Edinburgh Napier University – Page 11 – The NEN

University team unveil data set to bolster research into ransomware detection

Newly-published paper details the creation of NapierOne

Cyber security experts at Edinburgh Napier have created a new data set which will support cutting-edge research into ransomware detection.

Ransomware – malware that encrypts files, giving the attacker scope to demand a ransom to restore access – has become a popular and potentially lucrative method of attack for cyber criminals.

However, newly-created NapierOne (www.napierone.com) is now available to help test and evaluate new detection methods, amid concerns that previous data sets used in digital forensics research have become outdated.

The new openly accessible ready-to-use data set will improve consistency by using standard formats allowing earlier studies to be replicated. As such it will improve the pace and direction of research into ransomware, and could help find robust solutions to the threats it poses.

NapierOne’s creators also believe it is generic enough to support many other fields of research that require a varied mix of common files.

Govdocs1

The most well-known publicly available data set used in malware analysis to date has been Govdocs1, now more than a decade old.

It was designed to help reproduce forensic research, but doubts have emerged about how well it reflects current usage, with some increasingly popular file types not being well represented.

And where there have been a lack of useful data sets available to researchers, they have often developed their own and have not distributed them when their work is complete.

In a new paper published in Forensic Science International: Digital Investigation, Edinburgh Napier PhD research student Simon Davies and senior computing academics Professor Bill Buchanan and Associate Professor Rich Macfarlane detail the creation of NapierOne as a complement to Govdocs1.

Their research identified popular file formats for inclusion as they set about creating a data set containing more than 500,000 unique files distributed between 100 separate data sets and subsets.

The paper describes how specific file types were selected, how examples were sourced and how researchers are able to gain free, unlimited access to the data.

The authors see NapierOne as a starting point for an ongoing project which will grow and develop as other researchers provide additional data sets that can be incorporated into it.

Simon Davies said: “It is hoped that the adoption of the NapierOne data set into the implementation, development and testing lifecycles of new ransomware detection techniques will streamline and accelerate the development of more robust and effective detection techniques, allowing independent researchers to reproduce and validate proposed detection methods quickly.”

Associate Professor Rich Macfarlane said: “Ransomware has been around for many years – encrypting and deleting users’ files and demanding a ransom from the victim. It has become increasingly common and its sophistication has increased significantly, leading to it currently being the biggest cyber security problem globally.

“This work aims to provide a research data set allowing scientific rigour in research towards fighting the ransomware problem. The data set has been created and successfully used in our ransomware detection research.

“Containing over half a million unique files representing real world file types, it is broad and diverse enough to be used in a range of cyber security and forensic research areas.

“We hope the data set will have the same global research impact as the Govdocs1 work.”

Professor Bill Buchanan said: “There are few areas of cyber security that need more of a scientific base than in digital investigations, and thus there exists a need to make sure investigators have appropriate tools that have been verified and properly evaluated. This data set provides a foundation for researchers to prove their new methods, and thus further support innovation in the area.

“The UK is becoming an international leader in the field of safe technology – which involves the development of tools to support digital investigations and threat detection – and this research showcases the development of a strong scientific base.”

Bridging Scotland’s skills gap in Advanced Therapies

University works with Charles River Laboratories to develop short course

A new course launches at Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Applied Sciences on 24 January, offering students and recent graduates an opportunity to build key skills for a career in the expanding field of Advanced Therapies.

The five-day course has been developed by Edinburgh Napier, working closely with Charles River Laboratories.

It forms part of the UK’s Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network (ATSTN) and will teach Good Laboratory Practice – supplying participants with theoretical knowledge, including sterile manufacturing and the development and production of Advanced Therapies – and practical skills needed to enter the Advanced Therapies workforce.

These include cell culture and immunoassay techniques, and lab auditing, as well as learning about the quality and regulatory environment and Good Manufacturing Practice within an industrial setting.

ATSTN was launched in 2020 and operates through three centres, two in England and one in Scotland.

Edinburgh Napier is the only university in Scotland to be a member of ATSTN, and the School of Applied Sciences partners with RoslinCT, SULSA (the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance), the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, and Ayrshire College to deliver bespoke and highly targeted training to address the skills gaps identified in advanced therapy and vaccine manufacturing.

Dr Claire Garden, Associate Professor in the School of Applied Sciences, said: “Advanced Therapies offer enormous potential and promise to protect our society from current and future diseases, but when the UK government conducted research with companies in 2019, 83% were concerned about their ability to capitalise on emerging opportunities because skills anticipated to be essential were – at that time – missing.

“With our industry skills focus and partnership with key employers, recognised in our recent reaccreditation by the Royal Society of Biology, we have the track record to bring this training to a wide audience.”

Geoff Burns, General Manager of Charles River Edinburgh, is delighted to be working on this targeted project. He said: “Charles River are very pleased to be partnering with Edinburgh Napier University to provide an Advanced Therapy skills training course as part of the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network.

“We are dedicated to supporting students both during and after their time at university, and this course will help ensure the scientists of the future are well-equipped for a career in the emerging industries of advanced therapies and vaccine manufacturing.

“There is no doubt that many exciting breakthroughs are to be had in the future for the long-term management and even cure of disease.”

Nathan Barnett, programme coordinator at SULSA, added: “This course is an exciting addition to the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network in Scotland. It will give industry insight into some of the careers available in the fast-growing advanced therapies sector and provide practical skills relevant to roles in the industry.”

The bespoke course is being launched at a vital moment for the Scottish Life Sciences Industry and provides a brilliant opportunity for students and recent graduates interested in a career in Advanced Therapies.

It runs from 24-29 January at Edinburgh Napier University’s Sighthill campus and at Charles River Laboratories’ state-of-the-art facilities. The course will run twice more in 2022.

To enquire about participating, contact nathan.barnett@glasgow.ac.uk.

Enterprise backing for project to protect software supply chain

New cyber security venture from School with record of successful spin-outs

A NEW Edinburgh Napier project aims to bring trust and transparency to the software supply chain, as the School of Computing continues its drive to translate innovative research into real world impact.

The TrueDeploy venture has received £73,418 funding from Scottish Enterprise, as part of its High Growth Spin-out Programme (HGSP), to help develop the project’s innovative technology.

In setting its sights on the multi-billion pound industry to secure software development supply chains, TrueDeploy is following in the footsteps of Edinburgh Napier cyber security spin-outs ZoneFox, Symphonic Software, Cyan Forensics and MemCrypt which have already successfully made the leap from research lab to market.

The software supply chain relates to the development and supply of software for use across all organisations and systems. This supply chain needs to be managed by organisations that use software due to regulatory requirements and the obligations to ensure their systems are not compromised.

Recent high-profile cyber-attacks, including SolarWinds, Kaseya, and NotPetya, have cost companies and nation-states billions of dollars. Each of these attacks had the same underlying issue, in that they were possible because a threat actor managed to infiltrate and compromise software that was being developed by a software vendor in the long chain that exists from code being written to it being distributed to a customer.

Potential future spin-out TrueDeploy, which aims to resolve these issues by bringing transparency to the software supply chain, has been developed by a technical team led by research student Pavlos Papadopoulos.

He is working alongside the School of Computing’s Dr Nick Pitropakis and seasoned cyber security innovator Professor Bill Buchanan. The technical team will be supported on the project by a core business team of Nanik Ramchandani (Imagine Ventures) and Matthew Burdge (Business Development & Relationship Manager, School of Computing).

With Scottish Enterprise’s support, the team is aiming to develop their innovative technology over the next nine months.

Pavlos Papadopoulos, whose research work is focused on privacy-preserving systems around trust and identity, said: “We are thankful to Edinburgh Napier and Scottish Enterprise for their continuous support.

“This funding is the first step in bringing this innovation to reality.”

Nanik Ramchandani added: “We sincerely appreciate the support provided by Scottish Enterprise to the start-up ecosystem in Scotland.

“This support will help us identify the ideal commercial opportunity for TrueDeploy’s ground-breaking innovation.”

Victoria Carmichael, director of strategic investment at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Cyber security is a major issue facing society today and this project has the potential to be hugely impactful.

“Our High Growth Spin-out Programme helps turn innovative university research into successful business ventures. To date we’ve supported four cyber security spin outs from Edinburgh Napier, with TrueDeploy becoming the fifth, which speaks volumes about the university’s academic and commercial capabilities.”

Fiona Mason, Head of Business Engagement and IP Commercialisation at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition from Scottish Enterprise on another exciting venture arising from our cyber group.

“The project has benefitted from seed funding, and the inventor has worked closely with both the Business Development support, Matthew Burdge, and our Royal Society-funded Entrepreneur-in Residence, Jamie Graves, to develop the project to the high standard required by SE.

“We value the long-term platform the funding provides, both in terms of project development but also the access to networks, training and mentoring support.”

Meant To Happen? Matt’s short film has top award in the can!

Napier TV graduate wins prestigious Royal Television Society short film competition

An Edinburgh Napier TV graduate and former Royal Marines Commando has triumphed in a prestigious short film competition organised by the Royal Television Society.

Matt Jones – who graduated from Edinburgh Napier in 2018 from its BA (Hons) TV programme – won this year’s Royal Television Society (RTS) Futures 48 film challenge with his short film, “That Wasn’t Meant To Happen.”

Written, filmed, directed and edited by Matt over 48 hours, and featuring an original music score by his brother Bill Jones, the humorous film focuses on a dad and son’s day out on safari that doesn’t quite go to plan.

The film features three talented actors – Young Theo, Olly Bassi and Madeline Richardson – all who were praised by judges as the film fended off competition from other entries across the UK.

The Futures 48 film challenge allows entrants 48 hours to create, film and edit a three-minute short film that is judged and awarded by key professionals from the television industry.

On winning, Matt’s film will now be showcased on the RTS 48 YouTube channel and he will be invited to next year’s 2022 student awards ceremony in London.

Matt graduated from Edinburgh Napier in 2018 with a First Class BA (Honours) in Television after a 12 year career as a commando saw him take part in active service in Northern Ireland and The Gulf.

He was also part of anti-drugs and anti-piracy missions in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean and South China Seas.

Matt’s relationship with Edinburgh Napier continues through its armed forces network where he is currently involved with establishing a work-related project producing media content with the armed forces.

On winning the award, he said: “I was completely taken aback by the announcement. I was thrilled to have just been shortlisted. I entered the competition last year to no avail, so to have won a year later is both a euphoric and humbling experience.”

Matt’s success doesn’t stop here however.

During lockdown last year, he entered another short film competition with British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) and won with his delightful dog ‘Buddy’ who earlier this year sadly passed away.

He is also currently in collaboration with his brother Bill, creating a set of short songs, films and books based on creatures of the garden.

Watch this space!

Matt’s award-winning short film, That Wasn’t Meant To Happen, can be viewed here.

Top rating for Edinburgh Napier’s sustainability credentials

Edinburgh Napier has been named as the top university in Scotland for environmental sustainability and ethics, according to the 2021 People and Planet University League.

People and Planet is the only league table of UK universities focusing on action and transparency of environmental sustainability performance, and ranks universities across a number of credentials, including carbon management, energy, waste and recycling and workers’ rights.

Edinburgh Napier achieved a 2:1 ranking – the only Scottish university to do so – and topped the league in Scotland while receiving an overall UK ranking of 43rd.

The University scored particularly highly on its carbon reduction and carbon management and saw its biggest increases in score within Education for Sustainable Development, Ethical & Investment & Banking, and Staff and Student Engagement, highlighting recognition of collective work within each of the areas.

The good news comes in the same week as the University launched its new Environmental Sustainability Strategy, which sets out the ways in which the university community will work towards a target of Net Zero Carbon 2030 and beyond.

Jamie Pearson, Environmental Sustainability Manager at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We are incredibly proud that the work and leadership of our community has been recognised in this table. An array of students, staff and partners have led and enabled key areas of improvement in our work, including divestment, engagement and curricular development.

“We will now continue our journey at Edinburgh Napier and will meet the significant commitments made within our strategy, including the very recent publication of our new Environmental Sustainability Strategy.”

Edinburgh Napier success at Higher Education ‘Oscars’

Edinburgh Napier collective takes home Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion award

A three-year long campaign by students and staff at Edinburgh Napier to raise awareness of period poverty has been recognised with an award win at the “Oscars of Higher Education.”

Bleedin’ Saor – the staff/student collective responsible for the campaign – collected the Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at last night’s Times Higher Education Awards 2021 in London.

Led by Edinburgh Napier colleagues Ruth Cochrane, Dr Kirsten MacLeod and Lindsay Morgan, the collective was praised by judges for its efforts in combating menstrual myths and breaking the ‘silence of menstruation’ to create a long-lasting impact for young people and their communities.

The Bleedin’ Saor campaign was multi-faceted, with the collective most recently launching its Bleeding Free documentary which looked at topics such as period poverty, period dignity and menstrual education both in Scotland and overseas in Uganda.

The collective visited Uganda in 2019 as it took its campaign to East Africa to join global efforts in the menstrual movement.

The 10-day trip saw the group meet with and interview members of a number of organisations within the country who are fighting for better period product provision, gender equality and women’s rights.

Closer to home, the documentary also captures the work of the collective and its three designers – Sam Calder, Hannah Stevens and Brogan Henderson – as they worked with the University and the Hey Girls social enterprise to design two new period product dispensers.

The final design has been used by Edinburgh Napier to make period products free to all who need them within the University’s campuses and will soon be installed in schools, colleges and universities across the country. The free products at Edinburgh Napier have been made available thanks to Scottish Government funding.

The Bloody Big Brunch event hosted by Bleedin’ Saor at all three of Edinburgh Napier’s campuses in early 2019 – which saw guests pay for entry to the brunch through donating period products rather than money – is also revisited in the film.

On the award win, Ruth, Kirsten and Lindsay said: “We are beyond delighted that Bleedin’ Saor has received this recognition. It highlights the role that creativity has to play in tackling society’s challenges.

“The success of this project is completely down to our amazing students. It shows that given the chance, our young people really can change the world.”

University Principal Andrea Nolan said: “This award is fantastic recognition for the Bleedin’ Saor collective and I am so proud of what it has done both for Edinburgh Napier and beyond.

“The campaign is a perfect example of successful student and staff partnership working and I am thrilled that the team has been recognised for its tireless work and passion in raising awareness of period poverty.

“A huge congratulations to you all.”

The THE awards – now in their 17th year – span 20 categories covering the full range of university activities. This year’s winners, focusing on achievements during 2019-20, were announced at a ceremony last night at the Hilton London Metropole hotel.

The University was well represented on the night, with Professor Lis Neubeck, from the School of Health & Social Care, also shortlisted for Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year.

Entitled Abnormal Heart Rhythms: Changing National and Global Detection and Management, Professor Neubeck’s internationally leading research and knowledge exchange focuses on the early detection and appropriate management of the most common abnormal heart rhythm, atrial fibrillation, and has had significant impact on the field of cardiovascular health at a national, European and global level.

The full list of winners from the night can be found here.

New graduate Charlotte wins the Simon Pullin Award

A student nurse has been honoured for her outstanding caring skills on the day she graduated from university with distinction.

Charlotte Milliken was presented with her Bachelor of Nursing (Mental Health) degree at the Usher Hall on Thursday and was also named the winner of Edinburgh Napier University’s Simon Pullin Award for 2021.

The award was established to recognise the human side of nursing and midwifery, and the judging panel agreed Charlotte was a worthy winner after reading her insightful account of her experiences on placement with community mental health teams at different stages of her degree.

Mother-of-one Charlotte, 31, of Uphall, West Lothian, underlined the importance of compassionate care and wrote of techniques she had learned to empower patients and build their independence and self-worth.

She told how an experienced nurse showed her mental health improvement is always possible by introducing her to a patient who had turned his life around, established a supportive network of family and friends, and was maintaining a home.

Charlotte, who as a first year won a Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland prize for her work on a placement, also wrote of another patient who used new skills they had worked on together to defuse an anxiety attack.

Her submission for the award was reinforced by glowing tributes from a less experienced placement student she had supported and a community psychiatric nurse who had mentored her.

Simon Pullin Award Winner Charlotte Milliken EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY

Charlotte, who is married to Tom, a staff nurse in oncology who supported her through her degree, and has a three-year-old daughter named Niamh, said: “It has been a challenging but enjoyable five years, including maternity leave.

“I am thrilled to be graduating with distinction but to also be named as the winner of the Simon Pullin Award, having read about the achievements of some of the University’s previous winners, is just the icing on the cake.”

The new graduate, who currently works at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, added: “I am proud of the skills I have learned over my years as a student. I have worked hard to develop my practice to be person centred and holistic, practicing the techniques I have been taught by my mentors and colleagues, and I hope to continue to learn more as I progress through my career as a mental health nurse.”

Edinburgh Napier’s Simon Pullin Award was created in memory of Senior Nurse Simon Pullin, who played a key role in the university’s Compassionate Care Programme up until his death from cancer in July 2011.

Pam Logan, Charlotte’s Personal Development Tutor at the University, said: “Charlotte has been well respected by practice colleagues due to her commitment to delivering compassionate, person-centred care and her ability to establish and maintain therapeutic relationships that are based on shared understanding and respect.

“Practice feedback has commended Charlotte on consistently working in a non-judgmental manner, approaching ethical challenges appropriately and for her support of junior students.”

Dr Stephen Smith, from Edinburgh Napier’s School of Health & Social Care, who led the awarding panel, said: “Charlotte’s ability to intrinsically value each person in her care and adopt a consistently positive approach to individual recovery was a key factor in her winning the award this year.”

New graduate says the teenage brother she lost will be her lifelong inspiration

“Hopes were fading for Calum but he wouldn’t let me give up on my degree“

A STUDENT who lost her younger brother to cancer has vowed to use his zest for life as a neverending source of inspiration as she graduated with honours.

Kate Turner’s final year at Edinburgh Napier was turned upside down after her only sibling Calum was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a fast growing cancer of the lymphatic system.

The brave 16-year-old urged his big sister not to give up on her studies and said he would be at her graduation whatever happened, but as the disease took its cruel toll he lost his fight for life in January.

Motivated by his words of encouragement, Kate pushed on with her course work, seeking only a deferral for her dissertation which she dedicated to “Calum, my inspiration in life and my best friend”.

And as the 23-year-old reached the end of her academic journey today, walking across the Usher Hall stage to collect her BA (Hons) in Psychology with Sociology, she said Calum’s courage and love of life would continue to motivate her – starting with the ‘bucket list’ of activities he had asked his family to perform in his memory.

Kate, of Sauchie, Clackmannanshire, said: “Calum was so true to himself and unapologetic for it. His passion was music and art, and at 6ft 4ins he already stood out and with the tartan docs, bright coloured beanie hats and ever-changing hair colour, he always made a statement. He was quick-witted, loved a debate and had the ability to make us laugh for hours and hours. For one so young he did so much in life.”

Calum, a volunteer worker with local charity Sauchie Community Group, was diagnosed with cancer two months before Kate began her final year. He had been losing weight fast and was unable to walk even a short distance without sitting down. He was admitted to Forth Valley Royal Hospital and then moved to the Beatson Centre in Glasgow where he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Burkitt lymphoma.

Over six gruelling roller-coaster months in hospital, including intensive chemotherapy, there were moments when his family were told to prepare for the worst but by October he had been given the all-clear. However, the cancer returned and on December 23 last year medics told his loved ones there was no more they could do.

Kate said: “Calum insisted on coming home to spend Christmas with us, and we just spent the next two weeks as a family until he passed away on January 5.”

During his illness, Calum had encouraged Kate to keep going and get her degree.

She said: “My graduation was something we had discussed a lot along with his prom in June this year – they were things we were both holding on to. When he was first admitted, he phoned me telling me he didn’t want to miss my graduation, and that he would be there no matter what. As things got worse, university didn’t seem a priority but Calum told me it was and I wasn’t allowed to quit.

“When he passed away it was an immediate reaction to leave and not face going back to my studies, however his words kept going round in my mind and I knew I had to finish it for both of us.

“Edinburgh Napier teaching staff were incredibly sympathetic and supportive, and I was given a deferral for my dissertation which really saved me from not being able to continue. I made it over the line and I am now looking for a job in the third sector where I can use my experience working with the community and my knowledge from my degree for a good cause.”

In her University dissertation, Kate wrote the following in the Acknowledgements; “To my brother, Calum, thank you for teaching me that creativity can be expressed in a million different ways and for always reminding me that staying inside the box is boring.

“At 16 years young, you taught me life has no limits when you are fearless and brave and accept yourself for who you are. Thank you for being the motivation for absolutely everything I do and will continue to do in the future.

“This is the finish line you always encouraged me to reach, although it’s not together, this one’s for you Calum, my inspiration in life and my best friend.”

Kate said yesterday that, despite the age difference of five and a half years, she and Calum had been best friends and his relentless enthusiasm and selfless attitude would continue to inspire her as she makes her way through life.

She added: “Calum gave us a bucket list of things to do in his memory like going to Japan to see the cherry blossoms. I plan to start working through that as soon as we can and celebrate his life while I do.”

Dr Elli Drake, Kate’s Personal Development Tutor at Edinburgh Napier, said: “Kate had already shown herself to be an exceptional student well before her brother’s diagnosis.

“As a student she brought her home community and the Napier community together. Her family had long been involved in Sauchie Community Centre. On the Volunteering and Employability module at Napier, she designed and conducted a consultation process for the centre which contributed to significant funding being awarded for the benefit of the people of Sauchie – an amazing achievement.

“The strength of character, determination to find the positives and community-spiritedness that Kate demonstrated during that project were brought home when she faced the illness and loss of her brother.

“She continued to be an inspiration throughout that time, with a life-affirming spirit that lives on today in testament to Calum, herself, her family and the communities to which she continues to contribute.”

‘Earn while you learn’ scheme produces first Napier graduates

A groundbreaking initiative which allows students to study for a university degree while in paid employment yesterday (October 27) produced its first graduates at Edinburgh Napier University.

Twenty-nine students graduated from the university’s School of Computing under the Graduate Apprenticeships scheme, with their degrees including BSc (Hons) IT Management for Business, BSc (Hons) Software Development and BEng (Hons) Cyber Security.

A graduation ceremony at the city’s Usher Hall saw the university’s first intake complete their degrees four years after the university began offering Graduate Apprenticeships, an initiative developed by Skills Development Scotland in partnership with industry and the higher education sector.

Graduate Apprenticeships drive economic growth by offering employers the chance to train and develop new and existing employees through a fully funded university degree.

The apprenticeships combine academic knowledge with skills development, and Edinburgh Napier now offers GA courses in its School of Computing, Business School and School of Engineering & the Built Environment.

Among today’s first Edinburgh Napier graduates from the scheme was Craig Potter, 38, a Detective Sergeant with Police Scotland, who graduated with a first class BEng honours degree in Cyber Security.

Craig, of Edinburgh, said: “It has been four years of hard slog in addition to my full-time work as a police officer, but I feel a real sense of achievement in completing my degree.

“It has helped me get promoted and has helped Police Scotland in terms of upskilling staff. A lot of my work-based projects and my dissertation have been around improving the force capability in relation to the investigation of Cryptocurrency, so there are tangible benefits to both employers and employees in going down this route.”

Graduate Apprenticeships are available to businesses of any size in Scotland, with apprentices typically spending 80 per cent of their time in the workplace and 20 per cent at university. They are available for people looking for a new job with a participating employer as well as those looking to upskill through their current job, and tasks and projects apprentices carry out in work can count towards their degree.

Professor Sally Smith, Head of Graduate Apprenticeships at Edinburgh Napier, said: “We’re delighted to see our first ever graduate apprentices crossing the stage this year. Graduation is a time to reflect on personal achievements and celebrate all that hard work paying off.

“We also acknowledge the support provided by employers, the early adopters who recognised the strengths of the Graduate Apprenticeship model. From that first day four years ago, the apprenticeships have gone from strength to strength, expanding into new subjects.”

Scott Killen, the university’s employment liaison and recruitment manager, said: “In order for a Graduate Apprentice to succeed their employer must be dedicated to supporting them in their university work, professional development and work-based learning.

“The employers of the class of 2021 took a big risk in enrolling their staff into a brand new degree programme in September 2017.

“They have been instrumental in the graduating cohort’s success. Their contribution and feedback has also helped us continually improve how we support employers and apprentices to deliver positive learning experience both in university and the workplace.”

Mira Thow, Global HR Manager with KAL, a leader in ATM software, said: “Graduate profiles are an invaluable part of the future of our business. Each year KAL ATM Software Gmbh hires a cohort of at least 12 talented, driven students from the best universities in the world.

“After four years of intensive training and development in our graduate program, it is truly inspiring to see our first cohort of Graduate Apprentices blossom into fully fledged engineers who we are also confident will become the next generation of business leaders.”

Happy Anniversary! Elsie and Bulabari celebrate a degree each and 14 years of marriage

Usher Hall ceremony is added to couple’s list of October milestones

BEAMING Elsie Francis today celebrated with her husband as she emulated his achievement of graduating from Edinburgh Napier – on their wedding anniversary!

Elsie collected her MSc in Business Information Technology 15 months after the university awarded her other half Bulabari an MBA in Leadership Practice.

But with his graduation ceremony being lost to Covid-19-related restrictions, like so many public events in 2020, they decided to turn her big day today at the Usher Hall into a joint celebration as they also marked 14 years of married life.

Elsie said: “What a wonderful day this is. It was disappointing for Bulabari and other 2020 graduates not to be able to walk across the stage at the Usher Hall to get their degrees last year.

“But the way things have turned out we can now celebrate both of us becoming graduates on what was already a special date in our diaries!”

Elsie and Bulabari, of Kirkcaldy, first met in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in October 2006 and were married there exactly one year later.

Bulabari was first to move to Scotland, to study for his MBA at Edinburgh Napier, in January 2018 while Elsie stayed in Nigeria to juggle her post-graduate studies with a busy job as an Executive Assistant and caring for their three children.

However, they all spent a wonderful family Christmas together in Scotland the following December and decided that was where their future lay.

Elsie said: “We decided I would not be going back to Nigeria. Career-wise it was a very difficult decision for me; however, in the end family and love won.”

At first Elsie stayed at their then home in Rosyth to look after the children while Bulabari continued with his studies, basing his dissertation on the use of digital marketing to promote small African businesses in Scotland.

She soon decided though that she wanted to build on her flair for IT and business and management experience by applying to study for an MSc in Business Information Technology.

Elsie, 40, said: “I chose Edinburgh Napier firstly because of my husband’s experience, but also because they offered the modules that suited my career goals, and naturally I got a lot of support from my husband since he already knew how to use all the online facilities.”

After completing his studies last year, Bulabari, 48, is now working as a Project Planning Specialist with an English-based gas distribution company.

Elsie had a part-time job as a customer service advisor with the Royal Voluntary Service while she studied, but now she too has finished her studies she is looking to pursue a career in Business Analysis.

Today’s Edinburgh Napier autumn graduation ceremony is the first to take place at the Usher Hall since the pandemic struck.

Elsie said: “October is a truly significant month for me, and for us as a couple. I was born in October. Bulabari and I first met in October. We got married in October. Now I am graduating in October with my husband and fellow Edinburgh Napier graduate at my side which really makes our story complete.”

The couple – whose children are Glenn, 13, Collins, 11, and Valerie, seven – are in no hurry to leave Scotland now they have completed their degrees. Bulabari said: “We have moved from Rosyth to Kirkcaldy but we really love it in Scotland and are looking forward to growing old together here.”