Abbey is grand setting for meal

The 120th anniversary of the founding of the University of the West of Scotland has been celebrated at Paisley Abbey.

The evening at the 12th-century building began with a drinks reception and tours of the abbey, followed by a dinner based on the 1897 founding luncheon menu.

The event also featured choral music created and performed by UWS commercial music students and alumni, led by David Scott of the university’s School of Media, Culture and Society.

Attending were around 100 guests, including civic dignitaries, business leaders and entrepreneurs, alongside a range of UWS alumni from the UK and around the world, many of whom had not been back to Paisley for some years.

Professor Craig Mahoney, UWS principal and vice-chancellor, said: “This dinner was the culmination of a number of alumnifocused activities that we have held this week to celebrate what is a hugely important anniversary for UWS.

“Since our inception in 1897, we have evolved and developed through merger and growth to form a university now home to over 16,000 students across five campuses and with an expanding network of partners worldwide and an increasingly strong reputation.

“Our year of celebration recognises our successes, the rich legacies on which we are built and our significant strengths which will take us forward as a progressive, studentled institution with equality of opportunity for all at its heart.”

In addition to being 120 years since the founding of Paisley Technical School, 2017 also marks 25 years since the granting of university status as University of Paisley and 10 years since the university merged with the former Bell College to become University of the West of Scotland.