Complex sentence: 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.
Split into simpler sentences: In common with universities of the pre-modern era, Glasgow originally educated students primarily from wealthy backgrounds. Additionally, it came to the forefront of British higher education in the 19th century by also providing for the needs of students from the growing urban and middle class.