Centre for Robert Burns Studies

The Centre for Robert Burns Studies (CRBS) at the University of Glasgow is the world’s leading centre for the study of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns (1759–96), his cultural contexts and associated literatures.

Established in 2007, the Centre has become a global hub for interdisciplinary research, teaching and public engagement, attracting major financial and intellectual investment and bringing together the largest concentration of Burns experts in the world.

In recognition of its pioneering work, the University of Glasgow was awarded a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education (formerly the Queen’s Anniversary Prizes) in 2023 for the Centre’s flagship initiative, 'Editing and Curating Robert Burns for the 21st Century'. This prestigious national honour celebrates excellence, innovation and well-evidenced benefit to both the institution and the wider world.

Aims

• to lead the development and coordination of research of excellence related to Robert Burns both in the UK and beyond. 
• to encourage Robert Burns Studies through publications, seminar series, colloquia, conferences, performance events and other meetings both in the UK and internationally.
• to foster links with other institutions working in the area of Robert Burns Studies and housing significant collections of Burns material.
• to establish and maintain a centre of excellence in postgraduate studies and early career research.
• to broaden interest in Robert Burns Studies by inviting visiting lecturers and by encouraging academic and student exchanges both within the UK and globally.

What We Do

CRBS’s work has revolutionised scholarly and public understanding of Burns’s life and legacy.

Since its establishment in 2007, the Centre has proudly followed the University of Glasgow’s ‘world-changing’ ethos through its significant contribution to Scottish knowledge and culture.

Alongside the Centre’s flagship research project, the AHRC-funded ‘Editing Robert Burns for the 21st Century’, the Centre has hosted many other projects with a specific focus on Burns, his life, works, cultural period and related literature. Current projects underway include

‘Robert Burns in the Scottish Economy’, a groundbreaking study published in 2019 and commissioned by the Scottish Government, and the AHRC-funded multi-volume edition of ‘The Collected Works of Allan Ramsay’. The Centre further supports a variety of smaller networks, and staff at the Centre for Robert Burns Studies undertake collaborative and independent research projects related to Burns’s literary, cultural, historical and political contexts.

CRBS’s interdisciplinary research has informed decisions on authenticity, provenance, acquisitions and exhibitions for organisations with Burns holdings. Innovative approaches to literature and material culture have led to new models for cultural memory, including the use of Virtual Reality (VR) or 3D technology.

Global Reach and Engagement

As a global network, the Centre for Robert Burns Studies is connected with an active body of international scholars and has welcomed visiting scholars from across the world, including the USA, Slovenia and Czechia, amongst other places.

Closer to home, the Centre supports a number of postgraduate students with their work on Robert Burns, providing financial assistance for Masters-level research through the Shaw Scholarship as well as the direct supervision of postgraduate research projects and support in early career research. In line with the Centre’s aim to broaden further interest in Burns, the Centre offers online courses which are open to all, allowing further exploration into the life and works of Robert Burns.

The Centre has further encouraged Robert Burns Studies through a wide range of public engagement events, including conferences, high-profile performance events, and seminar series. Annual events, such as Burns Night at the Museum and the Centre for Robert Burns Studies Annual Conference, connect audience members from the academy and beyond

Legacy and Recognition

Robert Burns was born in Alloway in 1759. A farmer’s son who rose to literary promience with the 1786 Kilmarnock Edition, Robert Burns died at just 37, but his legacy endures.

The Centre’s work ensures that Burns’s cultural, economic, and literary significance continues to evolve and inspire new generations.

The Queen Elizabeth Prize for Education affirms CRBS’s role as a world-leading institution in literary scholarship and cultural heritage, recognising its transformative impact on education, research, and society both in Scotland and internationally.