A generous American couple have donated $225,000 to the world's largest Robert Burns School - the Univeristy of Glasgow's Centre for Robert Burn's Studies. 

Frank and Susan Shaw from Atlanta are both enthusiastic supporters of scholarships dedicated to the national bard and the gift is the largest in a series of donations to the University.

Mr and Mrs Shaw said: “We are lucky to have built a great friendship with the team at the Centre for Robert Burns Studies."

“It has been wonderful to be part of supporting the great scholarship and educational excellence of the work being undertaken on Burns in Glasgow."

“Our latest gift seeks to support the continued research excellence in this field and help ensure new scholars in Burns Studies are also supported in their work.”

Mr Shaw's ancestry routes lead back to the island of Jura, making him passionate about Scottish culture and tradition: The couple run a website on Robert Burns called Robert Burns Lives and Mr Shaw is a past president of Atlanta's St Andrew's Society. 

READ MORE: Glasgow research reveals Robert Burns' £203 million annual worth to Scotland

Professor Gerard Carruthers, Co-Director of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies based at the University’s College of Arts, said: “The huge generosity of the Shaw family enables both support for younger scholars and the advancement of cutting-edge research in Burns.

“We are very grateful for both the moral and material support of Frank and Susan - they are our passionate friends and collaborators who make a big difference to us and our students.”

Professor Roibeard O Maolalaigh, Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Arts at the University of Glasgow, said: “We are extremely grateful to Frank and Susan Shaw for their continued support of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies.

“It recognises the importance of the outstanding scholarship on Scotland’s national bard being provided by the University of Glasgow.”

The Centre for Robert Burns Studies was established in July 2007. Its mission is the development of research, scholarship and teaching in the area of Robert Burns, his cultural period and related literature.