The University of Stirling opened its doors for the first time on 18 September 1967 to 164 undergraduate and 31 postgraduate students. Today the university is home to over 12,000 students engaged in research and study in a wide variety of subjects. Between September 2007 and August 2008 the university celebrated its 40th anniversary with a series of events, exhibitions, reunions and conferences. The university archives played a central role in these events providing information on the foundation and growth of the university and supplying images of the construction and development of the campus. The archives also benefitted from the generous donation of photographs and memorabilia from staff and alumni which has greatly added to our record of university life over the last 40 years.
As part of the celebrations for the University’s 40th anniversary an exhibition of photographs, archives and items from the university’s art collection was created, presenting a visual impression of the construction and growth of the campus. The material, which was displayed in the Pathfoot Building, provided a flavour of university life since 1967 – the major events, institutional developments and changing fashions! An online gallery of the photographs which were displayed as part of this exhibition was created on flickr.
University of Stirling 1967-2007: Buildings, landscape and environment
In November 2007 a conference sponsored by the University's History Department looking at the planning, construction and development of the University of Stirling was held as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations. The conference brought together a group of speakers which included architects involved in the planning and design of the new university in the 1960s, university staff and architectural historians. Copies of the presentations given by the speakers at the conference are available on request.
Conference programme:
10.00 – 10.15 INTRODUCTION – WELCOME AND OVERVIEW: Professor
10.15 – 12.30 COUNTRY ESTATE TO UNIVERSITY CAMPUS: Chair: Professor
Establishing a university at Stirling: Dr Ian Hutchison (
Maintaining and developing the estate:
Using and adapting the buildings: Dr Douglas Robertson (
Art and sculpture on the campus:
13.30 – 14.45 THE WIDER CONTEXT: Chair: Geoffrey Stell
Other RMJM (Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners) designed universities: Dr Miles Glendinning (Edinburgh College of Art)
14.45 – 17.30 ARCHITECTS AND CONSULTANTS: Chair: Diane Watters (RHAHMS)
Reminiscences: a series of reminiscences by Margaret Richards (formerly Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners); Gerard Bakker and Graham Dickson (formerly Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners) Dr Robert Steedman (formerly Partner, Morris & Steedman, Architects); Ed Hilliard (landscape architect)