A world-class partnership

In 1998 the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde signed a memorandum of understanding recognising each other as the 'preferred partner' in research: an event warmly supported by the Senates, Courts and Research Committees of both institutions. As Synergy has developed, the benefits of collaboration have been confirmed and what started as a strategic alliance in research has developed into research, teaching and some essential support areas such as library provision. By working closely together the two libraries can offer better services, share expertise and ensure that expensive duplication of journals, books and electronic databases is kept to a minimum.

Although universities continue to face constraints from reductions in government core funding, those who seize the opportunities can market their research, expertise and teaching programmes in a global marketplace. Optimum success world-wide requires collaboration at local, national and international levels. It is within this context that the partnership between the two Universities is taking place. Synergy creates one of the UK's largest knowledge bases with 4,600 researchers involved in areas ranging from the Arts & Humanities, Social, Biological & Physical Sciences to Computing, Statistics & Engineering, and the professions of Law, Business and Medicine (both human and veterinary).

With a combined research portfolio of over £100 million per annum, our Universities can justly claim that they are major international forces in research. With that portfolio goes the reputation for conducting research of national or international excellence: the last UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise (2001) confirmed that over 90% of those subject areas submitted by the two institutions for assessment were in those categories. Combining our world-class research in selected areas achieves a critical mass which provides the right infrastructure and atmosphere for creative thought, and is attractive to industrial sponsors

The success of Synergy has provided an important template for the future. Since 1998, the partnership has shifted the focus of research efforts in our two Universities from competition to collaboration. It has provided a powerful opportunity to enhance the strengths of both institutions and to provide academic and financial benefits. Now, it includes collaborations in teaching, some of which share resources and reduce costs and others which develop new opportunities and courses that neither institution alone could offer.

Together, we are working to promote the two Universities nationally and internationally and to promote the City of Glasgow with which we are so closely linked.

Sir Muir Russell, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow
Professor Andrew Hamnett, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde