The charity plans to lodge a planning application for the Hunter Global Leadership Centre at Ross Priory in March. 

The University of Strathclyde has been in discussion with The Hunter Foundation regarding the opportunity to develop a world-class leadership centre aimed at boosting the Scottish economy and leadership across Scotland.

Led by The Hunter Foundation in partnership with the University, the centre will be aimed at providing specialist, high-quality training, to strengthen the lead skills of both head teachers and new teachers as well as providing business leadership for the wider public sector and Scotland’s entrepreneurial community. 

The centre will be the first such dedicated leadership training centre in Scotland, designed to drive social benefit and economic growth. 

The proposed development will be located at the University’s Ross Priory recreational centre on the banks of Loch Lomond.  Following community consultation, The Hunter Foundation will submit plans to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park to build the architecturally sympathetic leadership centre.

Designed by the Kettle Collective, the facility will be fully sustainable with inspiration being drawn from the surrounding landscape. Kettle have extensive experience of designing buildings which blend into their surrounds, having created Ripple Retreat on the banks of Loch Venachar, a respite centre for young cancer patients and their families.

Environmental sustainability is a key aspect of the development and the designs will fit with the University’s wider sustainability plans for the Ross Priory estate, which includes the installation of a solar array. 

The centre is designed around known principles to enable leadership development and will cater for small groups of up to 25 teachers and trainees. The venue will have capacity for occasional events of up to 100 attendees. It will be augmented by three five-bedroom and one four-bedroom contemporary accommodation pods blended into the natural surroundings.

The Hunter Foundation will host its existing leadership development programmes at the centre including Head Teacher Leadership Academies, initial teacher leadership, entrepreneurial and scale up business leadership and integrated public sector leadership support.

Sir Tom Hunter, philanthropist and founder of The Hunter Foundation, said: “Our vision is to create an iconic, world-class leadership centre where the future of Scotland will be discussed, debated and ultimately decided.”

Professor Sir Jim McDonald said: “The University of Strathclyde is a socially progressive institution and we are always looking at new and innovative ways to drive societal change and boost economic growth. Education is key to that and this is a fantastic opportunity to develop the leadership skills of our world-class teachers.

“As Scotland’s largest provider of teacher education, we are firmly committed to ensuring that this and future generations of children benefit from truly inspirational teachers.”