University of Glasgow

Insight-driven strategic planning

Engaging local, national and international stakeholders to shape the next phase of a world-class university

Sector

Higher Education

Location

Glasgow, UK

Expertise

What we delivered

Stakeholder insight
Strategic planning
Inclusive engagement

The University of Glasgow was preparing a new 10-year strategy under incoming leadership.

Widely respected for its global academic standing, the institution recognised it faced converging pressures: a shifting funding model, demographic change, AI-led disruption, and questions about its regional role. Aspect was commissioned to uncover what stakeholders really thought – and what should come next.

Our External Affairs team built a qualitative-first insight programme to ensure the next strategy was grounded in what mattered most to the University’s partners, from funders and civic leaders to international collaborators. Our strategic approach surfaced five key themes and twelve actionable recommendations, balancing global ambition with civic responsibility and institutional clarity.

Civic and sector stakeholder interviews

Conducted 1:1 interviews with dozens of senior leaders spanning government, industry, research, and education across Scotland, the UK, and global partner networks.

Public sentiment analysis

Delivered Scotland-wide polling (1,686 responses) on public perceptions of universities, with local boosts in Glasgow and Dumfries to explore civic alignment.

Strategic theme synthesis

Distilled insights into a series of strategic tensions - global vs. civic, inquiry vs. impact, depth vs. flexibility - and mapped them to leadership discussion sessions.

Facilitated leadership dialogue

Hosted a closed-door strategy session with senior University leaders to debate trade-offs, validate tensions, and align around practical next steps.

Project highlights

Deep structure, broad vision

The project secured direct insight from the organisations and leaders that the University most valued, reframing the strategy as a tool for deep engagement with stakeholders that not only informed the research findings, but helped vital cement strategic relationships.

From data to direction

The output helped shape a strategic dialogue among University leaders, providing clear narrative focus, helping the institution cut through complexity and re-centre around values-led priorities.

Insight that shaped a decade of strategy

This wasn’t just a stakeholder research project; it became a vital tool for assessing how the University of Glasgow sees itself and is seen. The work informed the framing, structure and direction of the University’s next 10-year strategy, giving leaders the confidence to make trade-offs, listen more deeply, and lead with purpose. It bridged the perception gap between global visibility and local resonance, enabling a strategy that’s both ambitious and anchored.

“Both the insight gathered and the way it was shared through a facilitated Board strategy session provided an excellent jumping off point for what the institution needs to do next. Aspect did an excellent job of framing what we need to reflect on in terms of reputation, opportunities and tensions as we discuss and develop the University’s strategy.”