Lord Provost explores Burns collections and digital heritage at UofG
Published: 6 May 2026
The University of Glasgow recently welcomed the Lord Provost of Glasgow for a special visit celebrating the city’s shared literary, cultural and civic heritage.
The University of Glasgow recently welcomed the Lord Provost of Glasgow for a special visit celebrating the city’s shared literary, cultural and civic heritage.
During her visit, the Lord Provost of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren met students and colleagues from the Centre for Robert Burns Studies to view a selection of significant Robert Burns items from the University of Glasgow Library.
Highlights included early editions of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, Burns’s own annotated volumes and related manuscripts that reflect the University’s long-standing international reputation for Burns scholarship.
Reflecting on the visit, Professor Pauline Mackay, Director of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies, said: “We have built a strong and positive relationship with the Lord Provost in recent years, not least through our joint promotion of Robert Burns, the Burns Supper and the City of Glasgow as part of cultural delegations to our twin city of Nuremberg in Germany. It was a pleasure to welcome her to the University and to share our Burns collections and the exciting interdisciplinary work of our students and colleagues.”
Professor Mackay also highlighted the Lord Provost’s ongoing engagement with University life, including her presence at the University of Glasgow’s Bute Hall Burns Supper earlier this year and her wider civic support for Burnsian heritage, across the city and, indeed, the country.
The visit extended to the Advanced Research Centre and the ARC-XR (Extended Reality) space, where the Lord Provost was able to experience 3D models of rare Burns collections using the Virtual Reality platform and [un]box kiosk developed as part of the ‘Museums in the Metaverse’ project.
This demonstrated the ways in which emerging immersive technologies and 3D digital content produced in Glasgow are being used to open historic collections to new audiences through digital innovation.
As the University marks its 575th anniversary this year, the visit offered an opportunity to acknowledge the close and enduring relationship between the University and the city of Glasgow.
To reflect this civic connection, items from the University’s Archives and Special Collections linked to the historic role of the Lord Provost in Glasgow were alsoshowcased, including an 18th‑century watercolour depicting the Provost's costume.
The Lord Provost of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren, said: “As the University of Glasgow celebrates its 575th anniversary, it continues to be a cornerstone of the city’s academic, cultural and civic life. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to meet scholars from the Centre for Robert Burns Studies and view some of the exceptional Burns material held by them that continues to inspire research and deepen our understanding of our national poet.
“Seeing items connected to the Lord Provost’s role from the eighteenth century and the seal of the Forth & Clyde Canal Company so closely linked to my Canal ward and to Maryhill, where I grew up, were particular highlights. These pieces remind us how important the University’s role is in preserving and sharing Glasgow’s story.”
The office of Lord Provost of Glasgow was established in 1450, just a year before the University of Glasgow was formed in 1451. This Lord Provost's visit is one of a series of visits, events and conferences being held to celebrate the 575th anniversary of our foundations.
First published: 6 May 2026