Tag: bus stops

Graduation with a twist!

Edinburgh Napier celebrates graduates of 2020 and 2021

  • Edinburgh Napier celebrates the graduates of 2020 and 2021 by taking over the capital for a graduation with a twist
  • A unique city-wide takeover will showcase Edinburgh Napier’s graduate names across billboards, bus stops, trams and more

With physical graduation ceremonies being cancelled for the second year in a row, Edinburgh Napier University is today (26th July 2021) launching their ‘city takeover’ to celebrate the success of hundreds of students who missed out on their traditional graduation ceremonies.  

The names of the University’s recent graduates will cover billboards, bus stops, a classic Edinburgh taxi and even a tram in tribute to those who were unable to receive their degree at the Usher Hall because of the pandemic. 

This summer’s graduation ceremonies and last year’s summer and autumn ceremonies were all cancelled due to Covid-19 related restrictions, disappointing students who had put in years of hard work only to be denied their traditional day of celebration. 

However, the University was determined to find alternative ways to salute the achievements of the graduates of 2020 and 2021, who had overcome the most challenging study conditions in living memory to reach their goals. 

The city takeover, from July to late August, will see the names of graduates from all six academic Schools displayed across 18 billboards and 100 bus stops, accompanied by messages underlining the University’s pride in them and offering congratulations on their success.  

Strategically placed around the capital, graduates can find their names via the ‘Find My Billboard’ feature on the University website by using their student number to pinpoint the site displaying their name. 

Locations will be linked to academic disciplines: School of Health & Social Care names will be near hospitals, School of Arts & Creative Industries names near arts venues and School of Computing names near tech industry sites. 

The takeover campaign will be captured on film and complemented by social media coverage with dedicated #NapierNames and local radio advertising.

Students who missed out on the traditional day of celebration at the Usher Hall are also getting the chance to come on to the Craiglockhart campus to have gowned-up pictures with family and friends taken by the University’s regular graduation services partner so they have a permanent souvenir. 

Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “The last 16 months have presented students with formidable challenges as they have had to adjust to different ways of learning while coping with all of the disruption the pandemic has caused to our normal way of life. 

“Our graduates have shown enormous resilience and strength of character in completing their studies during this period of upheaval and we wanted to show them just how proud we are of what they have achieved. 

“It’s a huge achievement to graduate and we wanted to give students the same euphoria you get when your names called out on stage.” 

CASE STUDIES 

Hayley Kane, 24, BSc Animal and Conservation Biology graduate 

A student who was diagnosed with a rare cancer at a key point in her studies has successfully graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a first class honours degree. 

Hayley Kane recovered from the devastating news, and two operations, to complete her BSc (Hons) in Animal and Conservation Biology – even though at times she had to leave lectures to change her dressing following radiotherapy treatment.  

Hayley, of Fairmilehead in Edinburgh, was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma shortly before her third year assessments started – although she only learned about it after it had been removed. The rare form of cancer develops in cells around joints and tendons, often near the knee, and is most commonly associated with young adults.  

Hayley had had issues with her knee for almost a decade, which worsened to a point where she was in constant pain and struggling to walk without crutches. 

The 24-year-old is now set to continue her studies in September with an MSc in Statistical Ecology at St Andrews University. 

Hayley said: “I’m thrilled to have completed my degree and I hope my experience will serve as inspiration to other students who may be struggling due to external factors. 

“It is possible to overcome hardships and achieve your goals as long as you are willing to work for it.”  

Dr Gavin Ballantyne, lecturer in Edinburgh Napier’s School of Applied Sciences, said: “Hayley has done brilliantly at Edinburgh Napier. Not only has she overcome serious health issues, but she’s also remained engaged, motivated and has produced an excellent final year project.

“We’re so pleased to see her graduate with a first-class degree and now go on to start an MSc at St Andrews.” 

Hashani Gunasekera, 28, MBA Business Administration graduate 

A new Edinburgh Napier graduate’s path to an MBA was almost wrecked by Sri Lanka’s horrific Easter bombings. 

Health management student Hashani Gunasekera was finalising her research proposal for her online course when suicide bombers claimed the lives of 269 people in Sri Linka on April 21 2019. 

The atrocity sparked widespread tension on the South Asian island and a security crackdown which included a ban on public use of the internet. 

Then, just as the situation was stabilising, along came the Covid pandemic which forced Hashani to defer her research into patients undergoing elective surgery so she could work on the hospital frontline. 

In a year in which no graduate had it easy, the 28-year-old has many reasons to be proud of the Masters in Business Administration (Health Management) she was finally awarded this week by Edinburgh Napier. 

Hashani said: “Completing my MBA has been a physical and mental struggle so I am very proud to have got over the line, with particular thanks to my supervisor Libby Campbell, who showed the utmost support throughout all these crises.” 

Hashani’s course was delivered by the University in partnership with the Sri Lanka-based Business Management School, and Edinburgh Napier teaching staff travelled to South Asia for the orientation programme and some lectures. 

Hashani is now working as a medical officer in a government hospital in Sri Lanka, a role which combines medical and administrative work.  

Libby Campbell, lecturer in Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health & Social Care, said: “Hashani should be proud of herself, achieving an MBA from Edinburgh Napier and doing so entirely online, when it was available, while working in frontline healthcare, during a major incident and its fallout, and during the pandemic.

“I’m glad I was able to help support her and I wish her well for the future.”   

Mind the Gap: council to review space between bus stops

A proposed trial, to be considered by Transport and Environment Committee, aims to improve bus journey times and reliability by reviewing the spacing of stops along routes.

If approved by councillors tomorrow (Thursday 27 February), a trial will be carried out on the Lothian bus service 44 using a bus stop review methodology developed by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Lothian.

This service has been identified for the trial by Lothian, which has also provided a list of stops that could be temporarily closed with limited impact on passenger accessibility.

A review of bus stops was first raised by bus operators, in particular Lothian, as an essential action to be included in the Public Transport Priority Action Plan in 2018.

In Edinburgh, for a variety of reasons, many bus stops are positioned more closely together than is recommended by national planning and transport guidance – approximately 20% of stops are less than 200m apart. This can lead to slower journey times and congestion.

Bus stops highlighted for potential closure have been assessed using criteria developed as part of the bus stop review methodology. These include distance from the next bus stop, accessibility and proximity to core facilities like schools and doctors.

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “We want to make travel by public transport even more reliable and stress-free, which is why we’re proposing this trial, in partnership with Lothian.

“f we are to achieve a carbon-neutral future for Edinburgh, where air quality is improved and the public can easily make healthy, active travel choices we need to encourage more people to take the bus as an efficient mode of transport.

“Of course, we know how important it is for residents to have access to their local bus stop, especially for those with mobility issues. That’s why we’ve worked closely with Lothian to develop a methodology for bus stop spacing which ensures everyone can catch the bus near their home, doctor, school or shops.”

Alan Black, Head of Service Delivery at Lothian, said: “Lothian is committed to delivering reliable, sustainable, best value bus travel for customers. We look forward to working with The City of Edinburgh Council on the bus stop review which will enhance bus journey times and improve overall reliability across the city.”

If the trial is approved by committee, officers will engage with residents affected by the changes both before and after bus stops are temporarily removed. If the trial is deemed a success it is proposed that a review of bus stop spacing is undertaken across the city, potentially focusing on one corridor at a time.

This will include moving some stops to more suitable locations rather than solely reducing bus stop numbers.

As well as being highlighted as a service which is impacted by the frequency of bus stops, the 44 has been selected for the trial because it is the only service on significant lengths of its route, making it suitable for comparative assessment following the initiative.

A series of workshops involving Council transport officers, councillors and Lothian officers contributed to the development of the methodology, drawing on guidance including Department for Transport (DfT) Inclusive Mobility, Scottish Planning Policy and Edinburgh Street Design Guidance.

The review was proposed under the Public Transport Priority Action Plan, which outlines measures to improve conditions for public transport users, in turn encouraging the public to choose public transport over private car journeys.

The trial will be considered by Transport and Environment Committee on Thursday, 27 February.

Read the full report, Public Transport Priority Action Plan – Bus Stop Spacing Review Trial, on the Council website.