Portal:Scotland/Selected article/Week 47, 2010

The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the world. Today it is ranked as amongst the top ten British universities for teaching quality and was the Sunday Times "Scottish University of the Year" for 2007. The university is a member of the Russell Group and of Universitas 21.

Glasgow was originally founded by a papal bull issued by Pope Nicholas V at the suggestion of King James II, giving Bishop William Turnbull permission to add the university to the city's cathedral. The Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Aberdeen are ecclesiastical foundations, while Edinburgh was a civic foundation. Since 1870, the main University campus has been located on Gilmorehill in the West End of the city. Additionally, there are a number of university buildings elsewhere in the city, a facility at Loch Lomond, the University Marine Biological Station Millport and the Crichton Campus in Dumfries (which is jointly operated alongside a number of other institutions). Glasgow has departments of Law, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, and Dentistry—a position that is unique amongst the other universities in Scotland.