The University of Paisley will become known as University of the West of Scotland (UWS) from 30 November 2007, in a move which acknowledges the University’s recent development and its ambitious plans for the future.
Scottish parliamentary approval to change its name to the University of the West of Scotland was secured earlier this month. This was the final stage in the name change process and followed a period of significant consultation and confirmation of agreement to name change from the Privy Council earlier in the year.
The University of Paisley and Bell College merged on 1 August 2007, creating a four-campus, regional University with campuses in Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton and Paisley. It is Lanarkshire’s first modern day University and has over 18,000 students, including the country’s largest School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, with almost 5,000 students.
The merger created a bigger, more sustainable institution that is ideally placed to meet the challenges of the competitive Higher Education sector.
The University has a planned investment programme of over £160million, which will result in major benefits for all of its campuses and ensure the future success and stability of the institution.
Professor Seamus McDaid, Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University, said: “Name change is a hugely important stage in the development of the University.
“The name, the University of the West of Scotland, reflects the institution’s clear regional focus and commitment to enabling people across the West of Scotland to overcome geographical barriers to gain access to relevant degree level education.
“We have ambitious plans for our future development and I am very confident that this University will continue to go from strength to strength. As the University of West of Scotland we aim to have a transformational influence on the economic, social and cultural development of the West of Scotland through the provision of high-quality, inclusive higher education and innovative applied research. We are committed to making a significant and lasting contribution to Scottish Higher Education.”
If Scotland is to meet the challenges posed by an increasingly ageing population it needs to offer opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds to help them realise their full potential. Giving as many people as possible the chance of gaining a university degree is one of the University’s key priorities.
Following merger the increased size and reach of the University is opening up Higher Education opportunities for many more thousands of people across the West of Scotland. This includes greater lifelong learning opportunities at degree and postgraduate level across the region. This commitment to lifelong learning coupled with the fact that the merged University provides local access for over 40% of Scotland’s population, makes it ideally placed to respond to the demographic challenges currently facing the nation.