University of St Andrews community gathers to celebrate Business School launch
On Saturday, 28 September 2024, more than 200 staff, students, alumni, and donors gathered to celebrate the official launch of the University of St Andrews Business School.
The Business School aims to develop globally-minded leaders with the ambition, knowledge, and skills to create a more prosperous and sustainable world through world-leading research, education excellence, and purposeful partnerships.
The launch event took place on the future site of New College, a £140 million project designed by internationally renowned architecture firm WilkinsonEyre, on the historic grounds of the former Madras College in the centre of St Andrews.
Expected to open in 2027, New College will house the Business School and the School of International Relations, creating a hub for interdisciplinary research and teaching to address global and local challenges such as climate change, technological advancement, and geopolitical instability.
University Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE opened the proceedings, followed by Deputy Principal Professor Brad MacKay, who outlined the ambitious future for the Business School and its role in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
Prominent business and technology leader David Jones delivered the keynote address about the impact of artificial intelligence on brands and leadership. Jones drew on his extensive experience as a global advertising executive, advisor to world leaders, and founder of the youth leaders charity One Young World, as well as the pioneering AI marketing company the Brandtech Group.
Attendees also enjoyed a panel discussion, “The future of leadership in an uncertain global context,” chaired by Professor MacKay. Panellists Professor Mark Brewer, Dean of the University of St Andrews Business School; Professor Phillips O’Brien, Head of the School of International Relations; Dr Sapnoti Eswar, Senior Lecturer in Finance; and Yasmin Coffey, a Masters in Management student, explored how the new Business School and New College will address global challenges and prepare students to lead in an uncertain world.
Dean of the University of St Andrews Business School, Professor Mark Brewer, said:
This corner of North East Fife has attracted brilliant minds for seven centuries. Standing in the heart of St Andrews, surrounded by such a remarkable group of students, staff, alumni, and donors, was a powerful reminder of the strength of this University’s community and our shared commitment to engaging with interconnected global and local challenges and opportunities, from geopolitical risks and fast-paced technological change to an accelerating climate crisis.
“This incredible community will play a vital role in developing the knowledge, skills, and leadership needed to find innovative solutions to foster the effective economic, environmental, and societal stewardship we need in an increasingly uncertain world.
For more information about the University of St Andrews Business School, visit the School strategy.
Gathering on the future site of New College