The evolution of the University of Strathclyde is complex. It began in 1796 when John Anderson, Professor of Natural Philosophy at Glasgow University, left in his will instructions for 'a place of useful learning', a university open to everyone, regardless of gender or class. His vision was realised and Anderson's University opened its first premises in High Street, Glasgow, in late 1796. It moved to George Street and developed rapidly throughout the nineteenth century. By the 1890s, Anderson's University had become a major technological institution with a wide reputation for research and learning.

Since its foundations over 200 years ago, the University has evolved and expanded, while remaining true to the vision of its founder - to be a place of useful learning for all.

The University of Strathclyde was founded in Scotland as a place of useful learning, to make higher education available to all, and to combine excellence with relevance. In fulfilling this mission in today's world it will Contribute to the advancement of the knowledge society, to social cohesion and to the quality of life in Scotland, and in the wider national and global community;Generate, through excellence in research and scholarship, new ideas, knowledge and skills to create opportunities for individuals and society; Provide high-quality education to all of its students, regardless of background, inspiring them to develop to the full their abilities, and creating outstanding professional and creative people; Offer the opportunities for all staff to develop their full potential, and contribute fully to the achievement of the University's Vision.

Our aim is to convey to our graduates notonly a high level of professional knowledge, but also the ability to think innovatively andcreatively, and to be capable of becoming the entrepreneurs of the next generation. For this we need dedicated staff – which we have in abundance – and improved facilities, including more teaching clusters such as the recently-opened Crawfurd Complex at Jordanhill which is proving to be an enormous success. From this vanguard position we are continuing to develop a unique interactive IT-based teaching environment across both campuses. Our learning and teaching strategy encourages diversity. We believe that a student population drawn from a range of backgrounds, nationalities and ethnic groups enriches the learning experience of all students. We are promoting opportunities for wider access to higher education by building more effective progression routes from further to higher education, and through our commitment to the GOALS initiative (Greater Opportunity of Access and Learning with Schools), a partnership of the West of Scotland universities and schools which inspires pupils to be successful. There are also major changes taking place in Europe, particularly through the Bologna agreement. We have the opportunity to be at the forefront of these through our membership and current chairmanship of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU), a group of like-minded universities to our own. This group has been developing joint Masters’ programmes that will allow students to study at more than one European centre.

Strathclyde University and Associates is a great place to study and enjoy life at the same time. And this is where you can find out everything about us - from how we teach, to what's on in Glasgow and how to get around. We want to help you make the most of your time here, so we hope you'll come back to these pages to get all the latest news about what's happening on campus and in and around the city.