News in brief, 17 June 2019
Published: 17 June 2019
A roundup of news across the University
Initial results of the travel survey
The initial results of the travel survey of staff and students are now available.
Travel survey initial results pdf
UK Student Recruitment team survey of University staff about Open Days
Have you visited open days with anyone (children, nieces, nephews, cousins...) who is applying to University?
You are invited to share your thoughts and feedback on university open days you have recently attended.
Follow this link to take part: https://glasgow.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/university-open-day-survey
From a UCAS applicant survey, we know that 50% of applicants choose a university they liked most at open day, and 74% make their choice because a course is best suited to them.
This quick, five-question survey can be completed at any time after attending an open day and will let us know what other universities are doing to engage applicants with their chosen subjects.
Thank you for participating,
UK Student Recruitment Team
GU Staff Tennis Club’s celebration of Professor James Neil OBE
Last month members and friends of the University of Glasgow Staff Tennis Club celebrated the memory of their former president and friend, Professor Jim Neil, who passed away suddenly in October 2018. Many in the university will know the outstanding contribution that Jim made to the university as Professor of Virology and Molecular Oncology at the University of Glasgow, and Associate Director of the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. Jim received an OBE in 2017 for his breakthrough research into the causes of cancer. Among his other talents, he was a keen and accomplished tennis player (with an ‘ever-evolving’ backhand).
Jim became president of the staff tennis club in 2006 and during that time, not only did he oversee the growth of a social and welcoming tennis club for university staff and their families, he also worked together with the Ferguson Bequest to provide outstanding sports facilities.
We were joined on the day by Jim’s wife Una, his children, Ailsa, Charles and Lucy and his six grandchildren. Also present were the Chancellor, Sir Kenneth Calman, Lady Calman, and a number of Jim’s former colleagues from the vet school. The day was marked by a round robin tournament, with forty participants enjoying an afternoon of tennis in glorious sunshine. The organisational skills of Shahid Latif rivalled SW19, and we congratulate the eventual victors, Monica Stewart and Duncan Brady.
The tournament was followed by speeches where members of the club reminded us of Jim’s love of tennis, his humour and his exceptional service to the club. Professor Os Jarrett from the vet school detailed Jim’s remarkable achievements in viral oncology and his commitment to securing the funding both for the housing of the Institute of Comparative Medicine in the Henry Wellcome Building and the Sir Michael Stoker Building which houses the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research.
The event concluded with the current president, Genevieve Stapleton, unveiling Jim’s portrait which will hang alongside photos of the club’s distinguished past presidents. The crowning moment was for the Chancellor to announce that the University has decided that the pavilion at Garscube shoud be named ‘The James Neil Pavilion’ in recognition of Jim’s service to the community of the university.
It was a great joy to share a tennis court with Jim Neil and a privilege to share our memories and honour the man who transformed the staff tennis club to a wonderful facility for all to enjoy.
Genevieve Stapleton
CaCHE receives £300,000 funding from two housing-related charities
TDS Charitable Foundation (TDSCF) and the SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust (SDSCT) have jointly awarded funding of just under £300,000 over three years to the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) - a consortium of 14 institutions led by the University of Glasgow.
With similar remits, both TDSCF and SDSCT work to raise standards in the private rented sector by advancing education on housing rights and obligations. In the first year of the programme, the CaCHE research team will carry out research projects on resolving disputes, tackling low standards and protecting tenancy deposits. A scoping document will be published in the coming weeks.
First published: 17 June 2019