The Vice-Chancellor’s Fund
Professor Sir Gerry McCormac launched the Vice-Chancellor’s Fund in 2013 to support specific areas of need which enhance and enrich the student experience – particularly one-off or start-up costs for new projects. Any student or member of staff is eligible to apply. The Fund is made possible by the generous personal contribution from the Vice-Chancellor who established the Fund to meet the needs of the student body on campus and beyond.
The Vice Chancellor’s Fund applications are now closed.
Key dates
Application opens: Monday 27 February 2023
Application closes: Thursday 30 March 2023
Judging Panel Meeting: Tuesday 18 April 2023
Vice Chancellor’s Fund Ceremony: Wednesday 26 April 2023
Ongoing projects
Take a closer look at projects supported by the Vice-Chancellor's Fund since 2015.
2020
| Projects | Description |
|---|---|
| 2020 Sports Awards – Recognising Achievement | Supporting Sports Union awards for 2019/20. |
| Nightline Stirling | Support training of new volunteers, introduce new instant messaging service and improve call-room facility. |
| SUWFC – making women’s football even more inclusive | Support training and medical equipment. |
| Establishing a second team for women’s rugby | Supporting BUCS fees. |
| Grow the Game; Prepare the Players | Supporting Water Polo by funding referee courses, providing a lockable storage cage and various pieces of kit. |
| Get Us On Track For Pass Back | Supporting Scottish Hockey fees. |
| Gender Awareness Training | This project aims to provide Gender Awareness Training surrounding the use of inclusive language to staff of the Student’s Union. |
| Equipment Purchase for Stirling University Boat Club (Rowing) | Purchase of second-hand Aylings 8+ |
| SUWLC Second Team | Support funding for keeper kit and umpire training. |
| Air3 Radio - podcasting studio | Creation of podcast studio and equipment costs. |
| Bleed Green TV | Supporting equipment costs. |
| The Sustainable Lifestyle Kit Project | Making up and supplying kits with sustainable items for students at the start of the semester. |
| Developing STEER peer-support programme | Student intern coordinating the STEER Mentor programme. |
| Judo | Purchase of new judogi - a heavy weave uniform that is made especially durable and thick for proper gripping and throwing. |
| Stirlympics | Equipment costs to hold campus event. |
| Physio funding for Sports Union | Funding to support clubs requiring physio. |
| Digital Skills-Development Webinar Series | The Digital Skills-Development Webinar Series will aim to empower student and graduate entrepreneurs to acquire a basic understanding and skillset to consider, and utilise, digital strategies to combat |
2017
| Projects | Description |
| Student Enterprise - Digital Project | Promoting entrepreneurship, the incubator space and reconnecting with alumni entrepreneurs by interviews/Vox pops. |
| StirDigMedia | Project will introduce UG and TPG students practical applications of social media campaigns in partnership with the third sector. The project will also increase employability through working with real clients as well as managing real time campaigns for third sector clients. |
| ELSA UK National Conference |
March 2018 - Raising the University profile by hosting the ELSA (European Law Students Association) conference on campus, and funds to support additional delegates to attend. |
| Dementia Project - innovation through participation | Creating a working group with people who have dementia to understand how Dementia Studies programmes can involve real life experiences creating greater student experience and research/work. |
| Under Pressure - Sub-Aqua Club | Core equipment cost for a new air compressor. |
| Community Support Partnerships Project | Promotional campaign to raise awareness to student and staff community of partnerships both the University and Students Union have, particularly the Citizens Advice Bureau. This is tied into the One Stirling Campaign. |
| Housing Committees Pilot |
Creation of committees that focus on improving the student experience of those living in university accommodation, through competitions, social and sports events. |
| University of Stirling Trampoline and Gymnastics Club | This award is part funding the new purchase of a trampoline bed for the University of Stirling Trampoline and Gymnastics Club (SUTGC). SUTGC have two BUCS National Champions. |
| Cycling Club |
Purchase of an off-road mountain bike to increase participation and facilitate the increasing number of members the club is securing. |
| Netball Club First Aid Qualifications | Part funding qualifications for 12 students and provision of first aid kits to ensure there is always a qualified first aider at games and training. Club members also help at community sports clubs. |
| Stryvling - Creative Writing Anthology | Start up of new publishing press to create an annual creative anthology with contributions from students, staff and alumni. The project will help the employability of Publishing and Creative Writing students and provide creative collaboration across the University. |
| Make you move - Chess Club | Purchase of 13 chess sets and prizes for a chess tournament in order to increase participation and improve the student experience. |
| UNITY Conference | To celebrate the University's 50th Anniversary the Faculty of Health and Social Science with support of their students are holding a National Conference to promote and share best practice in Service User and Carer involvement in Social Work education. Funding will allow an addition 25 delegates to attend increasing the number of attendees to 150. |
| Organic Student Eats | As part of the Green and Blue Space this project is to provide non-volunteering students with organic and seasonal campus grown produce at an affordable price. |
2016
| Projects | Description |
| Table Tennis Club - New Equipment |
The award will be used for the purchase of equipment. |
| Hope for Futsal |
The ‘Hope for Futsal’ project will involve going to schools and arranging futsal trainings and games for students in order to introduce them to the sport. The award will be used towards running costs and a promotional video to attract sponsors and members. |
| Pool Table - Juniper Court Social Space |
The award will allow the purchase of a quality pool table which will be located in Juniper Court. |
| Union Camera: Capturing the Student Experience |
The money will be used to upgrade the Union’s camera equipment. |
| The Undergraduate Mile a Day |
As part of the new 2016 curriculum SHS plan to introduce the Daily Mile concept to their students. The award will be used to promote the initiative. |
| Environmental Volunteer Development |
The award will go towards volunteer training costs, teambuilding opportunities and in-house workshops. |
| Believe in Your Public Speaking Skills But Never Stop Improving |
This project aims to deliver workshops to develop and advance public speaking skills of postgraduate students by providing an opportunity to explore their confidence and self-image, and develop a number of essential techniques to significantly improve their public speaking skills. |
| Securing and Soundproofing the Practice Room |
The award will be used to secure and soundproof the practice room in Airthrey cottage. |
| My Volunteering Award |
The award will be used towards the launch of My Volunteering Award, an initiative to recognise student volunteers for their volunteering commitments. |
| Stirling Language Immersion Project |
The award will be used to boost intercultural communication and awareness by providing free language classes and organising events. |
| Basic Skills Cookery |
The award will be used towards the costs of training volunteers to lead the cookery skills workshops which give students the confidence and skills to prepare healthy meals and educate them about efficient and sustainable ways of shopping and eating. |
| Growing our Garden |
The award will go towards increasing the perennial plant cover in the garden and reducing the amount of maintenance and annual planting required. |
| Lunch with a Leader |
‘Lunch with a Leader’ is a project aimed at facilitating connections between students and businesses, furthering understanding and awareness of entrepreneurship and enterprise. The project will provide the opportunity each month for up to three students to have lunch with a local business leader. |
| Celebrating Student Success in Workplace' Awards Ceremony |
The award will go towards a collaboration between the Career Development Centre and Students’ Union, creating an awards ceremony to celebrate student success in the workplace. The awards ceremony will recognise students who have used their initiative in the workplace to improve themselves and their future employability. These awards will also recognise local, national and global employer partnerships with University of Stirling staff in supporting and developing student employability. |
| Bikes Project |
The award will allow the acquisition of three club bikes, for use by club members in triathlons and recreational members in group rides. |
2015
| Projects | Description |
| Arts and Humanities Employability Film | The aim of this project is to commission film students in the Faculty to put together a short film where employers give short interviews, giving students the opportunity to network and learn more about employability within their area of study. |
| The Clansmen | A grant was issued to the American Football Club to partially fund new cold weather capes for the team. |
| Postgraduate Research Student Event |
The Faculty of Social Sciences (formerly the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences) were issued a joint grant to fund an event which will create a network of Stirling research students (face to face and online). |
| Student Media Training Day | The Students’ Union were awarded a grant to further support the development of student media on campus, galvanising the professional and modern service which it has become. A Student Media Training Day will continue to foster the high quality output and operation of Air3, AirTV and Brig. |
| Women in Leadership | The aim of this project is to fund a series of workshops focused on equipping female students with skills which will encourage them into leadership positions both within and outwith University, and also create an informed and inclusive students body on the issue of gender equality. |
| The Rock Society | The Rock Society were awarded a grant to supply them with new equipment. |
| All About the Activity Campaign |
The aim of this campaign is to encourage all Sport Union and club members to encourage and promote awareness of their behaviour outside the University. |
| The Fencing Club | A grant was awarded to the Fencing Club to allow them to purchase new equipment for their expanding club. |
| StirHacks |
The University of Stirling Computing Club were awarded a grant to partially fund a learning experience sponsored by Companies, where attendees create innovative projects and applications based around challenges issued by the sponsors. This event will be used to encourage more young women to enter STEM subjects. |
| Women's Lacrosse | The Women's Lacrosse team were awarded a grant to fund professional training for their members. |
| Men's Lacrosse | A grant was also awarded to the Men's Lacrosse team to allow them to purchase new equipment. |
| Brig Culture Magazine | Brig Culture magazine is a magazine pull-out from our main newspaper, with 'Culture' content including Music, Film, Arts, Food and Lifestyle. A grant was awarded to fund one print run of the magazine in the Autumn semester. |
| University of Stirling Networking Events | The University of Stirling Business Club were awarded a grant to develop a series of networking events to engage alumni, academics, other university staff along with local business people, politicians and other relevant individuals. This would allow students to develop their networks, improve their employability and interpersonal skills. |
| The Curling Club | The newly established Curling Club were awarded a grant to allow them to increase their members and establish themselves as a professional team. |
| The Volunteering and Fundraising Project |
The aim of this project is to raise awareness about the importance of volunteering and being able to assist local charities in Stirling and surrounding areas. Run by the Volunteering Society, the project will also seek to encourage and support students to volunteer. |