Lord Wallace meets teaching, research and professional services staff
Edinburgh Napier yesterday hosted a visit across a number of departments and teams by the Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly.The Rt Hon Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC spent the morning at the Sighthill campus as part of a 10-day programme organised by the Presbytery of Edinburgh.
He was welcomed to the University by Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal & Vice Chancellor, and toured the purpose-built simulation and clinical skills centre where student nurses, midwives, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and social workers develop their skills in an authentic environment.
Lord Wallace met School of Health & Social Care students and the staff who run the centre, which includes practice areas ranging from community and critical care to general wards and birth environments.
He also met Professor Gary Hutchison, Dean of Applied Sciences, and the Sighthill-based School’s Dr Liz Aston, who is Director of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, whose work helps police meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Lord Wallace also chatted to representatives of the University’s Chaplaincy Service, the Wellbeing and Inclusion team who work to make students feel safe, supported and healthy, and the Student Futures team who support their professional development and prepare them for the world of work.
Professor Andrea Nolan said: “It was an absolute pleasure and delight to host Lord and Lady Wallace.
“The visit gave them a flavour of what we do at Edinburgh Napier – they saw our modern teaching facilities and heard about the real world applications of our research, while also getting to meet the teams whose pastoral and support work underpins our progress as a university.
“I hope they found the visit interesting and informative.”
Lord Wallace, a QC and former MP and MSP, who went to university, trained as a lawyer and sat in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, said he was grateful to the Presbytery for putting together a comprehensive programme which allowed him to engage with a range of people who reflect his interests.
The 10-day programme will see Lord Wallace carrying out a wide range of engagements visiting churches, hospitals, universities and Edinburgh prison.
Mother-of-two, 42, wins place on Edinburgh Napier course
MUM-of-two Heather Griffin has embarked on a completely new career path after forging a close relationship with the student nurses she worked with at a Covid-19 testing centre.
Former financial services worker Heather was so fascinated by what she heard from the Edinburgh Napier undergraduates that she has now enrolled in the University’s Bachelor of Nursing (Adult) degree course.
Heather, 42, lost her job in finance during the pandemic but found work at the testing centre at The Pleasance in Edinburgh through a temping agency. The facility was opened by the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier to provide mass testing for students before they travelled home last Christmas and remained open in the New Year to provide ongoing testing for asymptomatic students.
Heather worked first of all on the registration desks, then as a test processor and results recorder, and she developed a close working relationship with the student nurses on duty at the centre.
She said: “I had never really considered a role in nursing before but I learned about the Edinburgh Napier course through the student nurses. I was surprised at how many of them were mature students who had families, and who also wanted a change in their life direction.
“They spoke highly of the course, were excited by their career choice, and had inspiring stories to share from their placements. Once they had instilled in me the idea that I would also apply for the course, they were also able to address my concerns and answer my many questions about it.”
Heather, who is married with two sons, aged 14 and nine, said there had been a strong sense of camaraderie within the test centre workforce. “The team was welcoming and supportive, and we used a lot of humour to help us through those tough times. In addition, we felt proud to be part of a project that was dedicated to the health and safety of the wider community.”
Heather, who has a degree in Russian Studies, applied for the Edinburgh Napier nursing course and after an online group interview was offered a conditional place subject to passing online modules taken over the summer.
With all hurdles successfully negotiated, she has now been accepted on to the course and has joined classmates at the University’s Sighthill campus as she pursues the next step on her new career ladder.
Heather, from Canonmills, said: “It’s early days and I am still settling into my new routine and just beginning to appreciate the amount of work that needs to be done but I have been enjoying myself so far.
“I am raring to go, and am excited by the opportunity to go on placement in January and put the skills into practice.”
Edinburgh Napier’s Joanne Nethercott, who ran the Covid-19 testing centre and supported Heather as she applied for a place at the university, said: “Test centre staff were trained in a variety of roles to develop skills which they could add to their CV, and Heather approached every new role with enthusiasm and passion, and was keen to learn.
“I was surprised when she told me she was thinking of applying for the nursing course because it was so far from her work in finance and a big commitment, but of course, I supported her as much as I could and I was over the moon when she told me she had been offered a conditional place.
“I am delighted that the test centre work brought us a new student, and I am sure Heather will make a fantastic nurse.”
University aims to strengthen ties with commercial partners
An academic with a strong interest in information processing in complex systems, artificial intelligence and data science will lead two key Schools at Edinburgh Napier into the post-pandemic era.
Professor Peter Andras has joined the University’s Senior Leadership Team as Dean of the Schools of Computing, and Engineering & the Built Environment.
Earlier this year, it was agreed by the University’s Academic Board that there were clear synergies and benefits in developing a more collaborative relationship between the two Merchiston-based Schools. Michael Greenhalgh took on the role of Interim Dean of both.
Mr Greenhalgh has now joined the University on a permanent basis as the new Director of Strategy & Planning, and will lead on the annual planning processes.
Professor Andras takes the reins at the Schools of Computing and Engineering & the Built Environment, and will continue the work of developing stronger ties across the two Schools.
The University also aims to strengthen its collaborations with industrial partners, particularly in the context of cyber security, timber and sustainable and smart construction and transport policy, and will continue its strong engagement with professional societies relevant to its educational and research portfolios.
Professor Andras comes to Edinburgh from Keele University, where he headed up the School of Computing and Mathematics, and has a wealth of experience in leadership, education portfolio development and governance roles. He is an active researcher with significant results in the areas of artificial neural networks, invertebrate neuroscience and modelling of evolution of social institutions.
Prior to starting at Keele seven years ago, he had various academic roles over a 14-year period at Newcastle University, and earlier held teaching posts at universities in the Netherlands and Romania.
He is a member of a number of scientific societies, encompassing computer science, biology, artificial intelligence and neuroscience, and has been involved in setting up three start-up companies and a series of collaborations with industry.
A keen stamp collector, he also has a strong interest in politics, having served as a city councillor in Newcastle and campaigned for investment in renewable energy sources.
Professor Andras said: “The Schools of Computing, and Engineering and the Built Environment, have an excellent reputation in cyber security, timber research and sustainable construction, social informatics, transport policy research, evolutionary optimisation and renewable energy.
“We have increasingly popular programmes and very active and wide-ranging engagement with industry. These provide a fantastic foundation to grow our research strength, educational portfolio and industry engagement in areas aligned with the Industry 4.0 revolution.”
Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal & Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “We are delighted to welcome Peter to the Senior Leadership Team at Edinburgh Napier as we look forward with excitement to the new academic year and beyond.
“He brings a wealth of academic experience to what is a key role, and I know he is very much looking forward to building relationships with our staff, students and external stakeholders.”
Study suggests relocations took place with little consideration of people’s needs and adversely affected their health and wellbeing
Asylum seekers who were moved to temporary accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic have faced unsafe conditions, mobility restrictions and a lack of communication from service providers, according to a new study.
Edinburgh Napier researchers said the asylum seekers’ accounts – in which they likened their hotel-type accommodation to detention centres – “pointed to a provision that was inattentive towards their needs, vulnerability and wellbeing.”
The study, which focuses on accommodation in Glasgow, is particularly critical of a “mothers and baby” unit in the south of the city, which was opened last October. Mothers, who were moved there by Home Office accommodation contractor Mears Group who run the facilities, criticised the cramped and noisy living conditions, unsuitable furniture and inadequate washing facilities.
The report authors call for an independent assessment of the facility to be carried out as a matter of urgency, and say no more families should be moved there until this has taken place.
Other recommendations in the interim report include calls for risk assessments for individuals in advance of any relocation, the minimising of stays in hotel-type accommodation, a review of limits on travel luggage, and the lifting of restrictions requiring residents to stay ‘on-site overnight’.
Edinburgh Napier researchers carried out the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, as part of UK Research and Innovation’s response to Covid-19. They worked with migrant-led grassroots organisation Migrants Organising for Rights and Empowerment (MORE) to explore the impact of the pandemic on those placed in temporary accommodation in Glasgow.
Around 350 asylum seekers were moved from their settled flats into various hotels in the city centre following the outbreak of Covid-19 in March last year, which Mears Group claimed was an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.
Researchers spoke to more than 50 asylum seekers and followed closely the lives of 14 participants of varied ages and backgrounds from December 2020 to June 2021, during the ‘second wave’ of the virus in the UK, through weekly online meetings.
Accommodation for asylum seekers during the pandemic has long been a controversial topic. A mass outbreak of Covid at the repurposed Napier military barracks in Kent last winter and a mass stabbing at the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow the previous June sparked debate and criticism of the government’s handling of asylum housing from parliamentary select committees.
The interim findings of the new Edinburgh Napier study suggest relocating asylum seekers to hotel-type accommodation had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing, and that they found social distancing almost impossible in their new environment.
Individuals living in hotels also faced a number of restrictions. They were unable to cook their own food or have visitors, had their weekly allowance withdrawn, and were told they could not spend nights away from the accommodation. The food served was said to be of poor quality, and it did not reflect their religious or cultural backgrounds.
The Glasgow-based mother and baby unit, the only such facility in the whole of Scotland, was reportedly noisy – with doors frequently banging and staff knocking, and had small beds, insufficient room ventilation and furniture which was unsuitable for breastfeeding. One mum told of her humiliation when the driver taking her to the unit told her she had too many belongings for a “destitute” asylum seeker.
The report said relocations to temporary accommodation took place with little consideration of people’s needs and with no consultation with asylum seekers themselves. There were cases of people being given less than 15 minutes to get ready for their move, and of individuals being threatened with deportation if they resisted.
Dr Taulant Guma, Principal Investigator and lecturer in Edinburgh Napier’s School of Applied Sciences, said: “While issues around asylum accommodation have received a significant amount of media and public attention since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, little attention has been paid to the experiences and perspectives of asylum seekers themselves, who are directly and mostly affected by these housing arrangements.
“As a collaboration with a grassroots organisation, our study offers a unique and in-depth insight and understanding into the day-to-day realities of asylum seekers’ housing experiences during the pandemic.
“In the context of the current Afghan crisis and discourses of ‘warm welcome’, our findings offer a timely reminder of the cold realities that may await Afghan asylum seekers and refugees once they are relocated to their accommodation across the country.”
Robert Makutsa, Community Researcher with MORE, said: “The asylum accommodation system is broken because the level of duty of care that is required does not need to be met. Think about it; what legal action can an asylum seeker raise against Mears or the Home Office in their failure to adhere to the accommodation provision? None.
“Their lives are defined and controlled by their agents and often it is us, migrant led organisations and grassroots groups, who put pressure on Mears when asylum seekers make complaints.”
Napier inauguration event marks the arrival of Will Whitehorn
Will Whitehorn has formally taken over from Dr David Eustace as Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University.
The Edinburgh-born President of industry group UKspace takes on a role which will see him confer degrees at graduations and other awards of the University, and act as figurehead at external ceremonies and official functions.
The official handover to Will, who will serve for five years, took place at a small ceremony at the University’s Sighthill campus followed by an evening function.
A former executive at the Virgin Group, his business interests include travel, technology and communication as well as leadership, marketing and product design.
He worked on a series of major Virgin projects, including the Pendolino train, and later took up the post of President at Virgin Galactic, which saw him play a central role in developing the concept of commercial space travel.
New Chancellor of ENU Will Whitehorn with previous Chancellor David Eustace. Photographed at Edinburgh Napier University’s Sighthill campus on 11 August 2021.
On being appointed to the role, Will Whitehorn said: “I am deeply honoured to have been chosen as the new Chancellor of this great University in the city I was born and raised in.”
He added: “University should be an adventure and Edinburgh Napier does a better job of fulfilling that dream for students than many educational institutions around the country can even dream of, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to play my small part in taking the achievements of the University to new heights.”
Outgoing Chancellor Dr Eustace, an award-winning photographer who graduated with distinction from the University’s BA Photography, Film and Television programme in 1991, was appointed to the role in 2015.
Among the initiatives he introduced was the Chancellor Talk series, launched in 2016 with the aim of giving students, staff and the wider community access to high-profile people whose talent and drive had made a real difference to our world.
Dr Eustace said: “Being Chancellor was a wonderful learning process which has helped me develop. There are many things I’ll miss, especially the graduation ceremonies, but it was time for a new Chancellor and new ideas.
“Nothing stands still and it shouldn’t. The joy of education is that there is no finishing line.”
Study abroad opportunities will be available for students
Students from Edinburgh Napier will be able to study across the world after the University was awarded a significant level of funding from the new Turing Scheme.
The funding, which was announced this week, is part of almost £100m that was distributed to education providers following the inaugural call for bids. It will enable and increase global mobility activity in the 2021/22 academic year, supporting students in accessing a range of international opportunities, regardless of their background.
The Turing Scheme is the UK Government’s programme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world. It supports Global Britain by providing an opportunity for UK organisations from the higher education, further education, vocational education and training and schools sectors to offer students, learners and pupils life-changing experiences to study or work abroad.
As part of the new global scheme, Canada, Japan and the USA are among more than 150 international destinations where UK participants will be funded to take up placements – with 48% of places going to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Turing Scheme gives participants the opportunity to benefit from working and studying abroad, while boosting the UK education sector’s ties with international partners in the process. It also aims to improve social mobility across the UK by targeting areas which had seen lower uptake up of other mobility programmes.
Edinburgh Napier University Principal and Vice Chancellor Andrea Nolan said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid to the Turing Scheme.
“We have a long history of both widening participation and global mobility at Edinburgh Napier and it will be fantastic to be able to provide yet more opportunities for students from all backgrounds to experience some time abroad as part of this exciting new scheme.”
Universities Minister Michelle Donelan said: “Our schools, colleges and universities have worked tirelessly to make this programme a success, and I am grateful to them and their global partners who have truly embraced this opportunity for international collaboration.
“I look forward to seeing the innovation and expertise our students, pupils and vocational learners bring back to this country from their journeys to every corner of the globe – from Canada to Japan, and Australia to the United States.”
More information on how students can apply to the scheme will be announced in due course.
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.”
Ozone is Business of the Year at annual celebration of innovation and enterprise
A clothing venture which has sustainability embedded into its entire business process was the big winner at the annual Bright Red Sparks awards.
An underwear designer, a social enterprise and a business driving energy efficiency in rented housing were also among those honoured at the event, which showcases innovative products and services developed by start-ups, spinouts and entrepreneurs.
An initiative of Edinburgh Napier’s Bright Red Triangle enterprise hub, the awards saw students, staff and alumni within five years of graduation compete across five categories for business coaching and more than £20,000 in cash prizes.
Ozone, founded by Edinburgh Napier Business School student James Bruce (above), won first prize in the Business of the Year category.
Its colourful apparel is developed with sustainability in mind, from initial resources to final products. This includes the sustainable sourcing of materials, carbon offsetting, fully compostable and recyclable packaging, and an ethically accredited supply chain.
Shortlisted enterprises across all five categories were assessed for everything from the viability of their ideas and clarity of planning to potential for growth. Business of the Year this year replaced the Going for Growth category, with 11 successful applicants participating in an intensive accelerator programme of three three-day sprints over a seven-week period.
Each participant in the category received £1000, with judges Lindsey McArthur, Relationship Manager at Santander Universities UK, and Dr Rosemary Allford, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Edinburgh Napier, deciding how to split a further prize pool of £7000 following an online pitching session.
Bright Red Sparks Awards 2021 winners
Business of the Year (£11,000 plus £7000 prize pool)
The big award for businesses or rigorously tested business ideas with global growth potential went to James Bruce’s Ozone, which scooped £3000 from the prize pool, as well as the £1000 which went to all 11 ventures which successfully applied to participate in the category.
The judges made further prize pool awards to second prize winner Matthew Porter’s skate equipment enterprise Ogle Skate (£2000) (above) and joint third prize winners Kat Kuritcina and Jason Shields’ Top Trend Blend Coffee and Dr Abdelfateh Kerrouche’s Autonomous Robot for collecting data from underwater surveys. (£1000 each from the prize pool)
Bright Ideas (£1000)
Product design graduate Kat Pohorecka came top in this category for exciting early-stage business ideas within one year of trading. She created Mude – a brand of underwear for insulin pump users. The collection of six nude-coloured bodysuits allow women affected by type 1 diabetes to wear an insulin pump with any type of clothing.
Business for Good (£1000)
School of Computing graduate Viana Maya won the category for businesses that have an environmental or social purpose at their core. Viana is the founder of pRESPECT – a social enterprise empowering minority ethic and other marginalised people through tailored personal and professional development, so they may gain sustainable and progressive employment.
Freelancer of the Year (£1000)
School of Engineering graduate Adam Al-khateb came top in the category for individuals who are self-employed, consistently develop themselves, and have ambitious plans for their freelance career.
His AAL Property Solutions was founded in September 2020, and its mission is to drive energy efficiency in the private rented housing sector and support customers throughout the lettings process. It offers fast, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to an energyinefficient sector with increasing regulation and responsibility.
Enterprising Educators (£1000)
Maggie Anderson, who has worked at the University for more than 20 years, won the category forEdinburgh Napier staff who get students involved in enterprise activities.
She has been a driving force in developing the University Short course programme, an innovative suite of modules designed to introduce entrepreneurship and innovation to the leaders of the Ministry of Defence from across the UK, using a variety of learning and teaching approaches. The prize money goes towards the winning programme.
Nick Fannin, Head of Enterprise at Edinburgh Napier, said: “Bright Red Sparks shines a light on all of the enterprising students, staff, and alumni from Edinburgh Napier University and recognises their hard work, determination, and outstanding achievements.
“This year we wanted to provide more guided support for as many entrepreneurs as possible, and so we put them through three deep-dive bootcamps to find our Business of the Year.
“The remaining four categories saw impressive early-stage business ideas, ambitious freelancers, social entrepreneurs, and our very own Edinburgh Napier educators who support our students to develop their enterprise skills.
“We couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from Santander Universities. From all of us at Edinburgh Napier and our entrepreneurs, thank you.”
Lindsey McArthur, Relationship Manager, Santander Universities UK, said: “Through the Universities programme, Santander is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and student start-ups.
“We have supported the Bright Red Triangle at Edinburgh Napier for a number of years and I am always impressed by the standard of the businesses taking part as well as the commitment, passion and hard work demonstrated by the students involved.
“A huge well done to the winners this year, a fantastic achievement. I look forward to hearing updates as your businesses grow and wish you all the very best for the future.”
An Edinburgh-based American football project which is using sport to drive young people from the most deprived areas of the city into further education, is taking part in a national campaign, supported by Dame Katherine Grainger, highlighting how universities are helping local communities recover from the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Edinburgh Napier Knights Youth team was set up by Edinburgh Napier University in 2017, with the goal of working with school-age children in Sighthill and Broomhouse – areas with low levels of educational attainment – to promote health and wellbeing and provide a pathway for players to transition into higher education.
The youth teams are coached exclusively by students and graduates from Edinburgh Napier University who have undertaken coaching awards. By working across age groups, student coaches are able to educate their participants about the benefits of physical activity and the opportunities that are available to them through education.
The project, which has gone from strength to strength and seen seven members of the locally recruited youth team progress to university recently, is one of a number being featured in this week’s Made at Uni Energising Places campaign led by Universities UK and British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and supported by Dame Katherine.
Pete Laird (above), Head Coach of the Napier Knights and the university’s programme leader for Sport, Exercise and Health Science explained how the project had helped inspire local youngsters: “We decided we wanted to give something back to the local community.
“We know from studies that sport can engage young people, and we also know that young people who play sport are also more likely to do better academically. So we thought American football as our sport would be fantastic vehicle to try and help local kids.
“One of the great success stories coming out of our youth team was the progression of some of our players on to further and higher education. For some of our kids they were first generation students, having never thought about university before. Last year we had seven students who progressed from the youth team onto university, which for us that is an unbelievable success story.”
One of those success stories is Robbie Wales, an incoming first year studying Physical Activity and Health at Napier and the first member of his family to attend university.
He said: “The coaching staff are amazing; the team is amazing. I’ve gained a lot of skills from American football, mainly teamwork but also patience. Talking with coaches and past players, it’s definitely helped me make decisions on my life.”
The university are hopeful that even more young people from Edinburgh will get involved in the project as Covid restrictions ease.
Pete Laird added: “We were very worried coming out of lockdown, about whether or not the numbers would stay the same – but actually what we’ve seen is a big growth in people wanting to participate in activity.
“Now more than ever, sport is a vital resource for post-pandemic recovery.”
Dame Katherine Grainger said: “A lot of people know about the role universities play in developing some of our greatest Olympians and Paralympians but there is a real untold story about the work they do in their communities to improve the lives of people through sport and physical activity.
“The Edinburgh Napier Knights Youth team is a great example of that.”
The Made at Uni Energising Places campaign is taking place between July 12-16th, and includes the BUCS annual awards event which celebrates the positive effect of student sport and students who participate in the wider sporting sector in the UK.
To find out more about the Made at Uni Energising Places campaign visit www.madeatuni.org or follow @MadeAtUni on Twitter
‘It’s been a physical and mental struggle, and I am proud to have got over the line’
A NEW Edinburgh Napier graduate has told how her 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 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 go and work on the hospital frontline.
In a year in which no graduate had it easy, the 28-year-old has more reasons than most 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.
“It really is a dream come true. Now I hope to use my knowledge and experience to work in the health administrative sector to improve health systems in Sri Lanka and create a safe environment for both patients and doctors.”
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 began her studies in January 2018, but 15 months later the peace of the island was shattered when nine suicide bombers detonated devices in six locations. The victims ranged from worshippers celebrating Easter in church to tourists eating in hotel restaurants.
The student said: “It happened just weeks before I was due to submit my research proposal, and the country was plunged into distress with curfews and multiple bomb scares which brought back memories of the civil war. Security was increased everywhere and there was a ban on the internet as well for the public.”
Tensions gradually eased but by the time Hashani got clearance to carry out her research she was working round-the-clock as an intern doctor at a busy district hospital in the northern province of Kilinochchi. Her on-call duties covered obstetrics, gynaecology and internal medicine.
She said: “I was away from my family and loved ones and internet access was poor, hampering my attempts to complete my dissertation. Then Covid struck and I had to defer for a year and go and work frontline. My research focused on patients undergoing elective surgery, and this type of surgery was cancelled during the pandemic.
“It was not until this year, after overcoming multiple delays, bombings, a pandemic and a physically and mentally exhausting internship, that I finally managed to complete my MBA – before a third wave of Covid struck.”
Hashani is now working as a medical officer in a government hospital in Sri Lanka, a role which combines medical and administrative work. She said: “I am keen to promote patient-centred decision making. I am also planning to start my own medical clinic in the future, and hope to use my expertise as a doctor and an administrator to provide the best of care for my patients.”
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.”
