association, which provide social and sporting facilities for their members respectively, the SRC is responsible for representing the views and interests of the student body to the University.
The Lord Rector of The University of Edinburgh is elected every three years by the students and staff at The University of Edinburgh. Seldom referred to as Lord Rector, the incumbent is more commonly known just as the Rector.
The Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews is an elected position, usually also the president of the University Court of the University of St Andrews; the University Court is the supreme governing body of the university.
Pauline Mary McNeill is a Scottish Labour politician serving as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region. She previously represented the Glasgow Kelvin constituency. Having represented her constituency since the 1999 Scottish Parliament election, she was not re-elected in 2011. However, she returned to the Scottish Parliament on the Glasgow regional list at the following election in 2016.
Mordechai Vanunu, also known as John Crossman, is an Israeli former nuclear technician and peace activist who, citing his opposition to weapons of mass destruction, revealed details of Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986. He was subsequently lured to Italy by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, where he was drugged and abducted. He was secretly transported to Israel and ultimately convicted in a trial that was held behind closed doors.
The rector of the University of Dundee is elected by the matriculated students of the University of Dundee. From 1967 to 2010, the rector was automatically a full member of the University Court. The rector also had the right to appoint an assessor, who was also a full member of the University Court. Following changes made to the university charter in August 2010, the rector must choose to take up full membership of the University Court or appoint an assessor who has full voting rights.
Aamer Anwar is a British political activist and lawyer of Pakistani origin. He was an active participant in the Stop the War Coalition, and campaigned against the 31st G8 summit at Gleneagles. He has been a longstanding critic of the Dungavel Detention Centre for failed asylum seekers, and is a trustee of the Time for Inclusive Education charity for LGBT-inclusive education in Scottish schools.
Nations are student divisions at some of the ancient universities of Scotland.
The Glasgow University Conservative & Unionist Association (GUCUA) was founded in 1836 at the University of Glasgow, and is the oldest University Conservative association in the United Kingdom. It became a branch of the Federation of Conservative Students and of the Young Conservatives, and remains affiliated to the Scottish Conservative Party and the Scottish Young Conservatives. Its main aim is to promote Conservative and Unionist principles on campus and to provide a safe-space for Conservative debate.
Charles Peter Kennedy was a British politician who served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2006, and was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ross, Skye and Lochaber from 1983 to 2015.
Maggie Chapman is a Scottish politician and lecturer who is a Scottish Green Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Scotland. She was co-convenor of the Scottish Greens from November 2013 to August 2019, serving with Patrick Harvie, and was the party's lead candidate for the 2019 European election.
Rita Rae, Lady Rae is a Scottish lawyer, judge and a former Senator of the College of Justice.
The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) is a Scottish political organisation which campaigns in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Ghassan Soleiman Abu-Sittah is a British-Palestinian plastic and reconstructive surgeon who specialises in craniofacial surgery, aesthetic surgery, cleft lip and palate surgery, and trauma-related injuries. Since April 2024 he has served as Rector of the University of Glasgow.
