Long reads archive

31 results found
    Our own Walter Raleighs: the story behind the photograph

    Our own Walter Raleighs: the story behind the photograph

    On the day of her death, we shared a black and white photograph of Her Majesty The Queen on the University home page and social media. The image, from Special Collections, shows a young Queen Elizabeth II on a visit to Dundee in June 1955 during which she renamed University College - then part of the…

    Promise delivered

    Promise delivered

    Popular legend has it that during a visit to NASA in 1961, President John F. Kennedy came across a janitor working late, mopping floors. "What are you doing working at this hour?" JFK inquired. "Mr President, I'm putting a man on the Moon," was the proud reply. We may not be blasting anyone into orbit…

    Learning in the time of Covid

    Learning in the time of Covid

    Following a switch to virtual teaching in Spring 2020, a small cohort of students finally returned to in-person teaching a few months later, with the remainder completing their studies wherever they were in the world.

    Beginning to see the light

    Beginning to see the light

    For the third time in the University's history, 1,900 graduating students will be conferred their degrees online. With restrictions starting to lift, our graduating students shared moments of their Covid-19 experience.

    Royal Reunion

    Royal Reunion

    As a special marker of their ten-year anniversary, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to the place where it all started 20 years ago when they were undergraduates of the University of St Andrews.

    St Andrews Can Do: Meaning

    St Andrews Can Do: Meaning

    From delivering essential supplies and cleaning up around town to students walking dogs for those unable to leave the house, hundreds of selfless acts combined to reflect the true spirit of the St Andrews' community.

    St Andrews Can Do: Connection

    St Andrews Can Do: Connection

    "The offering of events and activities throughout the year has really helped people to feel part of St Andrews and helped to counteract some of the isolation, stress and upset caused by the current restrictions."

    St Andrews Can Do: Getting outside

    St Andrews Can Do: Getting outside

    We can still gather together and still do some of the things that make life feel more normal. We just have to do it in a safe way. We're also really lucky that in St Andrews we have so many amazing outdoor spaces.

    St Andrews Can Do

    St Andrews Can Do

    In a time when most of us were being told what we couldn't do, the University of St Andrews took the bold step of taking on a new 'Can Do' mantra during the Covid-19 outbreak.

    Reflections of a Saint

    Reflections of a Saint

    A selection of Class of 2020 Winter Graduates share their thoughts on graduation in the time of Covid and, perhaps most importantly, the value of a hug.

    Doorstep Saints

    Doorstep Saints

    Summer in St Andrews is usually the time when graduating students and their families converge en masse to celebrate, graduate and reflect one last time on life in 'the bubble'.

    The 600th Anniversary Campaign

    The 600th Anniversary Campaign

    A celebration of how the University of St Andrews reached its £100 million fundraising target and what this has achieved.

    A line in the sand

    A line in the sand

    On Friday 20 September 2019 students and staff stood side-by-side with school children, activists and local residents to join international climate strikes.

    Living a good life with dementia

    Living a good life with dementia

    New methods of communicating with and entertaining people living with dementia have been developed through psychological research at St Andrews.

    Balance for better

    Balance for better

    The theme for this year's International Women's Day - which calls for collective action and shared responsibility for driving a gender-balanced world - is #BalanceforBetter.

    Capturing friendship

    Eve Arnold (Hon DLitt, 1997) and Marilyn Monroe

    Friendship between worlds

    Friendship between worlds

    "We have things to say, and we believe we can say them best together."

    The science of friendship

    The science of friendship

    "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main" – John Donne

    The art of friendship

    The art of friendship

    Emerson considered friendship in terms of “truth and tenderness”, Aristotle described friendship as the generous act of holding a mirror up to each other, Montaigne as a “holy name”, and Thoreau as “a grand stake for which the game of life may be played”.

    A 20th-century bromance

    A 20th-century bromance

    It's 100 years since JM Barrie was elected Rector of the University of St Andrews. His Rectoral address was testament to an inspiring, and tragic, friendship with Captain Scott of the Antarctic.

    Crumbling coast: Saving Scotland's heritage

    Crumbling coast: Saving Scotland's heritage

    Archaeologists at St Andrews have brought local communities together to find solutions for saving some of Scotland's most endangered historical sites from coastal erosion.

    LGBT+ life at St Andrews

    LGBT+ life at St Andrews

    For over 40 years the University has supported various LGBT groups at St Andrews who work to promote equality for all staff and students.

    What's bad about being good?

    What's bad about being good?

    Research at St Andrews explores effective altruism, a rapidly growing social movement which encourages us to do the most good we can with the money and time available.

    Breaking bonds

    Breaking bonds

    University of St Andrews' scientists have discovered a special type of bacterial binding. Their research suggests it may be possible to prevent some of the world's most dangerous bacteria from latching onto human cells.

    Discovering the Chanka

    Discovering the Chanka

    Dr Sabine Hyland, Social Anthropology, has conducted ethnohistorical and ethnographic research on the Chanka people of Peru, including the mysterious communication system consisting of knots on strings called khipus.

    St Andrews to Zambia

    St Andrews to Zambia

    Each summer, as part of Project Zambia and the Wallace Group IDEALS project, staff and students from the University travel to Zambia to undertake sports coaching, teaching and development work in local communities.

    Smart at first sight

    Smart at first sight

    Does beauty equal brains? According to a series of psychological studies led by Dr Sean Talamas, we are biased to think attractive people are more intelligent.

    The Virginia Woolf letters

    The Virginia Woolf letters

    A unique collection of handwritten letters, photos and first editions, held in the Special Collection Library, offers insight into Virginia Woolf the writer and also fascinating glimpses into Virginia Woolf the woman.

    Chinese Makars

    Chinese Makars

    Creative writers and Chinese speakers from across the University were invited to attend a series of workshops exploring classic Chinese poets.

    The Quad

    The Quad

    Sallies Quad, the geographical and historical heart of the University of St Andrews, is the setting for many significant student rites of passage and central to the St Andrews experience.

    Light Box

    Light Box

    An exciting collaborative project between Poet Robert Crawford, Norman McBeath, and scientists from the University of St Andrews resulted in an artistic collaboration of poet, photographer and physicists: Light Box.