Connections Across Centuries: Marking the 575th Anniversary of the University of Glasgow
On 7 January 2026, the University of Glasgow marks the 575th anniversary of its foundation in 1451. The St Andrew’s Foundation for Catholic Teacher Education will contribute to events recognising this significant milestone in the University’s history. This blog reflects on connections between the founding mission of the University and Catholic teacher education in Scotland and considers their continuing relevance for the work of the St Andrew’s Foundation today.
The University of Glasgow was founded by Papal Bull in 1451, following a petition to the Pope by King James II of Scotland. William Turnbull, Bishop of Glasgow, was instrumental in securing this foundation and played a central role in establishing the University’s early governance and purpose. Modelled on the University of Bologna, the new Scottish university provided learning in ‘theology, canon and civil law, arts, and other lawful faculties.’ Over time, the University expanded in scope and provision, relocating from its original site on the High Street to Gilmorehill in 1870.
By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the establishment of a national system of state education created an urgent need for suitably qualified teachers. Monotechnic teacher training colleges emerged to meet this demand, such as Notre Dame College of Education, which was set up in 1895. However, university based teacher education in Scotland was not formally established until the early 2000s.
As part of wider reforms, previously autonomous colleges of education were required to merge with universities. Following negotiation, St Andrew’s College of Education merged with the University of Glasgow. Through this arrangement, responsibility for the preparation of teachers for Catholic schools continued within a newly established Faculty of Education and, following University restructuring in 2011, within the School of Education in the College of Social Sciences.
To ensure that the distinctive mission of Catholic teacher education remained central, the St Andrew’s Foundation for Catholic Teacher Education was established. Aligned with the original purposes of the University of Glasgow as a seat of learning, the Foundation serves as the national locus for Catholic teacher education in Scotland through its teaching and research, and through a unique partnership with the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Government.
While both the world and the University have become more diverse and secular since its fifteenth century origins, enduring connections remain between the University’s founding mission and its contemporary role as a world leading, world changing institution. The St Andrew’s Foundation contributes to this legacy nationally and internationally through its scholarship in Catholic education.
Our community of scholars continues to grow. Increasing numbers of teachers are engaging in postgraduate and doctoral research focused on Catholic education. In 2025, the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland supported this work through the award of two part time doctoral scholarships for teachers working in Catholic schools. Undergraduate students and prospective teachers are also active members of this scholarly community. In November 2025, two students presented at the World Union of Catholic Teachers colloquium in Rome as part of the Jubilee of Education, and two students will present papers at the forthcoming G.R.A.C.E. network colloquium in Boston. The recently launched online course, Exploring Scottish Catholicism: Education, Philosophy, and Literature, developed by the University of Glasgow’s Arts Lab for Scottish Catholic Studies, has already attracted more than 200 participants.
The annual Cardinal Winning Lecture will take place on 7 March 2026 at the University of Glasgow. The keynote speaker, Dr Jem Sullivan of the Catholic University of America, will deliver a lecture entitled Why the Way of Beauty Matters in Catholic Education.
Further information about events marking the University’s 575th anniversary will be shared through our social media channels. We look forward to welcoming current and former students, and the schools and teachers with whom we work in partnership.
