University of Glasgow hosts the visit of Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf
The University of Glasgow was delighted to welcome Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf to its new Clarice Pears Building today to learn more about the University’s commitment to addressing health inequalities through its research and civic engagement.
The First Minister was welcomed by Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, along with Professor Iain McInnes, Vice Principal and Head of the College of MVLS; and Professors Kate O’Donnell and Laurence Moore.
The recently opened Clarice Pears Building is part of the University’s campus redevelopment and home to the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Science’s School of Health and Wellbeing, a global leader in research into population health and health inequalities. The work being done within the Clarice Pears Building forms part of the University’s wider cross-institutional focus on addressing the health issues facing our communities.
The First Minister was shown round by Professor Shona Hilton, from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU), and learned about the University’s important new partnership with policy, practice and community stakeholders to tackle inequalities within Glasgow City Region. He also met Professor Jim Lewsey, whose recent research investigated the public health impacts of minimum unit pricing for alcohol; and Dr David Blane, whose work with the Deep End GPs focuses on the role of primary care in mitigating health inequalities.
Professor Sara Macdonald then met the First Minister and introduced the exhibitions in the Clarice Pears Building which were co-created with Glasgow Science Centre and provide an overview of the University’s Byres Community Hub and its important work with local community groups.
The First Minister also heard about the University’s recent signing of an MoU with GE Healthcare, which will see the two organisations identify opportunities for collaboration focused on people-centred healthcare and outcomes; and discussed the recent announcement of the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District (GRID), Scotland’s first whole-system demonstrator, committed to driving innovation and rapid translation of research into improved outcomes for the people of Scotland.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Tackling poverty and protecting people from harm is one of three critical and interdependent missions for the Scottish Government – alongside our focus on the economy and strengthening public services. Research projects like those being demonstrated by the University of Glasgow are absolutely vital to Scotland’s economic and societal growth.
“The School of Health and Wellbeing’s research showcases the innovative thinking taking place at the University of Glasgow, which is typical of Scotland’s world-class higher education institutions. The new Clarice Pears building adds tremendous value to the education and research being carried out at the University, creating a space for interaction between the university and local communities to address social and health inequalities.”
Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow said: “We are delighted to welcome the First Minister back to his alma mater today to visit our Clarice Pears Building, the new home for our School of Health and Wellbeing. Our researchers in the Clarice Pears are focused on understanding and evaluating the variety of complex factors which impact health inequalities and health outcomes for communities in Scotland and across the world.
“As a civic University, we want to be able to use our research to effect meaningful change. Addressing health inequalities will be a cross-cutting research priority for the University in the years ahead, and we look forward to working together with our local community and with the Scottish Government to bring about positive change, which will make Glasgow and Scotland fairer and more equal for everyone who lives here.”