Free basic toiletries to be made available to people in areas across Lothian experiencing social deprivation
A campaign being spearheaded by an Edinburgh Napier lecturer will see free toiletries made available to those who need them most across the Lothian region. Continue reading Edinburgh Napier launches Dignity Box campaign
Powerful short film tells story of four women who had previously served sentences at HMPYOI Polmont
The stories of four females who had previously served sentences at HMPYOI Polmont have been brought to life through a powerful new short film. Continue reading On the Outside: a visual letter to the past, the present and the future
GLOBALLY-respected communications expert Geoff Day has been appointed Director of Marketing and External Relations at Edinburgh Napier University. Continue reading Celebration Day: Communications executive comes home to his dream job
Edinburgh Napier academic to take part in ‘Around the World in a Day’ challenge for STV Appeal
An Edinburgh Napier Sport Science academic who helped prepare Mark Beaumont to cycle around the world is getting ready to undertake her own mammoth cycling challenge.
In the lead up to the challenge last year, Edinburgh Napier’s Dr Lesley Ingram worked extensively with the record-breaking cyclist to get him in the shape of his life as he geared up to cycling the 18,000-mile route in just 78 days, 14hours & 40mins.
From completing VO2 max tests to undertaking sessions in the University’s environmental chamber, which mimicked various high temperatures that Mark would face throughout this challenge, Lesley’s work ensured that Mark left no stone unturned in his quest to reach peak physical condition prior to leaving.
And now, Lesley will join Mark and 79 other cyclists as they aim to collectively cycle the same distance that Mark completed in his own challenge – in just one day.
In support of this year’s STV Children’s Appeal, the ‘Around the World in a Day’ challenge will see the cyclists aim to cover an arduous 240 mile route from near Campbeltown in Argyll and Bute to Aberdeen in just 16 hours.
Taking place on 22 September, the intrepid group’s route will see them undertake nearly 3,000 metres worth of climbing as it takes them around the Trossachs National Park and Ben More, before heading through Crieff, Forfar, Brechin before finishing at Aberdeen’s Duthie Park.
The challenge aims to raise £80,000 for the STV Children’s Appeal. The STV Children’s Appeal was launched in 2011 as a response to statistics showing that one in four children and young people in Scotland live in poverty, with over 220,000 affected. In just seven years, the appeal has managed to raise more than £16.3million for a range of worthy causes across the country.
For Lesley, the challenge will see her enter unchartered territory as she swaps her laboratory for her bike to cycle the furthest distance she has ever undertaken.
She said: “I used to be a semi-professional mountain biker and I’ve always cycled in my life but I’ve never ever done anything on this scale before. This is an unknown for me – I’ve never cycled 240 miles. It is daunting but I’m really looking forward to it!
“Our challenge aims to mimic what Mark did in his own Around the World challenge. Our cycling will be broken down into four-hour blocks with 30-minute breaks in between. We are looking to do the 240 miles in around 16 hours at an average speed of 15mph – it is going to be tough!
“I’ve been enjoying my training rides at weekends and back home to Fife after work. Obviously, as a sport scientist, I’m a firm believer that fitness is a must have but for something like this you also need a robust mental strength. I’m fully prepared for the ups and downs the day will bring but I can’t wait to get started and to play my part in raising funds for such a worthwhile cause.”
Lesley’s sponsorship page can be found here. More information on her work with Mark Beaumont as he prepared for his Around the World in 80 Days challenge can be found here.
The Fringe show that is literally rubbish … Edinburgh Napier student uses discarded matter and waste to create striking installations Continue reading See the Fringe show that really IS rubbish!
Napier University will host first Scottish screening 
The Scottish Premiere of a film documenting the life and work of an unsung hero of British photography is to be held at Edinburgh Napier University.
The screening of Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay at the Craiglockhart campus on September 26 will be followed by a question and answer session with co-producer and director Grant Scott.
Jay, who died in 2009, aged 68, was a photographer, lecturer, writer, and editor/founder of the influential Creative Camera magazine. In 1970 he established the Do Not Bend Gallery, London, the first gallery dedicated to photography in the UK, and in 1971 Jay became the first Director of Photography at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London.
He was the author of more than 20 books on photography, two books of his own photography, and hundreds of essays, lectures and articles.
Grant Scott became intrigued by Jay’s story, having been compared with Jay in his opinions and writing, and immediately embarked on a series of interviews with friends, colleagues, ex-students and Jay’s family.
Archive footage, audio recordings and photographs were secured from numerous sources in the US and UK, so that Scott could use the maverick Jay’s own voice to narrate the story of his life.
Early audiences have hailed the film as “inspirational”, “absorbing”, “a revelation” and “poignant, funny and genuinely illuminating”, with photographer Martin Parr commenting: “I think the one real achievement of the film is to put on record the life and work of Bill Jay whose contribution has been known but never recognised.”
The Edinburgh screening will be preceded by a drinks reception, and director Scott will be joined on the discussion panel afterwards by Malcolm Dickson, Director of Street Level Photoworks; Ben Harman, Director of Stills Gallery; Edinburgh Napier honorary fellow Robin Gillanders, and Annie Lyden of The National Galleries of Scotland.
Grant Scott, a photographer, writer and lecturer in his own right, who produced the film in partnership with Tim Pellatt, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response to the film and how people have connected with Bill’s story, finding it to be inspirational and entertaining. We made the film without funding with a total budget of £500, so to get such a reception has been incredible.”
Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay will be shown at the Lindsay Stewart Lecture Theatre at the Craiglockhart Campus at 219 Colinton Road on Wednesday 26 September. The drinks reception is at 5.45pm, with the film being screened at 7pm and the Question and Answer session following at 8.45pm.
Tickets are £5 per person.
Tickets can be purchased at https://store.napier.ac.uk/product-catalogue/creative-industries/events/do-not-bend-the-photographic-life-of-bill-jay-26th-september-2018
University links with Hypervine to explore potential of blockchain
A NEW collaboration aims to develop blockchain solutions to the data recording problems which can jeopardise complex construction projects.
Edinburgh Napier University is teaming up with newly-formed Hypervine Ltd following a series of industry scandals which have highlighted the need for strong audit trails for undertaken work.
A blockchain is a growing list of records or blocks, secured using cryptography and resistant to modification; technology which can reduce the risk of problems like documents being lost or actions not followed up.
The new Blockpass Identity Lab at the university’s Merchiston campus uses cutting-edge blockchain research to drive innovation.
Technology company Hypervine, based in Glasgow, focuses on digitising construction to improve the reporting and recording of data, enabling companies to adapt to fast-changing economic, environmental and governmental policies.
The university’s collaboration with the company will investigate ways in which blockchain can incorporate security into complicated construction processes, create trust, build compliance and boost productivity.
Professor Bill Buchanan, Director of the Blockpass Identity Lab, said: “The nature of the construction industry is that there are many stakeholders involved, and making sure that each part of the process is working as it should can be difficult.
“A blockchain solution will aim to integrate digital signing into the key parts of the process.”
Liam Bell, the lead blockchain researcher in the lab, said: “The application of blockchain into the construction industry – where strong levels of trust in the process are required – is a natural one.”
The collaboration comes after the sector was hit by negative headlines locally and nationally following events like the Edinburgh PFI schools crisis and the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London.
The annual spend due to construction errors is estimated to be around seven times the total annual profit of the UK industry.
Paul Duddy, CEO and founder of Hypervine, said: “Digitising infrastructure, construction and facility maintenance industries through blockchain technologies will yield significant improvements across the sector that will have wide ranging positive economic and social economic impacts for both private and public sectors.”
Hypervine and the university’s School of Computing were brought together by Interface – which works with businesses to translate their ideas into dynamic briefs for academics – and the collaboration is supported by the Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Voucher scheme, which Interface administers.
Ruth Oliver, Business Engagement Executive at Interface, said: “Edinburgh Napier’s School of Computing was a natural choice for Hypervine Ltd; Professor Bill Buchanan is one of the world’s leading lights in blockchain technology and, together with researcher Liam Bell, offers a wealth of experience in supporting businesses and organisations in the practical application of this technology.
“Hypervine is helping construction companies build faster, safer and more cost efficiently through digitising the industry. Exploring how to incorporate secure methods of recording data in complicated supply chains and transactions is a key element of this.”
She added: “Partnerships with academia can propel companies onto the next stage of their development, enabling them to enter new markets, win additional business and grow their business.”
The collaboration runs until the end of November.
£1.3 Billion boost for local economy
Prime Minister Theresa May and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined council, business and academia leaders to formally sign off the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal yesterday.
The £1.3 billion deal will deliver inclusive economic growth across the region through housing, innovation, transport, skills and culture. The Scottish Government and the UK Government will each invest £300 million over the next 15 years.
The Scottish Government’s investment will contribute towards 41,000 new homes, 21,000 jobs and improve the skills of an estimated 14,700 people.
The Scottish Government’s investment in the City Region includes:
• £60 million towards a Data Driven Innovation programme of investment, including the creation of economic infrastructure across the region to ensure that businesses and communities across the region are fully able to engage in the resulting opportunities
• £65 million towards a regional housing programme, including the creation of a new housing company and housing infrastructure funding to enable the delivery of 41,000 new homes
• £120 million for transport improvements to Sheriffhall Roundabout
• £20 million for public transport improvements in West Edinburgh
• £25 million for an Integrated Regional Employability & Skills Programme to reduce skills shortages and gaps and deliver opportunities for people across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders
• £10m towards a new concert venue for the city, providing a home for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and reinforcing Edinburgh’s reputation as a leading centre for music and the performing arts.
In addition, the Scottish Government is also providing Edinburgh Festivals with a £5 million investment over the next five years to fund The Platforms for Creative Excellence (PLaCE) programme which supports new innovative programming and skills development opportunities across the capital’s 11 major festivals between 2018-2023.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Edinburgh and the South East of Scotland is an area of huge importance to the Scottish economy. The region contains over a quarter of Scotland’s population and contributes £33 billion to the Scottish and UK economies.
“The Scottish Government’s £300 million investment in the City Region Deal will contribute towards 41,000 new homes, 21,000 jobs and improve the skills of an estimated 14,700 people across the region. Our investments will ensure businesses and communities from across the region benefit from the opportunities created by this the city region deal.
“Taken together these projects will help the region continue to thrive and grow, fulfilling our ambitions for the region to be one of the fairest and most inclusive areas in the country.”
Prime Minister Theresa May said: “It is fantastic to be here at the University of Edinburgh to sign off on the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal.
“We are in one of the great cities of our United Kingdom, at a time of year when it serves not just as the capital of Scotland but as the cultural capital of the world.
I had the privilege of experiencing first-hand some of the cultural riches that the Edinburgh Festivals have to offer earlier today, and a great pleasure it was to do so. The Festivals are an international calling-card for Edinburgh and the surrounding area and when people come to take part in them they find a city and a region that has huge potential for the future. You see it clearly in the imagination and creativity on display here every August.
“But you see it too in the innovative and ground-breaking work that goes on in this city and area all year round. In great universities and colleges. In high-tech businesses. In financial and legal services hubs.
This is a city and a region that has so much to offer Scotland, the UK and indeed the world.
“The Edinburgh and South East City Deal is all about building on those strengths to open up new opportunities for the future in the creative industries, in research, in housing, in transport and in skills, and it will have a lasting legacy.
The UK and Scottish Governments are both helping to build the IMPACT Concert Hall – a new venue to cement Edinburgh’s place as the world’s Festival City.
The City Deal partners also want to turn Edinburgh into the Data Capital of Europe.
“So we are providing capital investment to develop new data storage and analysis technology here in Edinburgh. This great new facility, the Bayes Centre, will open in the autumn with UK Government investment, and will provide shared working spaces for applied data science and artificial intelligence research teams.
“It is one of five hubs across the city that will use data technology to support research and development activity in sectors of the future, from fin-tech and robotics to bio tech and health sciences. I want the UK to lead the world in these technologies. I want us to have the best regulation, the most advanced research and the most lucrative commercial applications.
“The City Deal will put Edinburgh at the cutting edge of that work and it is exciting to think about the future possibilities that this investment will open up. UK City and Growth Deals are a key part of our Modern Industrial Strategy. The UK Government has already committed over £1 billion to them here in Scotland.
Five have been signed, and three more are being negotiated.
“Just like the Modern Industrial Strategy as a whole, they are a partnership between Government at all levels, business and academia to combine our resources and to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Because I believe we can achieve far more together than we ever could apart.
“So thank you to all the Deal partners for your work to get us here: The University of Edinburgh, who have hosted us today, as well as Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Napier University, and Queen Margaret University.
“To the local authorities: Edinburgh City Council, Midlothian Council, East Lothian Council, West Lothian Council, Scottish Borders Council and Fife Council. And of course our colleagues in the Scottish Government.
“This is a great day for the south-east of Scotland and an exciting step towards a brighter future for this wonderful part of the UK.”
International Congress and Convention Association membership for innovative programme
An Edinburgh Napier MSc in Business Event Management has become the first programme in Scotland to gain membership of a prestigious event industry association. Continue reading Scotland first for Edinburgh Napier Business Event Management course
TV presenter and journalist Lorraine Kelly has received an honorary degree from Edinburgh Napier University. Continue reading Lorraine honoured at Napier graduations
