James McCune Smith Learning Hub

The James McCune Smith Learning Hub is a £90.6 million flagship teaching building at the University of Glasgow, opened in April 2021 following construction that began in October 2017. Designed as an inclusive and inspirational learning environment, the building provides flexible, technology‑enabled teaching, study and social learning spaces for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The hub can accommodate more than 2,500 students and includes a 500‑seat lecture theatre, a range of interactive teaching spaces accommodating between 75 and 340 students, and numerous seminar and group study areas. These facilities support a wide variety of teaching styles and promote collaborative and student‑centred learning.

The building is named after James McCune Smith, the first African American to be awarded a medical degree, which he received from the University of Glasgow in 1837. Born into slavery in the United States, McCune Smith overcame significant barriers to education and went on to become a pioneering physician, scholar and abolitionist. His legacy reflects the University’s commitment to equality, inclusion and academic excellence.