Santander’s £200,000 investment marks milestone for GCU’s 150th Anniversary Campaign
More students, graduates and staff at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will benefit from scholarships, entrepreneurial funding and employability opportunities after Santander announced a new £200,000 investment in the University.
The new two-year agreement strengthens a partnership that has supported more than 1,800 students, graduates and staff since 2009, helping them develop skills, launch businesses, gain international experience and progress their careers. All GCU staff, students and graduates can also access Santander Open Academy: a free global e-learning platform offering courses and expert-led content to help people acquire and update skills and competencies that are most in demand in the labour market.
The investment brings Santander’s total support for GCU to £1.8 million and enables the University to achieve a major milestone in its 150th Anniversary Campaign, reaching its target of creating 150 new scholarships during its anniversary year.
The partnership renewal was celebrated at a special event at GCU, bringing together students, staff and beneficiaries of Santander-funded programmes to reflect on the impact of the collaboration and the opportunities the new funding will create in the years ahead.
Attendees heard from previous Santander-supported award recipients whose projects have delivered impact locally and internationally.
Tabitha Nyariki received an award to help rebuild and restock a school library in Kenya following a devastating fire, while supporting teacher training in library management.
Linsey Paton-Donaldson, Director of Women's Football Hub, received seed funding to launch the organisation's first dedicated playing hub, creating new opportunities for women and girls to participate in football.
Kevin Walls, a BAFTA Scotland New Talent-winning writer and director and graduate of GCU's MA TV Fiction Writing programme, received £5,000 seed funding to advance his debut feature film, Premature, which will be released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 18 September 2026.
Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mairi Watson, said: "Santander has been a valued partner of Glasgow Caledonian University for more than 15 years, opening doors to opportunities that build confidence, broaden horizons and develop the skills needed to succeed.
“It is particularly fitting that, as we renew this longstanding partnership, Santander is helping us reach a significant milestone in our 150th Anniversary Campaign. This investment enables us to achieve our £1.24 million target and create 150 sector-leading scholarships for students from some of the most challenging backgrounds.
“We are extremely grateful to Santander for their continued support of our students, graduates and staff. This new £200,000 agreement is far more than a financial commitment. It is an investment in people, opportunity and the future of our University community."
Santander is one of the world’s leading corporate supporters of higher education, investing more than 2.5 billion euros through collaboration agreements with more than 1,000 universities and institutions from 13 countries in the last three decades. £115m has been invested in partnerships with universities in the UK since 2007.
Santander Universities UK National Partnerships Director, Jonathan Powell, added: “At Santander we believe strongly in the power of collaboration, and we’re delighted to renew our long-standing and successful partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University.
“The partnership provides more opportunities for people to prosper through our support of education, employability and entrepreneurship, alongside free accessible learning opportunities for the whole university community through our digital platform Santander Open Academy.”
Since the partnership began, Santander has played a key role in supporting GCU's commitment to widening access, fostering innovation and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
The renewed agreement builds on more than 15 years of collaboration between the two organisations and a shared belief in the power of education to create positive change. Through scholarships, enterprise funding and employability initiatives, Santander and GCU will continue to create opportunities that help students, graduates and staff thrive and contribute to society.