In common with universities of the pre-modern era, Glasgow originally educated students primarily from wealthy backgrounds; however, it became a pioneer in British higher education in the 19th century by also providing for the needs of students from the growing urban and commercial middle class. Glasgow University served all of these students by preparing them for professions: the law, medicine, civil service, teaching, and the church. It also trained smaller but growing numbers for careers in science and engineering. The annual income of the institution for 2019–20 was £685.3 million of which £168.8 million was from research grants and contracts, with an expenditure of £588.2 million. It is a member of Universitas 21, the Russell Group and the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.