The last students to graduate from three of Edinburgh’s biggest colleges will do so in a series of ceremonies this week, marking the end of an era and heralding the arrival of a new Edinburgh College. More than 900 students from Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College will attend separate ceremonies at Usher Hall to celebrate their academic achievements.
The graduations come ahead of the merger of the three colleges which takes place next month, when the new Edinburgh College will become the largest student body in Edinburgh, accommodating more than 35,000 students.
Brian Lister, Interim Principal of Edinburgh College, said: “Graduation is always a special time, as it gives us a chance to celebrate the various achievements of all our students, but this year they have greater significance, as these students will be the last ever to graduate from each college. As this chapter ends for the students of the three colleges, the ceremonies are also a chance for us to look back on the successes of each college as a whole and what they have done individually for the further education sector in Edinburgh.
“The creation of the new Edinburgh College will allow us to build upon the foundations of excellence already set by Edinburgh’s Telford, Jewel & Esk and Stevenson College Edinburgh and create an unrivalled further education experience for students in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The College itself will become a ‘centre of excellence’, building on the existing strengths of the three colleges to foster growth, opportunity and economic development. All of the 2011/12 graduands have worked exceptionally hard to pass their courses and the ceremonies are a mark of their excellence – I wish each and every one of them the best of the luck in their chosen career or education path.”
The new Edinburgh College will be the biggest student body in Edinburgh/Scotland, employing around 1,300 staff to deliver the very best education and training to students. Four campuses spread across Edinburgh and the Lothians will make up the new College: Granton (formerly Edinburgh’s TelfordCollege), Sighthill (formerly Stevenson College) and Milton Road and Midlothian (both formerly Jewel and Esk College).
Stevenson College Edinburgh’s ceremony took place on Monday (24 September) and will be followed by Edinburgh’s Telford College tonight (27 September) at 7pm with Jewel & Esk’s ceremony taking place on Friday at 4pm.
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