Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is a vibrant, multicultural, modern university, placed in the top 50 universities in the world for its social impact. The University has more than 20,000 students from over 100 countries and 1,600 staff, who enjoy state-of-the-art facilities across each of the campuses in Glasgow, London and New York. Royal Academician, singer-songwriter, social activist and philanthropist Dr Annie Lennox OBE is the Chancellor of GCU.

GCU has a strong social mission: it is the University for the Common Good, a commitment that is embedded in its high-quality educational offering and its focus on research excellence in key areas. National performance indicators show the strong completion rate of its students, often from challenging backgrounds, and an exceptionally low drop-out rate. GCU also emerged as the top Modern University in Scotland for research power at the last Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise. The University’s new 2030 strategy ensures that the University has clear ambitions as it responds to the challenges and opportunities of the decade ahead.

With a modern campus in the heart of Glasgow, the University is unique in its global reach through a degree-awarding operation in New York in addition to a campus in London, and models of delivery which include partnerships in China, South Africa, Oman and Mauritius. Closer to home, the 'Caledonian Club', the University's award-winning outreach initiative, has reached 20,000 local children, families and carers, while the outstanding results of its highly performing 'Advanced Higher Hub' bring transformational opportunities to sixth-form students across Glasgow; both of these initiatives form part of the University's overall objective to further its public engagement credentials in the years ahead.

The University Court is GCU's governing body. Working with the Vice-Chancellor and her executive team, the Court is committed to advancing the University’s sustainability and success and securing its pre-eminence in a competitive higher education landscape. The Court is also responsible for approving the University’s overall strategic direction and exercising general oversight of the University’s performance, development, and legal and regulatory compliance.

Under the current Chair, the Court is developing strongly as a body where Members are well-networked with each other, engage constructively with the executive, and where collegiality and supportive challenge work in productive partnership. Normally, a Court dinner with a topical external speaker and including students and members of staff, takes place on the evening before each Court meeting. The Governor Link Scheme associates individual lay governors with a key functional area of business or a core strategic theme such as climate and sustainability.

GCU seeks to appoint a Member of Court who has in-depth experience of civic society in Glasgow or Scotland more widely.

The successful candidate will be well-networked and have a strong understanding of how the city of Glasgow operates and how the University can further its contribution to the communities in which it's located. Applicants may come from a broad range of backgrounds, including community leadership, the charitable sector, civic society, the public sector or the private sector, but above all they will bring an in-depth knowledge of Glasgow's social, political and cultural landscape.

As the University looks to further its public engagement, the new Governor will be able to act as a valuable sounding board for the Court and the executive team, asking insightful questions, challenging ideas appropriately and suggesting new ways of approaching problems.

Importantly, candidates will be able to demonstrate their commitment to the University’s mission, vision and values and to offer the time and dedication to contribute at meetings, informally, and as an ambassador for the University.

This role is unremunerated, but reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed. There are six Court meetings and three to five Committee meetings. Governors are also expected to be available for ad hoc communication. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed twice at the discretion of the Court.

The Court and its Committees have continued to operate effectively using technology since March 2020.