Age campaigner Alison Clyde to receive honorary degree from University of Stirling

Age campaigner Alison Clyde will receive an honorary degree from the University of Stirling next week. 

Alison Clyde will be honoured for her outstanding contribution to intergenerational work and age-related equality, including being involved in Stirling’s research related to healthy ageing. 

Alison was educated at Eastwood High School in Newton Mearns and Glasgow Caledonian University. Her storied career began in sports development, and she went on to be manager of a sports centre in Glasgow before taking leadership of The Braveheart Association, where she developed a community mentoring programme designed to support adults over the age of 50 with coronary heart disease. 

For the past 14 years, Alison has been Chief Executive Officer of Generations Working Together (GWT). As the nationally recognised centre of excellence supporting the development and integration of intergenerational work across Scotland, GWT’s vision is for a Scotland where different generations are more connected. 

Under Alison's leadership, GWT is highly regarded by the Scottish Government, the World Health Organisation and by intergenerational experts around the globe as a leader in its field. 

Alison has been actively involved in several University of Stirling research projects, including Generating Older Active Lives Digitally (GOALD), funded by the UKRI/ESRC as part of the UK’s Healthy Ageing Challenge. She has also contributed to numerous publications and books on the topic of intergenerational connection. 

Alison will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Stirling’s Spring graduation ceremony, which takes place on Friday, March 21. She will be celebrated along with more than 400 graduating students. 

Alison said: “I am thrilled to be receiving this honorary degree and more than a little humbled. None of us do the work we do for appreciation, but it is such an honour to be acknowledged for contributing to a cause that I’m deeply passionate about.”

Professor Sir Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “Graduation is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard work and academic achievements of our students, as well as welcoming honorary graduates to our alumni community. Alison’s dedication to intergenerational work and to fighting ageism align with one of our strategic research areas here at Stirling – healthy ageing - and makes her an excellent role model for our students.”