St Andrews scoops a series of top spots in UK university awards

The University of St Andrews has been named University of the Year for Student Experience in the new Daily Mail University Guide, which was published earlier this month. St Andrews was singled out for its sustained performance at the top of the National Student Survey. The survey measures student satisfaction along with the quality of teaching and academic support.

Hot on the heels of this award was the news that St Andrews has been named the top University in Scotland and second in the UK behind Oxford, according to the Guardian University Guide 2025.

Academic schools at St Andrews also performed very strongly, with Biology; Business and Management; Chemistry; Classics and Ancient History; Languages and Linguistics; Media and Film Studies; and International Relations ranked top in the UK.

In The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025, published last week, St Andrews received two national awards. The University was named Scottish University of the Year 2025 and University of the Year for Student Experience 2025.

Members of the Alumni Relations team welcoming new students and their families

Orientation Week: a warm welcome

It was fantastic to meet so many of our future alumni and their families during Orientation Week. Many stopped by the Development Office Courtyard to collect their free lanyard, and to sample Fisher and Donaldson fudge doughnuts and other St Andrews treats.

We also welcomed new members of our Family Programme to the Younger Hall for special receptions, where they had the opportunity to hear from the Principal Professor Dame Sally Mapstone. 

Did you know that if you're a Family Programme member you can send cakes and bakes to your student through our Love from Home service?

Campaign Launch Weekend events

Our exciting programme of celebratory events to mark the launch of our new Making Waves Campaign for St Andrews includes ‘Dynamic Stage’ panel discussions showcasing research impact at the University, the launch of our Business School, and a Torchlit Parade led by the Madras College Pipe Band. A reminder of the event details can be found below.

10.30am – Dynamic Stage: Research Impact at St Andrews

Booth Lecture Theatre, Medical Building, North Haugh

Hear from world-leading academics undertaking pioneering research in the fields of sustainability, artificial intelligence and more in a series of engaging panel discussions. Our experts will be answering questions including: 'What is Intelligence?', 'How do we build a secure world?', and 'Can we ever build a sustainable environment?'. Discover how the University of St Andrews is uniquely placed to solve some of these problems.

1.30pm – University of St Andrews Business School Launch

'New College' Marquee, South Street (site of the old Madras College)

Join academic and business leaders to celebrate the launch of University of St Andrews Business School, which brings together and builds on the strengths of the former Schools Economics and Finance, and Management, to develop globally-minded leaders with the ambition, knowledge, and skills to create a more prosperous and sustainable world.

The event will feature a keynote address from David Jones, global advertising leader and youth leadership advocate, Brandtech Group founder, and former Havas Worldwide CEO. This will be followed by a panel discussion about the future of leadership in an uncertain global context: Opportunities in the University of St Andrews Business School and the New College.

7pm – 8pm – Torchlit Parade

St Salvator’s Quad, South Street

Experience a magical torchlit parade from St Salvator’s Quad to St Mary's Quad, via the Harbour and beautiful East Sands beach. Alumni, students, friends, families and staff are warmly invited to participate in this evening procession, with the opportunity to carry one of 100 'geolights'.

Our thanks to all those who have registered to join us at these occasions on Saturday 28 September.

We look forward to seeing many of you there, and at future events throughout the Campaign.

Edinburgh Impact Event

Join us at Shepherd and Wedderburn, 9 Haymarket Square, Edinburgh on Thursday 3 October at 6pm to learn more about our exciting plans for a Digital Nexus building – a landmark home for the School of Computer Science at St Andrews.

Hear from the Master of the United College and Professor of Applied Mathematics, Ineke de Moortel, and enjoy a presentation by Professor Simon Dobson of the School of Computer Science entitled 'Can we afford AI (and the rest of computing)?'.

Modern computing – especially deep learning AI – uses a formidable amount of resources. At the same time we want to expand the reach of sensing, communications and computing technologies to address societal challenges. Professor Dobson will consider whether we can afford to do so – or, more precisely, what we can do to make it affordable.

Only a few places remain. Please RSVP using the link below if you wish to attend.

Save the dates: Impact Events

We will be hosting further Campaign Impact Events over the coming months, with more information and additional cities and dates to follow. For now, please save the dates.

• New York – Wednesday 9 October

• Washington DC – Thursday 10 October

• London – Tuesday 12 November

• Berlin – Wednesday 13 November

• Frankfurt – Thursday 14 November

We hope to see many of our alumni, families and friends around the world at these events.

QS Survey: call for alumni support

The QS World University Rankings recognise the top global universities, including the University of St Andrews. We are calling on our alumni to support St Andrews by participating in the survey and sharing feedback on our University. 

There are two ways to get involved. Whether you're a graduate in employment or you employ a St Andrews graduate you can make a difference. Would your employer be willing to complete the upcoming QS survey about the calibre of graduates they employ?

Please let us know at alumni@st-andrews.ac.uk and we will be in touch with you in October with further information about how to participate in the survey. QS is a crucial ranking for St Andrews and your support would be greatly appreciated.

Kaleidoscope Alumni Network Podcast

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Kaleidoscope Alumni Network podcast series: 15 Minutes with… and Ad lib, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and coming soon to other platforms.

These form a series of conversations, which we hope will become as varied and engaging as our alumni. 

Ad lib features conversations with and about alumni. Some of you may already have listened to our first episode, Colonial Era Pipe Organs featuring Jonathan Pinto (MLitt 2022). Episode two features Tasnia Khandaker Prova (MSc 2020).

Over the coming months, fellow alumni will be sharing their stories with us. You’ll hear tales of linguistic bravery and international entertainment from Stephen Weathers (MA 1995), and Juno Lee (MA 2018) will be discussing lifelong entrepreneurship – with more to follow.

Our alumni live all over the world, and so we’re also shining a light on some of the people making this special corner of North East Fife more inclusive. We’ve recorded some insightful conversations for ‘15 minutes with...’ featuring colleagues across the University.

We hope you enjoy listening to them as much as we enjoyed recording them!

Save the date: future events

Coffee Connect: save the date!

Our bi-annual mentoring initiative – Coffee Connect – will launch on Monday 30 September. The programme offers you, our alumni, the opportunity to mentor a current student or a recent St Andrews graduate. Participants are matched with a mentor or mentee via our exclusive alumni platform, Saint Connect, which also offers you access to journals and the chance to engage with local alumni clubs.

Coffee Connect is delivered in partnership with the University's Careers Service, which supports all alumni for three years after graduation.

Your email invitation is coming shortly – please look out for it! In the meantime, why not find out more about our St Andrews alumni benefits?

The Andrew Carnegie Lecture Series

Patricia Hill Collins will give the next lecture in the Andrew Carnegie Lecture Series on Wednesday 9 October 2024 at 6pm in the Buchanan Lecture Theatre, Union Street, St Andrews. Her talk is entitled 'Reimagining Community: Intersectionality and Participatory Democracy'.

Patricia Hill Collins is the Distinguished University Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Charles Phelps Taft Professor Emerita of African American Studies at the University of Cincinnati.

This event is free and open to all. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Find out more about the Carnegie Lecture Series.

St Andrews Links Collegiate Golf Tournament

The University of St Andrews Golf team will compete against teams from the University of Arizona, Howard University and Northwestern University in the 2024 St Andrews Links Collegiate from Monday 14 – Wednesday 16 October. The tournament is presented by TopGolf and World Wide Technology and will be played on the Old Course, St Andrews.

This is the second year the event has been held, and the first time that all four universities will appear.

The three-day event will feature men’s and women’s golf teams from the four universities with two days of stroke play on the Jubilee Course followed by a day of medal match play on the Old Course at St Andrews.

NBC Sports will present live coverage of the St Andrews Links Collegiate on GOLF Channel and Peacock in the United States. Sky Sports will provide coverage in the UK.

Alumni, families and friends of the University are encouraged to spectate and show their support for the St Andrews golfers.

Alumni Weekend 2025

We are excited to announce the dates for Alumni Weekend 2025! Join us in St Andrews from Friday 27 - Sunday 29 June for a packed programme of events and an opportunity to catch up with fellow alumni and make new connections in our University community.

If you would like help to reconnect with former classmates and fellow graduates in advance of Alumni Weekend, we will be happy to help. Email alumni@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Further details will be shared in due course. For now, please save the date!

Sustainability Week 2024

Alumni, parents and friends are warmly invited to join us for a week of events to showcase the breadth and scope of sustainability research, innovation and engagement initiatives at St Andrews, from 28 October - 1 November.

The programme kicks of with a keynote event and includes panel discussions on AI and sustainability, the premiere of our Corrour partnership video, tree planting, and a walk to Kinkell Barn to visit our Highland cows. 

The final of the 2024 St Andrews Prize for the Environment will also be held during Sustainability Week, with three inspiring projects from across the world presenting their innovative solutions to pressing environmental issues.

Sands International Film Festival 2025

The popular Sands International Film Festival will return for its fourth year from Friday 25 - Sunday 27 April 2025 featuring a programme of speakers and screenings spanning the breadth of the film industry. This year's guests included Joe and Anthony Russo, Harry and Tom Holland (pictured), Steven Soderbergh, Alan Silvestri, Casting Director Debra Zane and fellow stars on and behind the camera.

Programme details for 2025 will be shared in the coming months. For now, please mark your calendars!

Theiya Arts Photo credit: Estefani Correia (It's the Key Photography)

South Asian Festival of Poetry, Music and Dance

All are warmly invited to attend the inaugural South Asian Festival of Poetry, Music and Dance on Saturday 16 November in the McPherson Recital Room at the Laidlaw Music Centre.

The festival is supported by the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network.

Dance Workshop, led by Theiya Arts and featuring a variety of dance traditions

2.30-4.30pm (10 spaces available, which must be booked in advance. Please contact Dr Jane Pettegree at jkp1@st-andrews.ac.uk if you wish to attend.)

Reception, hosted by the Indian Society

6-7pm

Festival of Poetry, Music and Dance, featuring music from flautist Diljeet Bhachu, poetry, dance and music from staff and students from a range of South Asian cultural backgrounds.

7-9.30pm

If you would like to opt in to receive updates and communications from the Kaleidoscope Alumni Network, please contact stakan@st-andrews.ac.uk. 

Innovation Week 2024

Hosted by the University of St Andrews' Entrepreneurship Centre, Innovation Week 2024 runs from 7-11 October and is designed to inspire innovation, foster collaboration and drive entrepreneurship through a series of events.

This year's programme includes interactive workshops, networking events and thought-provoking sessions led by high-profile speakers, including St Andrews alumni.

All are welcome to participate and attend. The full programme and registration details can be found below.

Through Entrepreneurial St Andrews we are siphoning academic excellence into sustainable, social and commercial innovation. Find out more about Entrepreneurial St Andrews.

Calling our alumni: we would love to hear from you!

The Development Office hosts a busy and varied programme of events throughout the year and produces publications including Chronicle and other bespoke alumni communications. We also have over 12,000 members on our online platform, Saint Connect.

We would love to hear from you about what else you'd like to see from the Development Office. Are there events or talks you would like to attend? Information you would like to receive?

Please let us know by emailing the team at alumni@st-andrews.ac.uk. We can't promise to deliver everything requested but your feedback will help us to shape our offering. Thank you!

Alumni Stories

Climate security and lifelong learning

This month we hear from alumna Katarina Kertysova (MA 2012) – pictured above with Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO – about her pathway to success working in climate and Arctic security at NATO's headquarters in Brussels. 

We are also pleased to feature the late Dr Sheila Wilyman (Bowyer) (PhD 2006), who led a truly extraordinary life and graduated from St Andrews with a PhD at the age of 78.

If you would like to share an Alumni Story, contact the editor at sem28@st-andrews.ac.uk. 

Alumni Authors

To submit a book under Alumni Authors, please complete the online form linked below. Titles submitted will be considered for inclusion in a future issue of St Andrews in the News.

SaintsFunder: Volunteer Zambia update

Four St Andrews students travelled to Lusaka during the summer to support NGO Sport in Action (SiA) through Volunteer Zambia – a sports volunteering programme run by the Wallace Group. The students worked with the SiA team to use sport to engage, educate and empower young people, with a focus on working with women and girls.

Our volunteers led coaching workshops, covered the fundamentals of their sports – this year football and netball – taught drills, lesson planning skills and engaged in community outreach. They also learned coaching tips and skills from their Zambian counterparts.

The workshops are recognised by Zambian governing bodies of sport and allow coaches to gain accredited qualifications, enabling them to increase sports participation all year round.

Laidlaw Live

Look out for the latest Laidlaw Music Centre live-streamed concerts and access high quality music – wherever you are in the world.

Reconnect!

If you know someone who would like to reconnect and sign up for St Andrews in the News, they can do so using the links below:

Alumni: Update your contact information 

Parents/guardians of undergraduate students: Register to join the Family Programme

Email: alumni@st-andrews.ac.uk for more information