Progress towards UN SDG 4: Quality education
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Our research
An innovative partnership between the University of Glasgow and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, that supports educators across Welsh primary, secondary and special schools in implementing the Curriculum for Wales, has been awarded £2 million by the Welsh Government.
‘Curriculum Design Partnerships: Creating Learning for Wales (CFWGSP-4)’ takes a collaborative approach to developing professional knowledge of curriculum making, progression and assessment.
The project will support the development of ‘knowledgeable others’ within school clusters by working with practitioners to develop process approaches to lesson creation, classroom pedagogy and ways of assessing that will support learners to make meaningful progress. Support materials will also be created that share practice and help to develop capacity across the wider system.
Practitioners in the project will form curriculum design teams, take part in workshops and twilight sessions and be supported by school visits to develop sustainable and locally relevant approaches to curriculum design. The project specifically builds the capacity of those involved to support others in the system to develop these ways of working beyond the life of the project. The funding was awarded by the Welsh Government's Curriculum for Wales Grant Support Programme.
Learning & teaching
Scottish Government Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth joined staff and students to mark the formal launch of the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Glasgow.
The facility has been established with the aim of ensuring Scotland is at the forefront of global teaching practice, and will support research and innovation within the profession. The centre has been developed in partnership with teachers and professional associations as part of ongoing work to reform Scotland’s education system.
The Glasgow base will be complemented by a further two hubs in Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Gaelic Medium Education) and in Dumfries (Rural & Remote Education & Learning for Sustainability). There will be up to 40 secondment opportunities for teachers across the country to support the work of the research hubs.
The University’s Widening Access team is working in partnership with educational charity IntoUniversity, providing educational support to 7- to 18-year-olds from two of the most deprived areas of Glasgow. Since launching in 2021, over 5,600 young people have been supported, including nearly 4,000 across primary and secondary schools in the last academic year alone. Over 70% of school leavers from the programme have progressed to university or college – compared to the national average of 40.8%. Students from our centres have gone on to study at 19 different universities, 16 of them in Scotland. At the local level, 75% of Govan students said they work better at school; and 77% of Maryhill students said they are now more likely to go to university.
University operations
The University of Glasgow microcredential courses are a gateway to enhancing skills and career prospects in today's competitive job market.
With the aim of supporting employees and employers across the UK to upskill and reskill in response to present-day socioeconomic challenges, our industry-led CPD courses offer learners the opportunity to attain 10-20 academic credits fully online and flexibly around existing work or caring schedules.
Beneficial for working professionals, freelancers, reskillers, jobseekers and graduates from a variety of industries and professional backgrounds, the University’s microcredentials are designed to equip learners with in-demand skills and tools for your career development, no matter where you are on your journey.
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Civic engagement
Tutoring staff from the University of Glasgow will be working in classrooms across Scotland this academic year to help engage children and young people in their studies and improve attainment.
In partnership with Queen Margaret University, the scheme will provide extra tutoring support to almost 500 pupils, with a particular focus on those most affected by poverty. The announcement comes as a new survey of almost 1,000 school staff found three-quarters felt the poverty-related attainment gap has narrowed because of the Scottish Government’s flagship Scottish Attainment Challenge.
The tutoring programme builds on the University of Glasgow’s long-standing commitment to widening participation and ensuring that all young people, regardless of background, can succeed.
In 2025, the city of Glasgow turned 850 years old, the perfect excuse for a party! To mark the occasion, the Glasgow Science Festival ran from 5–15 June 2025 with the theme ‘Glasgow Celebrates’, taking inspiration from the city’s coat of arms and poem: Here's the tree that never grew, here’s the bird that never flew, here’s the bell that never rang, here’s the fish that never swam.
The festival saw over 85k in-person participants from 232 schools enjoy a packed programme featuring 100s of events and activities in 50+ venues across the city, including a mock trial, anatomy museum tours and the Art of Science.
A new national centre for Scotland’s teachers has been established at the University which aims to ensure Scotland is at the forefront of global teaching practice.
Find out about our progress towards the 17 SDGs:
