The new University of Glasgow values

Published: 2 May 2018

As IHW staff prepare for annual reviews, engagement lead Prof Kirstin Mitchell provides a timely overview of University of Glasgow's 2020–2025 strategy, "World Changers Together", and the newly-defined values we are all encouraged to adopt

As IHW staff prepare for their annual reviews, engagement lead Professor Kirstin Mitchell provides a timely overview of University of Glasgow's 2020–2025 strategy, "World Changers Together" and the newly-defined values we are all encouraged to adopt.

Photo of University Gardens

The University of Glasgow purpose and values have been refreshed as part of the new university strategy "World Changers Together 2020-2025". 

The core purpose of the university is now framed as:

"transforming lives and changing the world through ideas and action"

The values are:

Ambition and Excellence Curiosity and Discovery
We strive for excellence through our work
We defend academic freedom globally
We recognise and celebrate shared success
We have an unrelenting focus on development
We innovate and solve problems together
We lead by influence and example
We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
We learn from our mistakes
Integrity and Truth An inclusive community
We uphold honesty, integrity and fairness
We share our work widely and generously
We do the right thing, not the easy thing – or we don’t do it
We take responsibility
We are one Glasgow team, and we care for and respect one another
We advocate for diversity and believe in variety as a vital part of a healthy university
We champion education for social progress
We practice and advance sustainability

These values replace the previous three "P"s (Passionate, Professional and Progressive) which were felt by many staff to be open to quite varied interpretation and therefore difficult to live out in practice. In response, a new purpose and values were developed in partnership with the staff and student community. Part of the refresh is to encourage University of Glasgow to become a more values-led institution.

Across the university, staff are being encouraged to discuss what these values mean in relation to their job and how they might be put into action. At institute and research group level we have been encouraged to discuss how our culture might support these values and encourage our ways of working to become more values-led. Colleagues with line management responsibilities can also play a role in supporting constructive conversations with their teams. The PDR process this year also asks everyone to align their review and future planning with these values. 

If you have any thoughts or questions about the University Values, or suggestions of how we might best discuss them within IHW, please do get in touch. 

Find out more about the new UofG values 

Access the UofG Behavioural Framework linked to these values 

Read about the strategy

Kirstin Mitchell 
Institute of Health and Wellbeing Engagement Lead
kirstin.mitchell@glasgow.ac.uk 


First published: 2 May 2018