Since its founding in the 19th century, it has blazed a trail across the nation’s cultural and artistic life.

Today, having nurtured talents such as James McAvoy and Sam Heughan, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow is a magnet for students from across the globe.

Now its profile worldwide has been boosted even further after a study named it as one of the world’s top five destinations to study the performing arts.

The international higher education think-tank Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked the conservatoire number five forperforming arts in its QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022, which was published yesterday.

It is the sixth time since the ranking was established in 2016 that the conservatoire has been rated in the global top 10.

The Royal College of Music in London took the top spot in the 2022 rankings for the performing arts, while Vienna’s University of Music and Performing Arts was placed second.

Just above RCS was the Juilliard School in New York and the Conservatoire de Paris, which were ranked third and fourth, respectively.

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QS Quacquarelli Symonds provides independent comparative analysis on the performance of 15,200 university programmes taken by students at 1,543 universities in 88 locations across the world. Its work assesses quality in 51 different academic disciplines.

The conservatoire was established in 1847 and provides education across a range of performing arts, research and learning environments, including classical and modern music, drama, dance, production and film.

Students from more than 60 countries study at the conservatoire, which has active partnerships with all of Scotland’s national arts companies.

The learning environment at RCS encourages students to create new work, collaborate with peers across different disciplines and develop ideas across a range of platforms.

The aim is to equip the next generation of performing artists and creative producers with the skills they need so they can make an impact in the world.

Notable alumni of the conservatoire also include actors James McAvoy, David Tennant, Sam Heughan and Ncuti Gatwa; Hollywood composer Patrick Doyle; screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns, opera star Karen Cargill, conductor Ryan Bancroft and guitarist Sean Shibe.

RCS bosses said they were delighted to see their institution ranked so highly against competitors elsewhere in the world.

Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, principal, said: “We know the convening power of the arts, their ability to share our stories and comment on the best and worst of the human condition.

“We’ve campaigned continuously to keep our arts alive throughout the pandemic for our conservatoire and for the whole of our nation.

“This recognition is a wonderful testament to the reliance, perseverance, and creative expression of our students, staff and wider community of supporters and I thank them all for their amazing efforts.”

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The RCS started life as the Glasgow Athenaeum in 1847, which aimed to “provide a source of mental cultivation, moral improvement and delightful recreation to all classes.”

The Athenaeum was formally opened by the author Charles Dickens, who delivered the inaugural address at the first “soiree”. In his opening remarks he stated that he regarded the Glasgow Athenaeum as “an educational example and encouragement to the rest of Scotland”.

For the first 39 years, the Athenaeum only offered music classes, however, in 1886, drama was introduced to the curriculum.

The institution continued to evolve and expand through subsequent generations. In 1968, the title of Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama was approved, reflecting the combination of music and drama in a single academy.

With degrees offered across the entire range of performing arts, it become the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2011.

Welcoming news of the institution’s latest global ranking, Nick Kuenssberg, chair, said: “Scotland’s national conservatoire has delivered excellence in teaching for over 175 years and this latest recognition reinforces its reputation as a global leader in performing arts education and research.

“Despite the pandemic, yet again the conservatoire has been able to maintain its value set and continues to develop its pedagogy and unique combination of disciplines at the highest level.”

Meanwhile, to commemorate its 175th anniversary year, RCS has published a book with Luath that turns the spotlight on the school’s long and rich history of a world-renowned performing arts school and a jewel in Scotland’s cultural crown.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland: Raising the Curtain showcases 175 years of memories with intimate insights from more than 20 famous alumni and former staff, as well as stunning images that include never-before-seen photographs and archival material.