Arrival in Scotland

I won't lie. I woke up last night to a peculiar bump in the night that made it hard to go back to sleep. Not sure if it was my wandering mind, the tolling of the Cathedral bells or knowing we had to wake for a 7 am departure, but I did not sleep well.

We said our goodbyes and headed north. The University of Stirling welcomed us with homemade treats and a local soda in our gift bags. It was so sweet--literally and figuratively.  We had a series of sessions on the internationalization strategy at Stirling and general differences between the English and Scottish systems of higher education. Most notable, they have a 4 year degree and charge English students at the international rate, but cannot do so for EU countries because of rules on equity. We also had a bit of a chance to hear about the upcoming referendum on Scottish independence.

Stirling reminds me a bit of Ball State in that they have strong sports programs and a commitment to applied social sciences. They also have a school of education. Campus is beautiful, with lush greenery and shiny new (looking) buildings for sports. They even have a lake and a small castle undergoing renovation. Out my hotel window I can see the William Wallace Memorial. I don't know how to put my finger on it, but there is just a general sense that the two schools have much in common.

After our sessions they loaded us up on a coach and took us for a private tour of Sterling Castle. Our guide was great and had a nice thick Scottish accent :-) The views from the castle were amazing. It was such a treat to have the place to ourselves and even a specially-arranged welcome from a bagpiper. Dinner afterward was in a nice restaurant by a small loch. The school arranged to have special whiskey sets made commemorating the visit. We have all decided our pants are not going to fit at the end of the program from all the good food they keep feeding us. 

You had me at Bill Bryson

I have to stray from my normal post structure today to share how truly amazing this leg of the visit has been. I have had a wonderful experience at each and every institution but something at the University of Durham has really captivated me. Yes, living in a castle has helped! But there is something about the   people that makes it truly special. This place exudes distinction, while still maintaining a sense of humility and good humor.  I have the utmost confidence that graduates of the University of Durham are everything we hope for in the "well rounded" graduate. 

I attribute much of this impression to their system of Oxbridge style Colleges. Students apply not only to the university but to one of the residential colleges here on campus. The castle is actually home to University College. Unlike our residence halls, colleges incorporate many different aspects of academic and student life. They have their own sports teams, formal dinners and activities as you would find in US Greek Life (including their own bars ::gasp::). They have volunteerism and societies as you would find in our Student Life. And they have scholars-in-residence to provide mentorship and inspiration. As best as I can describe, the organically achieve all that we attempt through our Student Affairs Division, but in a very student-led community-oriented way. 

All first years are required to live-in. During the second year many students move out, but still remain a part of the community. In the third year students typically move back in to the College. The distribution of students is carefully managed to achieve a balance of academic level and discipline. It provides a sort of natural order, whereby younger students are welcomed and mentored by older students. Each College has a strong sense of identity. I would love to help bring our Student Affairs in Higher Education Administration students here some day just to spark their creative juices. They even have an International Education Masters Program here.

On a practical level, our day consisted of the perfect balance of learning, sharing and cultural engagement. We started off learning more about the institution, including the fun fact that my favorite author, Bill Bryson, was the Chancellor from 2005-2011. We then had a tour of the Cathedral and a visit to the Lindisfarne Gospels, the first translation of the Bible into English in around 700 A.D. To give you an idea of how delicate the vellum pages are, the illuminated text can only be on display for 3 months in dim light. Then they must be rested for a period of time before another display. More on the Gospels here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-22982378 

We had a bit of down time to get ready for our gallery reception and dinner in the Great Hall. I got all dressed up and imagined I was a princess in my turret of the castle :-)  There is really nothing that compares. Everyone looked wonderful and was beaming ear to ear.  Dinner was magnificent and the company was great. I stayed far past dessert visiting with 2 members of the international office staff and an International Law professor. Once again, I felt this sense of comfort and welecome being here. I hated to tear myself away to come back to my room and pack for an early departure.

One more order of business...

Helen-- if you are reading this one day I need to you to know you must attend the University of Durham. :-)