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{{Infobox university
|name=The University of Stirling
|county=Stirlingshire
|city=Stirling
|picture=University of Stirling - Airthrey Castle.jpg
|picture caption=University of Stirling - Airthrey Castle
|arms=University of Stirling arms.svg
|livery=006938
|text=white
|founded=1967
|endowment=£3.2&nbsp;million (2016)
|chancellor=James Naughtie
|principal=Gerry McCormac
|campus=360-acre parkland campus <br />(satellite campuses in<br/>[[Inverness]] and [[Stornoway]])
|website=http://www.stir.ac.uk
}}
The '''University of Stirling''' is a public university founded by Royal charter in 1967. It is a 'plate glass university' located within the walls of the [[Airthrey Castle]] estate close to [[Stirling]]. Since its foundation, the university has expanded to four faculties: a Management School, a Graduate School, and a number of institutes and centres covering a broad range of subjects in the academic areas of arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and health sciences and sport.

The university campus is approximately 360 acres in size, incorporating the Stirling University Innovation Park <ref>[http://www.ukspa.org.uk/members/suip/ Stirling University Innovation Park] - University of Stirling</ref> and the Dementia Centre.<ref>[http://dementia.stir.ac.uk//?o=/ University of Stirling Dementia Centre] - University of Stirling</ref> The campus, with its wildlife, loch and greenery, and located at the edge of the [[Highlands]], is often cited as among the most beautiful in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Stirling most beautiful campus in the UK|url=http://uk.businessinsider.com/the-most-beautiful-university-campuses-in-the-uk-2016-8/|publisher=Business Insider|accessdate=14 September 2016}}</ref> In 2002, the University of Stirling and the landscape of the Airthrey Estate was designated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites as one of Britain's top 20 heritage sites of the 20th century.<ref>[http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/30k-donation-grahams-university-2745742 ''The Daily Record'', 2010]</ref> The institution also occupies buildings in the city of Stirling.

The university attracts students from a wide range of backgrounds, with more than 14,000 part-time and full-time students enrolled in the 2016/17 academic year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/facts-and-figures/|title=Facts and figures – University of Stirling|website=www.stir.ac.uk|language=en|accessdate=2017-03-30}}</ref> Stirling has international degree programme partnerships in China with Hebei Normal University, Singapore with Singapore Institute of Management, Oman and Vietnam. The university has two other campuses, in [[Inverness]] and [[Stornoway]].

==History==
Stirling was the first new university to be established in Scotland for nearly 400 years.<ref>'[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v9k9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=9kcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5737%2C1592952 From country estate to academic community]': Anthony Finlay in ''The Glasgow Herald'' 23 October 1971</ref> The original site of the campus was selected from a shortlist of competing sites, which include Falkirk, Perth and Inverness. The author of the Robbins Review, which recommended an expansion of the number of universities in Britain during the 1960s.  Lord Robbins, was appointed as the University's first Chancellor in 1968. In 1967 a house for the University Principal Tom Cottrell was completed, designed by architects Morris and Steedman:  it was became a Category A listed building in 2009.<ref>{{hsewsf|51322 |Stirling University Campus, 1 Airthrey Castle Yard, Principal's House }}</ref>

[[File:Pathfoot building.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Pathfoot Building]]
The Pathfoot Building, which represented the first phase of development on the campus, was completed in 1968 and originally housed lecture theatres, offices and classrooms in addition to the iconic 'crush hall' where the university displayed its emerging collection of contemporary Scottish art. The building was extended in 1979 to include a Tropical Aquarium and again in 1987 to include a Virology Unit associated with the university's Institute of Aquaculture. In 1970, development began on what was subsequently named the Cottrell Building, in memory of the university's first principal Cottrell. It comprises two parallel buildings with cross link corridors and interspersed courtyard gardens. The building today houses most of the university administration, lecture theatres, departmental offices, classrooms and computer laboratories. The University Library, Atrium and MacRobert Centre are housed in an adjoining building, the Andrew Miller Building, which was completed in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anniversary.stir.ac.uk/history/cottrell-pathfoot.php|title=History of the Estate – Cottrell and Pathfoot Development|work=Stirling University|accessdate=5 April 2007}}</ref>

A department of Business studies was set up in 1982.<ref>'[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s6NAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2893%2C5631712 |title=Stirling University gets down to business]': ''The Glasgow Herald'', 28 August 1985</ref> The Institute of Aquaculture, a research institute specialising in fish farming and genetics, opened the same year. In 1983 it sold 300 acres of land to Wang Laboratories.<ref>'[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PIlhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9qUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2873%2C3003537 Land deal unfair to university]': ''The Glasgow Herald'', 16 May 1983</ref> The R.G. Bomont Building (named after the second University Secretary), which houses the Faculty of Social Science, was completed in 1998. The Iris Murdoch building was opened in 2002 to house The Dementia Services Development Centre, and the Colin Bell Building was completed in 2003.

==Campus==
[[File:Airthrey Castle - University of Stirling.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Airthrey Castle]]
The University campus is set within 330 acre of grounds beneath the [[Ochil Hills]], two miles from the centre of [[Stirling]], close to the town of [[Bridge of Allan]]. It is regularly described as one of the most beautiful campuses in the world<ref>[http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/universityguide/profile/story/0,,491265,00.html Stirling University] – ''The Guardian''</ref> and was ranked 1st in the UK for its campus environment in the International Student Barometer 2016. It is on the historic Airthrey estate which includes the Robert Adam-designed 18th century [[Airthrey Castle]] and includes the Hermitage woods, Airthrey Loch,<ref>[http://www.instirling.com/sight/univ.htm InStirling - Airthrey Estate Overview</ref>  Airthrey Golf Course<ref>[https://www.stir.ac.uk/sports-centre/facilities/golf/ Golf course – University of Stirling]</ref> and a 50-metre swimming pool.<ref>[https://www.stir.ac.uk/sports-centre/facilities/swimming/ Swimming pool – University of Stirling]</ref>

The Andrew Miller Building incorporates an Atrium, which contains several retail and food outlets, including a bookshop, bank and general store. This building links the Library and Robbins' Centre Students' Union and has connecting bridges to the Cottrell Building, on-campus student residences and the MacRobert Arts Centre.

[[File:University of Stirling campus.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Airthrey Loch, the Cottrell Building and the Wallace Monument]]
The Library holds over 500,000 volumes and over 9,000 journals. It reopened in August 2010 after a major refurbishment programme. MacRobert Arts Centre is a small theatre and cinema complex open to members of the University community and the general public. The University houses a considerable fine art collection in the Pathfoot Building, comprising over 300 works including paintings, tapestries and sculpture.<ref>[http://www.artcol.stir.ac.uk/ Art at Stirling]</ref>

===Accommodation===
[[File:Willow Court.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Willow Court, Halls of Residence]]
The University of Stirling student accommodation can cater for almost 3,000 students in over 20 properties located on and off campus.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Properties – University of Stirling|url=http://www.stir.ac.uk/campus-life/accommodation/properties/|website=www.stir.ac.uk|accessdate=2016-01-08}}</ref> Most accommodation is in university halls and located on campus.  There are town houses at Alexander Court for families and groups of students.  Of the 2,000 rooms located on-campus, 800 were built since 2013 as part of a £40m investment programme in student accommodation which was completed in September 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Residences project – University of Stirling|url=http://www.stir.ac.uk/campus-life/accommodation/residences-project/|website=www.stir.ac.uk|accessdate=2016-01-08}}</ref>

===Sport facilities===
[[File:National Swimming Academy.jpg|right|thumb|200px|National Swimming Academy]]
Scholarships are available in five core sports: football, golf, swimming, tennis and triathlon, which allow student athletes to prepare for international competition.<ref>[http://www.stir.ac.uk/sport/scholarships/ Stirling: Sport Scholarships]</ref>

The University has a comprehensive range of sports facilities including a 9-hole Airthrey Golf Course and a 50-metre swimming pool completed in 2001 as part of the National Swimming Academy - a partnership with British Swimming. The sports centre also holds the Gannochy National Tennis Centre, badminton and squash courts, a fitness centre, strength and conditioning centre, sports halls and all-weather]] playing fields available for students, University staff and the public. The campus is the headquarters for a number of sports agencies including the SportScotland Institute of Sport, Commonwealth Games Scotland, Scottish Swimming and TriathlonScotland.

===Inverness-shire and Hebrides campuses===
The University has campuses in [[Inverness]] and at [[Stornoway]] on the [[Isle of Lewis]] which specialise in Nursing and Midwifery. The Highland site is on the outskirts of Inverness within the grounds of Raigmore Hospital. The site has purpose-built teaching facilities and student accommodation.The Highland Health Sciences Library is also located on this campus and caters for both the students and staff of the University, as well as the employees of NHS Highland and its associated Trusts. The Western Isles campus is located in Stornoway and the teaching accommodation is part of the Western Isles Hospital. This is a small campus site and also has student accommodation within the environs of the hospital.

==Organisation and governance==
In August 2016, the University reorganised into four faculties, the Stirling Management School and the Stirling Graduate School.<ref>[http://www.stir.ac.uk/media/services/registry/governance/universitycourt/minutes/CourtMinutes14Dec2015.pdf University Court Minutes]</ref>
{{div col|2}}
*'''Faculty of Social Sciences'''
**Applied Social Sciences
**Education
*'''Faculty of Arts and Humanities'''
**Communications, Media and Culture
**History and Politics
**Law and Philosophy
**Literature and Languages
**London Academy of Diplomacy
*'''Stirling Management School'''
**Accounting & Finance
**Economics
**Management, Work and Organisation
**Marketing and Retail
**Centre for Advanced Management Education
**Centre for Graduate Research in Management
*'''Faculty of Natural Sciences'''
**Aquaculture
**Biological and Environmental Sciences
**Computing Science and Mathematics
**Psychology
*'''Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport'''
**Sport
**Health Sciences
{{div col end}}

The statutes of the University are laid out in its Royal Charter. University Court is the governing body of the University and the Academic Council looks after academic affairs.  Day-to-day management of the University is undertaken by the University Principal (Vice-Chancellor).

The University Court has overall responsibility for the management of the University's resources, the ongoing strategic direction of the University and the approval of major developments. The Court meets four times over the course of the academic year.

The Academic Council is the body responsible for the management of academic affairs, awarding of all degrees, and for the regulation and superintendence of the education, discipline and welfare of the students of the University. The Council consists of various academics and is chaired by the Principal.

==Academic profile==
The University offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses covering the liberal arts, natural science, management school and health science.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stir.ac.uk/postgraduate/programme-information/|title=Postgraduate Courses –  Taught degrees – University of Stirling|website=www.stir.ac.uk|accessdate=2016-03-02}}</ref> Stirling achieved a 5 Star Excellence Award for Teaching by QS Stars in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-stirling|title=University of Stirling|website=Top Universities|accessdate=2016-03-02}}</ref>

Stirling is an interdisciplinary research-intensive University with a range of research activity focused on Health and Wellbeing; Culture and Society; Environment; Enterprise and the Economy; and Sport. The Research Excellence Framework also rated almost three quarters of research activity either world-leading or internationally excellent.

The University is home to some specialist research centres:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stir.ac.uk/arts-humanities/research/areas/ |title=Research Areas:Research Centres |publisher=University of Stirling |accessdate=6 October 2016}}</ref>
* Centre for Environmental History and Policy
* Stirling Media Research Institute (SMRI)
* Stirling Centre for Scottish Studies.
* Dementia Services Development Centre
* Centre for Gender and Feminist Studies
* Centre for Transnational Legal Methods
* Stirling Environment and Energy Network
* Centre of Postcolonial Studies
* Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication
* Contemporary Portuguese Political History Research Centre
* Stirling Centre for Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies
* Centre for Policy, Conflict and Co-Operation 
Stirling has a research publications database, STORRE, which is a source of free, full-text access research outputs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://storre.stir.ac.uk|title=Home|website=storre.stir.ac.uk|accessdate=2016-03-02}}</ref>

==Student life==
The University of Stirling Students' Union<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=http://www.stirlingstudentsunion.com/|website=www.stirlingstudentsunion.com|accessdate=2016-01-08}}</ref> is based in the University's Robbins Centre Students' Union on campus and is affiliated to the National Union of Students. The Union provides students with entertainment, welfare and information services and represents students interests to a range of organisations, including the University. Senior members of the Union are entitled to seats on the University Court.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stirlingstudentsunion.com/ |title=Stirling Students' Union |work=USSU|accessdate=15 January 2011}}</ref> The Union supports more than 90 clubs and societies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stirlingstudentsunion.com/clubssocieties/societies/|title=a-z of clubs & societies|website=www.stirlingstudentsunion.com|accessdate=2017-03-30}}</ref>

The Sports Union supports 53 sports clubs.

The University has student-run media services. ''Brig'' has been the campus newspaper since 1969. ''Air3 Radio'' was the first campus radio station in Scotland (previously URA – University Radio Airthrey), and ''AirTV'' (formerly Videoworks) is a television station for students, set up in 2002.

==Outside links==
{{Commons|University of Stirling}}
*[http://www.stir.ac.uk/ University of Stirling]
*[http://www.stirlingstudentsunion.com/ University of Stirling Students' Union]
*[http://storre.stir.ac.uk STORRE: Stirling Online Research Repository]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}