Tag: Edinburgh College

Coronavirus: Edinburgh College suspends classes

Edinburgh College has issued the following statement:

Due to the rapidly changing situation regarding coronavirus and to best protect the health and safety of all of our students, Edinburgh College has taken the decision to suspend all face-to-face classes from 4pm today (Monday 16 March) until Monday 20 April.

Starting from Monday 23 March, additional provision will be in place to enable students to continue studying from home. This week, all students will be issued with guidance on how to continue their studies during this time and individual class information will be made available on Moodle.

We understand that students will be concerned about the impact that this may have on studies and progression. We’d like to emphasise that this situation is national and reassure students that we are speaking with external agencies to limit the longer term impact on everybody.

This week, students will be issued with guidance via online channels on how to continue their studies during this time. Individual class information will be made available on Moodle.

It is important that students continue to keep up-to-date with information regarding the College and their studies via our online channels – email, Moodle, social media and website.

Libraries will remain open across all campuses until further notice for students who don’t have access to Moodle at home

The College is committed to limiting the negative impact this has on students’ studies. During this period, all bursaries will continue to be paid and we are confident we have a plan in place to ensure students can progress to the next stage of their studies.

As the situation develops, we will notify students of any updates on a daily basis via our online channels including this webpage and via email. Please continue to check our channels for the latest information.

It is important that you continue to follow the advice provided by the Government and public health agencies during this time to keep yourself and others protected.

This includes:

  • Anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, should stay at home and not leave their house for 7 days from when the symptoms started – regardless of whether you have travelled to affected areas or been in contact with someone who has the virus.
  • NHS Scotland recommends using good hand, respiratory and personal hygiene. Coughing and sneezing should be into tissues that are promptly disposed down the toilet. Hands should be washed more regularly than usual with soap and water or using an alcohol hand rub even if hands are visibly clean

Kayla receives Edinburgh College Development Trust STEM scholarship

An Edinburgh College HND Engineering Systems student has been awarded a scholarship which will see her working alongside College staff to inspire thousands of pupils to consider STEM careers.

Kayla Ho, who studies at the College’s Midlothian Campus, has been named the David Doig Foundation STEM scholar for 2020 following a successful interview. Kayla’s role is to help deliver the College’s STEM Inspiration Experience programme to P7, S1 and S2 pupils for the remainder of term 2019/20.

The Edinburgh College Development Trust originally received funding from the David Doig Foundation to run the scholarship in 2018. Kayla is the second scholar and will use the opportunity to boost her CV and gain work experience in working as part of a team and with young people from across the region.

Nineteen-year-old Kayla will work with College staff each week to deliver STEM Inspiration Days where pupils take part in a range of activities such as:

  • Exploring gravity and g-force. Students launch eggs attached to parachutes from height to see which ones survive. This uses everyday objects to make the science tangible, accessible, interactive and fun.
  • The Bloodhound Rocket Car Challenge. This is part of the national engagement project around the Bloodhound land-speed record attempt, giving pupils the opportunity to design, build and race their own rocket cars. They learn about physics, aerodynamics, design and the mechanisms of speed.
  • Bridge building where pupils design and build a two-foot cardboard bridge and test it using a heavy car model.

Embedded within each of these sessions is the importance of Maths and its application in Engineering and Science.

Gillian Doig, who founded the David Doig Foundation in memory of her late husband who was an alumnus of Telford College, said: “Congratulations to Kayla on becoming our second STEM scholar.

“We’re very proud to fund this project which will bring benefits to Kayla in terms of work experience but also to so many young people across Edinburgh and Lothians.

“My late husband was a champion of, engineering, education and social responsibility and this scholarship represents this brilliantly. We look forward to hearing how Kayla progresses through her scholarship, as well as her future career.”

Kayla, who is from Edinburgh, said: “It’s brilliant to be this year’s STEM scholar. I’ve had previous experience with working with young people, but the opportunity to teach them STEM and Engineering-related disciplines is new and exciting, and will be great for my CV.”

Looking to the future, Kayla is hoping to progress to Edinburgh Napier University where she will go into the third year of an Energy and Environmental Engineering course and hopes to secure work in the fast-growing Scottish renewables sector.

She said: “With Scotland, and the world, moving to renewable energy sources, it made sense to pursue this career path. I want to be able to discover new ground-breaking ways of working and make the world a better place.”

Edinburgh College Open Day tomorrow

Edinburgh College is encouraging prospective students to find out more about the range of courses available at the College in 2020 at an open day at Sighthill Campus tomorrow.

Sighthill Campus will welcome guests between 10am and 2pm, and those in attendance will have the opportunity to speak to teaching staff about the courses on offer at each campus and to discover the best study options available to them.

Prospective students can also get advice and guidance on funding and fees, tour the College’s facilities and even apply for their chosen course on the day.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We look forward to welcoming prospective students to the College and I encourage anyone thinking of studying with us to come along to the open day to find out more about the courses we offer.

“We have courses to suit everyone, from school leavers, to people wanting to improve their job prospects, boost their qualifications or learn new skills in 2020.”

To find out more about the courses on offer at Edinburgh College visit the college website:  www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/opendays.

A further open day will be held at the College’s Midlothian Campus on Saturday 29 February 2020.

Students Go Over the Score!

Edinburgh College students wowed the judges in a regional heat of the UK’s largest student hairdressing and beauty competition – scooping 22 medals.

Students from the capital city college won seven gold, nine silver and six bronze medals as they showcased their talents at the South of Scotland heat of the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) competition, held at the College’s Granton Campus for the second year running.

Edinburgh College also won the Rose Bowl trophy, awarded to the college with the most medal wins in the heat, for the second consecutive year.

Each of the student winners and their models will now head to the AHT’s showpiece national competition held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool later this year.

The event saw students from the College’s Granton and Milton Road Campuses compete against peers from colleges across Scotland and Northern Ireland in a range of categories spanning the hairdressing, barbering and beauty disciplines.

Edinburgh College students of various course levels ranging from Schools College Partnership (SCP) to HNC picked up 21 individual medals across competition categories including: blow dry and finish; body art; ladies evening style; SCP; 1980s make-up; editorial make-up; and ladies hair conversion categories.

As well as individual awards, Edinburgh College students Amelia Forsyth and Harry Lyons won the Team Bridal category – impressing judges with their hair and make-up skills.

Hairdressing and Make-Up Techniques for the Hair & Beauty Consultant student Amelia Forsyth said: “It’s amazing to have won the team gold alongside Harry.

“The competition was brilliant fun, there was such a buzz when all the students were competing against each other, and the clock. I’m really proud to have won this heat and now I’m excited to head to Blackpool to try and be the best in the UK.”

Ladies conversion gold medal winner and Level 2 Hairdressing student Bobby Ray said: “It was an amazing experience competing in the AHT heats against students from all over Scotland and it’s even more amazing to have won gold.

“I want to thank my lecturers for giving me the skills and belief needed to be successful. Hopefully we can all bring home more golds from Blackpool!”

Ladies evening style gold medal winner Radost Staykova, who studies Level 3 Hairdressing, said: “It feels great to win this gold medal. There were lots of talented hairdressers in the room so I’m really proud to have been chosen as the winner in my heat.

“I’m looking forward to going to Blackpool to do it all again and hopefully myself and other Edinburgh College students can win more medals.”

Edinburgh College curriculum manager for Hairdressing, Beauty Therapy and Complementary Therapies Frances Bain said: “Congratulations to everyone who competed in the AHT competition at our Granton Campus. It was brilliant to feel such a buzz in the room and to see the commitment and talents of students from across Scotland and Northern Ireland.

“Well done to all medal winners, the level of skill and ability on show was amazing. “I’d like to thank everyone who took part, they worked tremendously hard in preparation and that hard work has certainly paid off.

“To win 22 medals and win the Rose Bowl for a second year is an astounding performance by our own college – everyone should be incredibly proud of themselves.”

Making the case for Scotland’s colleges

The principals of Scotland’s two largest colleges have highlighted the strengths and potential of the sector in a report which makes plain the economic impact of colleges in Scotland.

The Cumberford-Little Report, One Tertiary System: Agile, Collaborative, Inclusive  was commissioned by the Scottish Government to consider what more Scottish colleges can do to help improve businesses’ performance and productivity.

It was co-authored by Edinburgh College Principal and CEO Audrey Cumberford and City of Glasgow College Principal and CEO Paul Little.

The findings identify the significant economic impact colleges already have – a £3.5bn annual boost to GDP according to the latest figures – and identify how colleges support a wide range of Scottish Government national priorities, highlighting examples of best practice across Scotland.

The authors also make a series of recommendations aimed at allowing colleges to make a still greater contribution to business growth, particularly among Scotland’s huge SME and micro-business communities in an economic environment where the full challenges of Brexit are yet to become clear.

Edinburgh College Principal and Chief Executive Audrey Cumberford said: “Scotland’s colleges represent a huge national asset and so we were delighted to be asked to undertake this review to highlight the important role of our colleges.

“Whilst our findings show the significant contribution that colleges make across the country, we cannot overstate the importance of creating an environment that supports an immersive symbiotic relationship between colleges and industry.

“In the report we address the challenges and constraints, which need to be overcome to enable us to realise our full potential. Together with peers and partners, we absolutely believe our colleges can tackle the challenges – and seize the opportunities – that lie ahead for Scotland.”

City of Glasgow Principal and Chief Executive Paul Little said: “Scotland’s colleges represent a huge national asset – yet their economic impact is not widely understood, nor recognised – despite very significant government investment.

“We think colleges’ multiple roles and diverse responsibilities sometimes combine to make it difficult to describe what they’re for – so we propose a refreshed purpose for colleges that is unambiguously focused on helping businesses to grow by making sure they have access to people with the technological, vocational, and ‘meta’ skills needed in the decade ahead – and beyond.

“We also say we need a fresh approach to how colleges are funded and how their success is measured so as to incentivise a business-focussed approach. And, since colleges thrive in a system, not a hierarchy, we make clear that, building on the Government’s plans to reform the learner journey, our proposals need to be anchored in a fully connected and collaborative system of pre- and post-16 learning.”

Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science Richard Lochhead said: “Today’s publication – authored by the principals of Scotland’s two largest colleges – showcases some of the excellent work already taking place right across the country’s thriving college sector to support our learners, communities, and businesses.

“Essentially it makes plain the existing strengths and huge potential of a sector, which has an increasingly powerful impact on the Scottish economy as a whole.

“Since 2007, the Government has invested more than £8 billion in our colleges, and in last week’s draft Budget we proposed allocating over £670 million in total for resource and capital in 2020-21, underlining just what an important national role they play.

“The recommendations made in this report set out ambitions for an agile, collaborative, inclusive and dynamic college community. They include those aimed, particularly, at making an even greater contribution to Scotland’s huge SME and micro-business communities – very timely indeed, in an economic environment where the full challenges of Brexit are yet to become clear.

“We look forward to considering all the recommendations in detail, and responding in due course.”

Read The Cumberford-Little Report, One Tertiary System: Agile, Collaborative, Inclusive.

Edinburgh College opens its doors to prospective students

Edinburgh College is encouraging prospective students to find out more about the range of courses available at the College in 2020 at two campus open days this week.

The College’s Milton Road Campus (above) will welcome guests tomorrow (Thursday 30 January) from 4pm until 7pm, while Granton Campus’ open day is taking place on Saturday 1 February between 10am and 2pm.

Those in attendance will have the opportunity to speak to teaching staff about the courses on offer at each campus and to discover the best study options available to them.

Prospective students can also get advice and guidance on funding and fees, tour the College’s facilities and even apply for their chosen course on the day.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “We look forward to welcoming prospective students to the College and I encourage anyone thinking of studying with us to come along to the open days to find out more about the courses we offer.

“We have courses to suit everyone, from school leavers, to people wanting to improve their job prospects, boost their qualifications or learn new skills in 2020.”

To find out more about the courses on offer at Edinburgh College visit the college website:  www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/opendays.

Further open days will be held at Sighthill and Midlothian Campuses on Saturday 22 February and Saturday 29 February respectively.

Celebrating 50 years at Sighthill Campus (formerly Stevenson College)

Edinburgh College celebrated 50 years of its Sighthill Campus on Monday with a Civic Reception hosted by the Rt.Hon. Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh which saw former students and staff, as well as Deputy First Minister John Swinney, come together to share stories and memorabilia.

Sighthill Campus, which was previously home to Stevenson College prior to the merger which formed the current Edinburgh College, first opened on 6 January 1970 – welcoming students from various educational annexes from across the city.

Stevenson College was born from the Ramsay Technical Institute, which taught Motor Vehicle and Electrical Installations; Torphichen Street which housed the Department for General Education; and James Gillespie’s old school at Warrender Park, known as Dean College which taught Health Education.

The original departmental structure of the College consisted of five departments, namely; Building Services, Engineering, General Education, Health Education, and Commerce. The new Department of Commerce was established in order to focus on Business Machine Operators, Data Processing and Computer Operators to meet an ever-increasing demand in these, at the time, new industrial fields.

The College, which was named after famous Scottish civil engineer Robert Stevenson, continued to thrive and on 1 October 2012 was part of the merger of three colleges across the region to form Edinburgh College and has since been referred to as Edinburgh College, Sighthill Campus.

Today, Edinburgh College delivers more than 700 courses to more than 26,000 students across its four campuses – Granton, Midlothian, Milton Road and Sighthill.

Around 1,300 staff are involved in the delivery of life-changing education across four faculty areas – Creative Industries; Engineering and Built Environment; Health, Wellbeing and Social Sciences; and Tourism, Hospitality and Business.

At the anniversary event, former students and lecturers from pre-Stevenson Colleges, Stevenson College and Edinburgh College shared stories of their time both studying and teaching, while Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills John Swinney MSP delivered a keynote speech highlighting the everlasting importance of further education institutions in providing education and skilling the nation’s workforce.

In addition, a timeline mapping major college events over the past 50 years and various items of memorabilia were on display, while students from Sighthill Campus’ Music Box performed and Professional Cookery and Hospitality Schools College Partnership students served drinks and canapés to the 100-plus guests in attendance.

John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, said: “For 50 years, Stevenson College campus – one of three institutions which now form Edinburgh College – has been a pioneer in offering life-changing opportunities to students in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“In that time the campus has seen many great achievements and continues to do so, and like many of Scotland’s regional colleges it has remained at the very forefront of developing its own agile responses to what it offers as local economic needs have changed.

“I would like to congratulate the College on reaching this landmark milestone, and wish it and its staff and students the very best for the next half century.

“May your passion and determination continue to inspire our communities for many more years to come.”

Lord Provost Frank Ross said: “On behalf of the people of Edinburgh, I was delighted to congratulate the Sighthill Campus on its golden anniversary celebration.

“Since its beginnings in January 1970 as Stevenson College, the campus has provided an all-encompassing facility, bringing together a broad number of courses of study and inspiring countless students.

“Throughout its 50-year history, the campus and its teaching has continued to thrive and be a key part of the community. It has continued to evolve, to grow, and to support and reflect the changing landscape of our city, and I am enthused that this dynamic approach will continue going forward.”

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “It is an honour to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of this wonderful centre of education as Principal.

“Of course, there have been many changes over that fifty-year-period. Then the College was home to 3,000 students and now Edinburgh College is one of the UK’s largest further education institutions– teaching more than 26,000 students who come from a vast variety of backgrounds, including many students from countries across the world.

“We look forward to continuing using this space to continue the tradition of providing high-quality education and working with industry partners, ensuring we play our part in equipping the workforce of the future with the skills they need to achieve their goals.”

Edinburgh College signs partnership agreement with The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust

Edinburgh College has signed a new partnership agreement with The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust aimed at enhancing students’ learning opportunities and further promoting Prestonpans Battlefield as a cultural heritage asset.

The three-year partnership, initiated as part of the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Prestonpans, will see the College’s Computing students taking on a project to create an engaging and interactive website for the The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust.

The students will use their skills to develop a site which takes visitors through the story of the iconic battle (the first significant engagement of the Jacobite rising of 1745) and which provides a new digital presence for the battlefield and its heritage online.

Students will also advise the Trust on how it can use social media and mobile applications to improve the experience of visitors interested in exploring more about the famous battle. The College will engage local high school pupils in the project to transfer knowledge and further expand the reach of the work.

The project aims to develop further opportunities for students from across the College’s other curriculum areas by using the battle and project as a theme for work, including students from Broadcast Media courses filming and documenting the project throughout.

As part of the partnership, The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust will provide a monetary donation to the College to help fund the project.

The agreement was signed by The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust Co-Chair Gordon Prestoungrange and Edinburgh College Vice Principal Michael Jeffrey at the College’s Milton Road Campus.

Michael Jeffrey said: “This partnership will bring great opportunities for our students to work on a live project, enabling them to hone their skills and develop an increased presence and improved user experience for The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust.

“We look forward to developing the partnership further over the next three years to utilise the talents of our students and help to continue to tell the story of such a pivotal event in Scotland’s history.”

Gordon Prestoungrange said: “The Battle of Prestonpans was about a young leader overcoming great obstacles to succeed.  Therefore, we are delighted to work with Edinburgh College to encourage and support their students who shall become our future leaders.”