The Lord Provost of Glasgow has presented Professor Paul Little CBE DL, founding Principal and Chief Executive of City of Glasgow College, with the city’s prestigious Loving Cup in recognition of his outstanding contribution to education, skills, civic life and the maritime sector.
One of Glasgow’s highest civic honours, the Loving Cup is awarded to individuals and organisations who have brought distinction and honour to the city.
Professor Little received the award in recognition of his loyalty to Glasgow and exceptional contribution to further and higher education, skills development and the transformation and regeneration of the city.
For almost two decades, Professor Little has been a valued partner in Glasgow’s civic life, supporting major events and initiatives at home and internationally. Under his leadership, City of Glasgow College has supported events including COP26, the Commonwealth Games and Glasgow’s 850th anniversary celebrations. The College has also made its campuses available to support civic occasions, including Armed Forces Day and Merchant Navy Day, particularly while George Square has been unavailable.
Professor Little has dedicated almost 40 years to further and higher education, leading and reshaping five colleges across Scotland and Northern Ireland and championing the transformative role of education and skills in supporting economic growth, and creating opportunities for individuals and communities.
As founding Principal and Chief Executive of City of Glasgow College, he oversaw the merger of three colleges in 2010 and the subsequent development of its £228 million twin-site campus. Under his leadership, the College has established an international reputation for education, skills and technological innovation, including receiving a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for pioneering research into the dangers of oxygen depletion in enclosed spaces aboard ships.
A graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management programme and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Professor Little is Global Chair of the European Foundation for Quality Management and a former Chair of the UK Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce. He has also championed the development of Scotland’s tertiary education system, co-authoring the influential Cumberford-Little Report.
His longstanding connection with the maritime sector includes 30 years’ service with HM Coastguard and his appointment as an Honorary Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve. In 2023, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to further and higher education.
Professor Little’s contribution to Glasgow also extends to civic service. In 2024, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow, supporting the Lord Lieutenant at official, ceremonial and community occasions.
The award also carries a remarkable historical connection for City of Glasgow College. In January 1966, Allan Glen’s School was announced as the first recipient of Glasgow’s Loving Cup, recognising its success in the BBC’s Top of the Form competition. Sixty years later, Professor Little will receive the same civic honour as founding Principal of City of Glasgow College, whose City Campus now stands on the former Allan Glen’s School site on Cathedral Street - continuing a proud tradition of education and innovation at the heart of Glasgow.
Another distinguished recipient of the Loving Cup is HRH The Princess Royal, who recently became the College’s inaugural Chancellor.
Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Jacqueline McLaren, said: “I am delighted to be presenting Paul with the Loving Cup. I know him not only through his considerable professional achievements, but personally, and he is someone who loves this city and whom Glasgow can rely upon.
“Whenever the city has asked for assistance, Paul has been there. He and City of Glasgow College have consistently been good friends and partners to Glasgow, supporting our civic life, and demonstrating a real commitment to the people and communities around them.
“Paul has devoted much of his working life to creating opportunities for others. He has championed education and skills, represented Glasgow at home and internationally, and supported our maritime tradition and heritage.
“The Loving Cup is about more than professional success. It recognises service, loyalty and contribution to Glasgow, and Paul has demonstrated all three in abundance. This award is thoroughly deserved.”
Professor Paul Little said: “To receive the Loving Cup from the city that I am so proud to serve and love so deeply is an extraordinary honour, and one that means a great deal to me personally.
“Glasgow is an amazing city with a remarkable history of innovation, enterprise, global trade, maritime, and education, but its greatest strength has always been and will always be its people. Throughout my career, I have believed passionately in the power of education to transform lives, create opportunity and help communities flourish.
“It has been a singular honour and privilege to lead City of Glasgow College since its formation, working alongside exceptional colleagues and partners who deliver on our ambition for a world-class Polytechnic for Glasgow and Scotland. Together, we have helped build an institution that is firmly rooted in Glasgow while extending its influence and impact across Scotland, the UK and internationally to well over 40 countries.
“I am immensely grateful to the Lord Provost and Glasgow City Council for this recognition. I have always considered it a privilege and an honour to play a part in the civic life of this remarkable city, and I look forward to continuing with increased pride to champion Glasgow, its people, and its ambitions for the future.”
The Loving Cup was presented to Professor Little at a special ceremony and dinner in his honour at Glasgow City Chambers on Friday, 23 October 2026, in the company of his family, friends and colleagues.