Sector: Higher Education

The Wellwood Leslie Group has extensive experience in the Higher Education sector developed through close working relationships with a number of key academic clients across Scotland. We have undertaken a variety of projects, both large and small, within several of the city centre campuses of the University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, University of Edinburgh, University of Dundee, University of Abertay, and University of St Andrews.

Sector Leaders:

The sector is led by senior partner, Neil Simpson, who has worked with the University of Dundee and Abertay over the last 20 years on both new build and refurbishment projects across both their academic and life sciences estates.

The experience gained in the design of these facilities has has been valuable and allowed Neil to transfer his expertise to the commercial life sciences market which has spun out of the University into the local economy through several projects undertaken with the key life science organisations including Axis Shield, BBI, Cyclacel, and Eurofins the medical sciences sector with KarlStorz Endoscopy Ltd. expanding their original manufacturing and distribution facility at the Ninewells campus.

Adding to the skills and experience of our team is Stephen McPhail, Partner who has a wealth of experience in both education and healthcare.

Prior to joining Wellwood Leslie Stephen was a Design Advisor with Architecture & Design Scotland working alongside public sector clients (education and healthcare) to develop briefing on large-scale estates projects.

Stephen’s early sector experience includes the James Watt Centre for Nanofabrication in Glasgow for the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education (SCECGE) for University of Abertay. He has recently completed Abertay cyberQuarter (Tay Cities Deal funded) for the University of Abertay and is currently developing the JustTech project, a teaching and research facility, for the University of Dundee.

Completing the team is Graham Stuart, formerly a director of BMJ Architects, now partner at Wellwood Leslie. Graham has worked extensively in the University sector for over 25 years. Graham is highly experienced in the design and delivery of complex education, life sciences, and medical sciences facilities for the university sector within the UK and was responsible for all four phases of the new research facilities at the University of Dundee including the most recently completed Centre for Translational Medicine; both phases of the Bio-medical Sciences buildings for the University of St Andrews and the re-development of St Mary's Medical School, Paddington for Imperial College.