International Summer School

Once you have a space on the course, the ISS team will reach out to ask you for your top three project choices.

All of these options will involve you responding to materials based in the city of Glasgow, and responding creatively by writing and realising creative work in your own form, genre or style. We are open to research projects relaised in alternative formats such as video, sound, performance and object-based, as well as in fiction, poetry, non-fiction and hybrid forms.  

1. Creatively respond to the Edwin Morgan Collection at Special Collections, University of Glasgow

The Special Collections Department holds a significant and extensive archive of the distinguished Scottish poet, Edwin Morgan (1920-2010). The papers include scrapbooks, correspondence and handwritten drafts of poems. Morgan had a long association with the University of Glasgow, studying English here and teaching in the Department of English Literature until his retirement as titular professor in 1980. In 1999 Morgan became Glasgow's first Poet Laureate, he received the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 2000, and was named the first Scottish national poet - The Scots Makar - in 2004. You will respond to the Edwin Morgan Collection through your own creative practice.

2. Creatively respond to the House of Fraser Archive at Special Collections, University of Glasgow 

The House of Fraser Archive offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of one of Britain's leading department stores. House of Fraser has a long and distinguished history. Founded in 1849 as a small drapery shop on the corner of Argyle Street and Buchanan Street in Glasgow, it expanded rapidly, acquiring some 200 different stores, and opening branches in many parts of the world.

The Archive is an outstanding source for the history of British design, fashion, tastes, lifestyles, consumerism and consumption from the early nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century. Working with your supervisor, you will devise a creative project that responds to the Archive.

3. Creatively respond to the Collections and Displays of the Hunterian Museum

The oldest public museum in Scotland, with collections spanning arts, sciences and humanities, The Hunterian is at the forefront of university museums around the world.  At the heart of the University of Glasgow since 1807, The Hunterian connects people with stories, individuals and ideas. Working with your supervisor, you will devise a creative project that responds to the collections and displayes of The Hunterian Museum.

4. Creatively respond to The Hunterian Art Gallery, including their exhibition 'Through a Mirror, Darkly' by Naeem Mohaiemen

The Hunterian Gallery houses works by Whistler and Mackintosh, Rembrandt and Rubens, the Glasgow Boys and Scottish Colourists, as well as leading contemporary artists. You can see a number of highlights in the Hunterian Art Gallery including Chardin's 'A Lady Taking Tea', Rembrandt's 'The Entombment' and Gavin Hamilton's 'Hector's Farewell to Andromache'. The displays in the main gallery feature a significant number of artworks made by women and other artists who have been less well represented.The Hunterian Art Gallery is also home to one of Scotland's largest print collections, a sculpture courtyard, the Mackintosh House and an exciting programme of contemporary art exhibitions.

This summer, the exhibition of contemporary art will be 'Through a Mirror Darkly' by Naeem Mohaiemen. 'Through a Mirror Darkly' (2025) revisits the turbulent 1970s, a decade of hopeful rebellions and catastrophic disappointments. For his new film, Mohaiemen focuses on a flashpoint in time: May 1970, when American students protesting domestic racism and overseas wars were met by state violence. In this project, you will respond to The Hunterian Art Gallery and 'Through a Mirror Darkly' through your own creative practice.

5. Creatively respond to Glasgow's Public and Community Parks and  Gardens 

Glasgow is home to some of the best city parks in the UK, and some of the oldest and most diverse. You can find a full list of the many parks and gardens in the city here: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/parks.

Working with your supervisor, you will devise a creative project that in some way explores and reflects some aspect of the city parks and gardens. 

6. Creatively Respond to the City Archives and The Mitchell Library 

The City Archives are housed in the Mitchell Library and include the official records of various local authorities as well as a large number of private archive collections. They cover such topics as the River Cylde, Police Archives, School archives, Shipbuilding materials, and cultural archives. 

The Mitchell Library is one of Europe’s largest public libraries with more than a million items. Its collections include books, maps, drawings, photographs, postcards, and resources for family history. Working with your supervisor, you will creatively respond to the City Archives and Mitchell Library.

7. Creatively respond to the collections of The Glasgow Women's Library 

Glasgow Women’s Library is the only Accredited Museum in the UK dedicated to women’s lives, histories and achievements, with a lending library, archive collections and innovative programmes of public events & learning opportunities. You will respond to their collections through your own creative practice. 

8. Creatively respond to the collections of The Glasgow Zine Library 

Glasgow Zine Library believes in the radical power of DIY culture. It is a charity, a self-publishing library and community arts space in Govanhill, Glasgow. GZL is the largest independent zine library in the UK with an international collection of over 4,000 zines. 

Zines (self-published magazines) are part of the rich history of radical self-publishing. They are small-scale publications that can be made by anyone. Often they are the only records of subcultures, countercultures, and alternative movements. Zines are used for creative expression and to share information, distribute resources and build community – on topics from fan culture to social justice. GZL was founded to preserve these stories, create opportunities to tell new ones, and celebrate DIY arts culture and zine heritage. You will respond to the collections of the Zine Library through your own creative practice.

This course aims to:

• Provide an opportunity to undertake an independent creative writing practice as research project under supervision.
• Introduce approaches to creative writing craft and practice-oriented methods
• Develop professional skills and knowledge of the publishing industry through invited industry speakers, lectures and workshops

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Plan and implement an ambitious creative writing research project
• Critically analyse texts from the perspective of a writer
• Express advanced creative ideas through writing and/or performance

• GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent). 
• You should be currently enrolled at an international higher education institution.

Ideally students will have completed one year of an arts/humanities degree. 

If your first language is not English, you must meet our minimum proficiency level:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training) overall score of 6.0, with no sub test less than 5.5  (if English is not an applicant’s first language) and a GPA of not less than 3.0
• We also accept equivalent scores in other recognised qualifications such as ibTOEFL, CAE, CPE and more.