Magnus Magnusson Awards celebrate student projects with social impact
Glasgow Caledonian University celebrated inspiring students making a positive difference in society at the 2026 Magnus Magnusson Awards this week.
Established in 2007 in honour of GCU’s late Chancellor Magnus Magnusson KBE, the Awards enable students and early‑career researchers to realise ambitious projects that apply their knowledge and skills to create meaningful social impact.
Hosted by Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Mairi Watson, the event brought together students and graduates whose lives - and communities - have been shaped by the Awards. Speakers including founders Dr Sally Magnusson MBE and Professor Pamela Gillies CBE, alongside past recipients, reflected on the programme’s impact and enduring legacy.
Watch a short video capturing the impact of the Magnusson Awards here.
Professor Mairi Watson said: We often hear how the right support at the right moment can open doors and shape futures - and from everything we’ve heard this evening, the Magnusson Awards do exactly that. It is an honour for the University to continue the legacy that Professor Pamela Gillies and Dr Sally Magnusson began - a legacy that continues to offer meaningful opportunities to our students and to the communities they serve.
Capturing the spirit of GCU’s anniversary year - 150 years of opening doors to opportunity and unlocking potential – the 2026 Magnus Magnusson recipients will be undertaking projects with impact across culture, education, sustainability, housing and health and wellbeing.
Lucy, Sir Alex Ferguson Magnusson Award: who will produce a limited‑run Edinburgh Fringe play inspired by Educating Rita, reimagined in a modern Scottish context.
Antoine, Dr Murray Rowden Magnusson Award: who will design and support the installation of a small‑scale solar power system for a rural school in Cameroon.
Jude, GCU Magnusson Award: who will volunteer in rural communities in Sierra Leone, sharing skills in water hygiene and sanitation.
Jane, Sir Alex Ferguson Magnusson Award: who will take part in an exchange programme at a university in Finland and attend the Forensic Science and Criminology International Conference.
Oluwatomisin, GCU Magnusson Award: who will explore and test a social enterprise letting and housing‑access model.
Karen, GCU Magnusson Award: who will create a podcast series sharing her research on the television series Taggart.
Paul, Mike Smith Magnusson Award: who will establish a male student peer‑support group at GCU and train students to facilitate and sustain the initiative.
Penny, Nicol Family Magnusson Award: who will support the creation of a Seaweed Infographic Sculpture designed to engage different audiences across STEM.
To date, the Magnus Magnusson Awards have supported 165 students, made possible through the work of the GCU Foundation and the generosity of committed donors who share the University’s mission to create positive, lasting change.
Speaking about the Awards, Dr Sally Magnusson MBEsaid:
“My father would have been immensely proud to see these Awards helping so many talented young people turn their aspirations into reality.”