University News & Events

SKILLS and Lifelong Learning Minister Keith Brown has visited Glasgow Caledonian University to see the award-winning Caledonian Club in action and hear the initial results of a study into its effectiveness.

The Club was established in 2008 to build relationships with families and change attitudes to education in five areas of Glasgow where traditionally few pupils have gone on to university.

Last year, the project won the Times Higher Education widening participation initiative 2009 and the Education Initiative of the Year at The Herald Society Awards.

Now a report into its effectiveness has found:

•    95% of S2 pupils participating felt that the Club’s activities gave them a better understanding of the way their subject choices related to future careers.

•    S2 pupils involved in the Club are approximately 10% more confident that they can make informed choices about their future, be positive about their qualities and abilities, and be a student at university if they want to.  

•    100% of senior pupils say they will work harder for their exams after experiencing university life.

Mr Brown said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the Caledonian Club at Glasgow Caledonian University today and hear about the success it has had in supporting young people and their families from communities across Glasgow, both in helping them find out more about what the university experience has to offer and in fostering an aspiration for lifelong learning.  It is an initiative that embraces the principles of Curriculum for Excellence.”

In the course of his visit, the Minister met staff, students, teachers and pupils and watched the launch of the Club’s S6 Professor’s Challenge 2010. 

Pupils will be asked to design a product or create an advertising campaign to get Glasgow ‘green’ or ‘healthy’ in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, as part of the project. 

S6 pupils from All Saints Secondary, St Margaret Mary’s Secondary and Whitehill Secondary schools were on campus to work on the challenge in groups with a student mentor, after having participated in a teambuilding workshop in school before the visit.

The S6 Professor’s Challenge project was designed to promote good teamwork and reinforce the importance of planning, time management and presentation skills.  The second day on campus (June 11) culminates in pupils presenting their ideas to four panels of judges.  A total of 20 teams are presenting to the four panels (each seeing five teams) and each panel will then select a winner to go forward into a final head-to-head.

Professor Pamela Gillies, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “We are tremendously excited at the effect the Caledonian Club has had on the children, families and student mentors involved.”

The fives areas involved are Barmulloch, Castlemilk, Dennistoun, Drumchapel and Springburn.