Bright Red Triangle (BRT), the enterprise hub at Edinburgh Napier University, has appointed Nigel Chadwick as its inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence.
Nigel will bring extensive expertise to the newly created role, which will offer invaluable guidance to the BRT community. His responsibilities will include mentoring, advising, and supporting emerging entrepreneurs as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.
Students, staff, alumni and the wider community will be able to draw on Nigel’s experience of founding Stream Technologies and scaling it through to exit. The firm specialised in connecting devices to the Internet of Things (IoT) – a rapidly-growing market allowing physical objects to connect and interact.
Nigel is known for his skill in strategic leadership, brand value, culture, and management excellence, while his passion for technology entrepreneurship matches BRT’s mission to nurture innovative ideas and transform them into successful ventures.
The appointment underscores Edinburgh Napier’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, providing students and the wider community with unparalleled access to industry expertise and mentorship.
Commenting on his new role as Entrepreneur in Residence at BRT, Nigel Chadwick said:“I’m very much looking forward to working with the team at Bright Red Triangle.
“To be Entrepreneur in Residence at ENU presents a fantastic opportunity to assist students, staff, and alumni on their entrepreneurial journey and to add value and drive scale through sharing my experience and skills with these formative as well as scaling teams.”
Nick Fannin, the Head of Enterprise at Bright Red Triangle said:“We are thrilled to have Nigel Chadwick join us as our Entrepreneur in Residence.
“Nigel’s extensive experience in building companies and his commitment to strategic leadership align perfectly with BRT’s mission to nurture and support emerging entrepreneurs. We believe his expertise will have a profound impact on our students, staff, and alumni as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.
“Nigel’s presence will be a tremendous asset to our community, and we eagerly anticipate the positive change he will bring.”
‘Being kind doesn’t cost anything’ – Former nurse and lecturer Isabel Dosser has won the 2023 Alumni Impact Award
A former nurse and lecturer who set up a charity offering free toiletries to people in need is being honoured by Edinburgh Napier University.
Isabel Dosser founded Dignity Boxes following her retirement in 2018, in response to rising levels of poverty. Her charity’s work continues to this day, amid increasing demand, despite having to undergo cancer treatment during the Covid pandemic.
Having studied at ENU to gain her teaching qualification, and subsequently lectured in nursing at the University for 15 years, the 67-year-old has now been awarded the 2023 Alumni Impact Award in recognition of her remarkable career. Born and raised in Glasgow, her time teaching followed 30 years of work as a palliative care nurse.
The charity collects toiletry donations and offers them in areas around Edinburgh and the Lothians experiencing deprivation, including seven schools, allowing those in need to take what they cannot afford from a Dignity Box without having to ask anyone.
The number of organisations asking for a box has doubled since the cost-of-living crisis began, while donations have halved.
Isabel said: “I am very surprised but delighted to receive the Impact Award as I don’t think I am anything special.
“I just do what I do and have always loved learning and taking a chance on something new. I am happy receiving the award if it means that I am encouraging others.
“Age doesn’t matter if you really want to do something. If you have an idea then give it a go but take all the advice and help that is offered.
“When you feel despair and frustration, just remember why you started – and remember being kind doesn’t cost anything.”
Since founding Dignity Boxes, Isabel has been supported by Edinburgh Napier to help it reach as many people as possible. Students, staff and alumni are among its 35 active volunteers, two former University colleagues are on its board, and a graphic design class was enlisted to design the logo.
The Alumni Awards committee, which aims to recognise graduates who are making a difference in their community, praised Isabel for epitomising Edinburgh Napier’s values as an inspiration and a role model.
Isabel added: “Life is full of challenges, professionally and personally, but I am by nature a positive and pragmatic person. I am fortunate to be surrounded by supportive family and friends who have helped me through difficult times.
“This was never needed more so than during Covid as I was diagnosed with cancer. The charity’s board of trustees and volunteers were amazing and kept the charity going while I was undergoing treatment. I have now finished my treatment and am monitored regularly.”
Also honoured in the 2023 awards is Daniel Crehan, who has won the Alumni Rising Star award.
Despite only graduating from the BA (Hons) International Festival & Event Management two years ago, he now works at student housing company Yugo, managing 10 sites across the UK and Ireland, and is Chair of the Edinburgh Students’ Charities Appeal (ESCA).
Daniel said: “I didn’t expect to win the Rising Star Award and was delighted to even be nominated. It was particularly nice to receive this from Edinburgh Napier University because I consider everything that I’ve accomplished to be a domino effect from my time at ENU.
“There are so many incredible people on my course alone that make me go, ‘wow’, but this award has forced me to stand back and go: ‘oh, you’ve actually achieved quite a lot yourself, Daniel’.”
Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Isabel Dosser and Daniel Crehan are role models for Edinburgh Napier students and inspire the entire ENU community. I am delighted to award them these accolades.
“Isabel epitomises Edinburgh Napier’s values. As CEO and Founder of Dignity Boxes she is making a huge societal and community impact by providing free toiletries to those most in need.
“She also champions the University by providing our students with invaluable experience via workplace learning opportunities and collaborates with numerous departments at the University.
“Daniel graduated only a couple of years ago but already has had career success. I’m impressed with his dedication to enriching the lives of those living in student accommodation in the UK and Ireland.
“Most extraordinary is his involvement with the Edinburgh Students’ Charities Appeal. Daniel is Chair of the 150-year-old charity and expertly guided the organisation through its post-Covid recovery.”
Edinburgh Napier project LastingAsset has been awarded £220k
An Edinburgh Napier University cyber project has been backed by new funding to explore ways of combatting phone-based impersonation and imposter scams – which cause substantial financial losses, privacy breaches and distress to people around the world.
LastingAsset, which began as a crypto asset security concept, has secured £200,000 in funding from Scottish Enterprise’s High Growth Spinout Programme and £20,000 from The Data Lab.
The LastingAsset team at ENU’s School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (SCEBE) will now use the technology behind that original idea and spend the next year working with pilot customers to refine their anti-fraud product, before taking it to market.
Among other privacy features, it uses encryption technology to prevent rogue actors from impersonating an organisation’s phone number to dupe victims.
According to the UK Government’s latest fraud strategy, unsuspecting individuals and organisations lost £2.35bn through fraud in 2021, with the banking and finance industry losing £1.3bn.
Project leader Dr Zakwan Jaroucheh said: “Our research team were initially working on a custodial solution for crypto assets. While this remains a problem that needs addressing, we wanted to provide a solution to a more pressing societal challenge. This is when we pivoted to using the same underlying technologies to address the problem of impersonation phone call scams.
“In today’s modern digital world, businesses often find themselves unable to effectively protect their customers from cyber fraud, which tarnishes their reputation and their ability to use the voice calls effectively.
“The LastingAsset solution uses blockchain and homomorphic encryption technologies to effectively combat phone number spoofing, voice-based impersonation and cloning scams, without requiring the organisation to build a new security infrastructure.
“With this, any organisation that communicates with their customers by voice can assure customers that they are speaking with a genuine representative and not a scammer.”
Nanik Ramchandani of Imagine Ventures, who leads the project’s commercial team, said:“We are beginning trials with two pilot customers and opening our waiting list for additional pilots.
“It is going to be an incredibly exciting and rewarding journey over the coming months, as we translate our proof of concept and vision into a valuable offering to clients and stop scammers from defrauding fellow citizens.”
Recently named one of the top 10 universities in the UK for spin-out activity, ENU has supported the creation of many cyber spin-out businesses over the last 10 years, including Cyacomb, MemCrypt, Symphonic Software and ZoneFox. Four years ago, the university created the first identity lab in the world, the Blockpass ID Lab, which has focused on creating more trustworthy systems.
Supporting LastingAsset’s progression from research project to a spin-out business is ENU’s Professor Bill Buchanan, alongside Dr Cathy Higginson, Business Development and Relationship Manager at the University’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise department.
This latest funding received from Scottish Enterprise and The Data Lab will help the LastingAsset project team to integrate their solution with multiple early pilot customers.
Over the next eight to 12 months, they expect to work with more than 30 initial pilot customers in securing their voice communication. This process will allow the team to refine the architecture of their product; test their solution and increase its credibility. At the end of this period, they anticipate product-market fit and the ability to rapidly scale their offering.
Leah Pape, Head of High Growth Services at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Edinburgh Napier University has an enviable track record of producing companies whose products and platforms direct cutting-edge technological advancements into efforts to combat increasingly sophisticated fraudsters.
“Our grant builds on the funding and advice provided previously to LastingAsset at its earliest stages and underlines Scottish Enterprise’s commitment to supporting the development of the high-growth industries of the future.”
The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, also recently funded £20k to help LastingAsset develop their proof of concept.
Brian Hills, CEO of The Data Lab, said:“Online scamming can have devastating impacts on unsuspecting victims’ finances and mental wellbeing, with recent advances in AI exacerbating the problem.
“Preventing people from falling victim to these crimes in the first place is key. The Data Lab were delighted to support the LastingAsset team at Edinburgh Napier University to develop their groundbreaking technology further to tackle online scamming and reduce the number of victims and financial losses.”
EDINBURGH Napier student Michael Suttie has received the Leidos Best Engineering Prize for developing an application to help amateur and entry-level drivers improve lap times in F1 e-sports.
34th annual awards Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards champion Scotland’s most innovative and creative tech students
Dundee University Student from Isle of Eigg earns top award for developing a solution that offers greater accuracy in mapping the moon’s surface
Two runners-up recognised for projects involving AI and coding
Best Engineering Prize winner uses real-life Formula 1 data to improve amateur and entry-level drivers’ F1 e-sports performance
A Dundee University student has been named Young Software Engineer of the Year for his solution which illustrates what unexplored areas of the moon might look like.
The 34th annual Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards took place in a ceremony in Edinburgh yesterday evening (28th September) hosted by Scotland’s tech trade body ScotlandIS at its ScotSoft conference.
Struan Robertson, originally from the Isle of Eigg in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, took the top prize home for his project on Lunar Terrain Void Infilling.
Models of the moon’s surface typically show literal gaps in knowledge from where spacecrafts have not been able to see the surface. Struan’s project used a machine learning model to make incredibly accurate assumptions to fill in these gaps, solving an ongoing issue in lunar surface modelling. This innovative solution allows for more accurate maps of the moon’s surface to be developed and is also applicable to earth-based challenges such as disaster management and climate change planning.
The judges recognised the challenging technical complexity of this project, and admired Struan’s creative yet structured approach to the problem, and his real achievements in demonstrating a successful outcome.
The awards recognised a further three students for their outstanding work.
Enrique Martin Ocana, of Strathclyde University, was named runner up for his use of autoregressive language models in the classroom. The project considered the comparative effectiveness of traditional educational content, versus content generated by AI (Artificial Intelligence). He impressed judges by clearly articulating both the contributions and drawbacks of AI generated content in an educational setting.
Aberdeen University student, William Brown, was a runner up with his automatic code reviewer recommendations in the open-source project, MediaWiki. Code review is a critical element in open-source developments, and William compared the success of using a rule-based system to select the reviewer or using a neural network to perform the recommendations.
The Leidos Best Engineering Prize was awarded to Michael Suttie, of Edinburgh Napier University. Michael developed a prototype telemetry application with practical uses in Formula 1 e-sports.
His application presents both live and historical real-life Formula 1 telemetry data in a simplified way to help amateur and entry-level drivers improve lap times in F1 e-sports.
Karen Meechan, CEO at ScotlandIS, said:“Each year we are amazed at the amount of young talent coming through our universities, showcasing true innovation by producing creative solutions to solve real-world problems.
“These awards are a fantastic way for us to showcase the exceptional technological minds, cultivated right here in Scotland, as they begin their transitions into the workplace.
“It’s ever more important to acknowledge and foster emerging talent to ensure that our tech sector in Scotland continues to flourish. Our industry needs to constantly evolve with skilled people staying ahead of the curve – especially with the growth of AI. This year’s winners really demonstrate how original thinking and a flair for software engineering can transform our understanding of and aptitude in wide-ranging subjects – congratulations to all!”
The longstanding Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards are held annually by ScotlandIS, to champion budding talent in the Scottish technology industry and highlight the innovation and ideas coming from Scotland’s university students.
To enter, universities submit the best final year software engineering project from among their undergraduate computing science and software engineering courses for the awards.
Other shortlisted students included Mads Bendixen, Abertay University, Jack Duffy, Glasgow Caledonian University, Laura Schauer, Heriot Watt University and Irvyn Hall, Robert Gordon University.
Edinburgh Napier report highlights significant reduction in speeds, as Wales implements country-wide change at the weekend
A study by Edinburgh Napier University has shown that the rollout of 20mph speed limits across the Scottish Borders has reduced average speeds by 3mph.
With previous research showing that there is an average 4% reduction in collisions with each 1mph reduction in average speed on rural roads, the study demonstrates the significant knock-on effect the new speed limit is likely to have, particularly when seen within the context of the national Road Safety Framework to reduce deaths and serious injuries to zero by 2050.
The trial, which took place across 97 villages and towns in the Borders since October 2020, showed that 85% of drivers dropped their speed by 3mph. It also showed that the largest speed reductions were observed in locations where higher speeds had been seen in the past – with those areas seeing an average reduction of 5.4mph.
Significantly, the report also concluded that the change in driver behaviour continued well after the beginning of the trial, with average speeds still well below previous levels eight months after the start of the trial.
The trial in the Borders is the first one in the world to look at the effects of a 20mph speed limit on such a large, rural area and the results will be studied by governments, local authorities and organisations across the UK and the world.
The study also comes just days before the Welsh Government made Wales the first nation in the UK to adopt 20mph as the default speed limit on restricted roads – generally roads that are located in residential and built-up areas where there are significant numbers of pedestrians.
Professor Adrian Davis of Edinburgh Napier’s Transport Research Institute who led the research said: “Previous research has shown that 20mph speed limits are effective in large towns and cities in both reducing speed driven and in reducing casualties.
“Our work looking at speed changes reveals that speed reduction to 20mph from 30mph in rural settlements produces similar results for speed reduction as in urban areas.
“Communities which have been asking for action to reduce speeding have been given a response, in this case by Scottish Borders Council who have taken action to address the dangerous and anti-social impacts of inappropriate speed.
“Our research findings consequently support the switch in Wales on Sunday from default 30mph to default 20mph speed limits.”
The Knowledge Transfer Programme will look at new ways to identify voters
Edinburgh Napier University and Democracy Counts, a company which runs elections around the world, are teaming up in a joint effort to give people more trust in their voting systems in the digital age.
The University’s Blockpass ID Lab will work with the firm over two years as part of a new Knowledge Transfer Programme, funded by Innovate UK.
While many electoral operators still rely on paper and pen to recognise voters, the partnership will look at developing new ways of identifying citizens, while keeping their personal information safe.
It is hoped that this will make elections more secure, transparent and reliable in future.
Professor Bill Buchanan OBE, who leads the Blockpass ID Lab at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “This collaboration will bring forward new methods, using our expertise in advanced cryptography, to properly identify voters at each of the key stages of an election.
“We will aim to replace our paper-based signatures with a more reliable and trustworthy digital approach. Through advancements like this, and digital wallets, we hope to provide more convenient and accessible ways for citizens to take part in the democratic process.”
Simon Verdon, CEO of Democracy Counts, said: “We run elections around the world, and each one differs in their scope and implementation.
“This collaboration will allow us to build the next generation of trusted voter registration and election systems which can integrate different levels of digital trust, and should make voting more transparent, more resilient, and more trustworthy.
“The opportunity is thus for the UK to continue to be an international leader in the setup of elections.”
Paul Keating, Technical Director of Democracy Counts, said: “Digital trust plays an ever-increasing role in our lives, especially as we move towards digital signing.
“As elections have to have high levels of trust and transparency, this work will bring forward the current state-of-the-art in digital trust.
“But there are challenges around using citizen data, and so the collaboration will bring forward the latest research in the preservation of privacy and make sure it has high levels of trust from citizens.”
Established in 2009, Democracy Counts is a market-leading provider of electoral management software, support services and training to the UK Government and local authorities across Scotland, England and Wales – as well as managed referendums and ballot services to public, private and community organisations.
Edinburgh Napier University’s Blockpass ID Lab has spent the last five years researching ways in which blockchain technology can protect personal data from online scammers and hackers.
As the theatre production’s 2023 run heads towards a conclusion, it has won the Scottish Theatre Awards Leading Light Prize, awarded to the best Scottish theatre production at the Fringe.
The show also collected a Scotsman Fringe First Award, an accolade marking its 50th anniversary which is designed to encourage performers to bring new work to Edinburgh in the spirit of adventure and experiment.
In addition, the show’s writer and director, Jack MacGregor, was shortlisted for the Bright Spark prize, for Scottish theatre artists embarking on their career.
Presented by Harry’s production company O’Neill/Ross, Everything Under the Sun tells the story of an interpreter attached to the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Mali, following an insurgency in the country in 2012.
Harry is now hoping to use the experience of this year’s production to inform his research at ENU, which examines the work of Army at the Fringe through a critical events lens. The organisation was set up in 2017 to spark conversations about the role of the armed forces in Scottish society.
Reacting to the awards, Harry said: “It’s really pleasing. It’s been good to take stories from the army and connect with very good young artists to tell them.
“Putting on these productions is pretty much a joint effort, so it’s satisfying to see them come together. The Army delivers the venue, and being a reservist myself has given it that extra personal connection.
“Working with Edinburgh Napier, it has been really helpful to lean upon expertise from across the University. For example, with the knowledge of festivals at the University, or even when it comes to acting.”
Harry’s Director of Studies, Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith, and second supervisor, Dr Gary Kerr, attended Army at the Fringe to see some of Harry’s creative works.
Professor Gerri Matthews-Smith said: “We are delighted to have Harry join us as a PhD student here at the Centre for Military Research, Education & Public Engagement.
“Harry is part of a vibrant Gold Covenant University research centre with multidisciplinary at the heart of our research.
“Army at the Fringe was thought provoking and I encourage people from all walks of life to go along to challenge their views on the role of the Army in Scotland. I am delighted that Harry has won these awards.”
Dr Gary Kerr said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe provides the opportunity for us all to share moments with each other, and the power of the arts allows us to challenge our thinking.
“Army at the Fringe is diverse, creative and hugely inspiring – the performances are a must-see!”
Army at the Fringe performances take place at Venue 358 – Drill Hall, Hepburn House, until 28 August 2023.
The social prescription programme is designed for people with a mental health diagnosis
Edinburgh Napier University research into a mountain biking programme for people with a mental health diagnosis has found participants benefitted from the experience.
Researchers carried out an evaluation of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland’s Trail Therapy programme, which has been running for more than a year. Participants are either self-referred or recommended through community and social prescription services.
Trail Therapy aims to help them grow in confidence, improve social interactions, establish skills of self-regulation, and accelerate their road to wellbeing. Having been hosted in Dundee, Perthshire and Lanarkshire, organisers hope to roll it out to other parts of the country.
Through interviews with participants and mountain bike leaders, the qualitative study found the unique challenges and settings posed by mountain biking contributed towards a holistic impact on their overall wellbeing.
Riders spoke highly of being able to take part in therapy in an informal, non-clinical environment, while also feeling part of a community.
The research was carried out by Dr Hollie Fountain, Dr Lesley Ingram-Sils, and Dr Tony Westbury from Edinburgh Napier University’s School of Applied Sciences.
Dr Ingram-Sills said: “The evaluation describes themes that emerged through an analysis process and uses the voices of the riders and their own words to express their experiences.
“Overall, those involved with the Trail Therapy programme were enthusiastic to share their experiences and reflected on their involvement in an extremely positive way.
“The stories and narratives that emerged from the analysis largely emphasised a holistic impact of the programme on riders’ overall wellbeing and skill development, underpinned by three main interrelated characteristics; challenge (physical, psychosocial, and exposure to the natural environment), MTB experiences, and support.
“There are still opportunities to further evaluate the programme and we know DMBinS are keen to learn how they can make it even more impactful. We look forward to working with them to source the funding for this important research.”
Dr Christine Fox, the DMBinS Mountain Bike Health Programme Manager, said: “We can visibly see the difference in participants on our Trail Therapy programme.
“This research from Edinburgh Napier University confirms that the programme has an impact on improving the health and wellbeing of those involved.
“Mountain biking connects us with nature in a unique way that combines physical challenge, positive risk taking, skill development, and unique opportunities for therapeutic experiences.
“We also take great pride in our Trail Therapy MTB leader, Paul MacFarlane, and volunteers in their approach that provides support, embeds therapeutic activities, whilst gauging the skill level and motivations of each individual.
“We currently run the programme in areas where we can source local or regional funding and we hope we can use the research to roll the programme out to other areas of Scotland and increase donations to the Scottish MTB Health Fund.”
The Trail Therapy evaluation was produced by Edinburgh Napier University as part of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland’s programme of work on fostering mental health and wellbeing through mountain biking, funded by NatureScot, Trek, and Scottish Government.
It was based on interviews conducted by the research team at ENU in October and November 2022.
ENU will work with Oxford International Education Group
Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) has launched an international pathway college, to offer students from around the world a new route into undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes.
The collaboration with Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) will provide prospective overseas students teaching in areas such as English language, academic purpose, and subject knowledge skills, which will then give them access to existing ENU courses.
Edinburgh Napier University International College (ENUIC) will be based at the University’s Merchiston campus and will welcome its first students in January 2024, with applications opening through OIEG in summer 2023.
ENUIC students will be fully integrated into ENU campus life from day one, with access to support services and facilities. Two undergraduate pathway courses and one postgraduate pathway course will be available initially.
After successfully completing their chosen pathway course, students can progress to one of 24 undergraduate degrees or one of 12 postgraduate degrees at ENU. The initial courses on offer will be in The Business School and the School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment.
To support the growth of the college, OIEG will provide recruitment expertise, leveraging its global reach through its 250 recruitment and conversion specialists, strategically located in over 50 locations worldwide, and an established network of agents.
OIEG has a track record of successfully running embedded colleges in the UK and North America, having opened their first embedded college in 2015. ENUIC marks their second partnership in Scotland, adding to existing partners across the UK and the US.
Professor Andrea Nolan, Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “I am very pleased that we’ll be welcoming international pathway students again from the start of next year.
“With Oxford International’s experience in embedded college operations, combined with the support and knowledge of our staff, I’m confident that international pathway students will know they are part of the Edinburgh Napier community from their very first day with us.”
Lil Bremermann-Richard, CEO of Oxford International Education Group, said:“By adding a new partnership to our portfolio, even more international students will have the chance to study in the UK and achieve their dreams.
“You can feel the energy around the Edinburgh campus generated by both staff and students. It’s exciting that students at ENU International College are going to add even more energy from the start of next year!”
Pictured:
Professor Andrea Nolan, Vice-Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University (left) and Lil Bremermann-Richard, CEO of Oxford International Education Group
Project fosters creativity alongside leaving legacy for Primary Seven pupils
A project involving pupils from Echline Primary School and students and staff from Edinburgh Napier University has hit the right note with the creation of a new school song.
Echline Feels Like Home has been written, performed and recorded by primary seven pupils at the school, supported by staff and students from Edinburgh Napier’s music department.
The song – which is now available on Spotify – was devised over a number of writing sessions within the primary school before being recorded by around 50 pupils in June at a studio within the University’s Merchiston-based School of Arts and Creative Industries.
The project – which was the brainchild of Edinburgh Napier music academic Dr Zack Moir and his brother Jude Moir, headteacher at Echline Primary School – saw the pupils work with Edinburgh Napier music education students and embrace their creativity to write and produce the song which will now be left as a legacy gift to the school to be sung for years to come.
The song itself features lines such as ‘We are friends ‘til the very end, and we’re always there to show we really care’ as the primary seven pupils were encouraged to reminisce on their time at the school and sing about some of their favourite experiences from throughout the last seven years.
The project gave Edinburgh Napier music education students a valuable opportunity of working in a school setting and teaching pupils about writing songs and producing music.
The backing track to the song was recorded and performed by a number of Edinburgh Napier music students as they too gained valuable performing, working with young people, and collaborative project experience.
Dr Zack Moir, Associate Professor of Music at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “It was great to be able to create an opportunity for our music education students to get into a school and work with these excellent young people.
“It was beautiful for me and my colleague Bryden Stillie to get to see our students running workshops, leading writing sessions, and just getting the pupils to feel excited about music and helping them to really believe that they are capable of writing songs and singing!”
Jude Moir, Headteacher at Echline Primary School, said: “The project was fantastic from start to finish. It allowed us to think deeply about our values as a school, and what aspirations we had for the future.
“Working alongside the University students gave the project authenticity and made the creative process very real and exciting. This is something the children will remember forever, and the fact we can listen on Spotify was the icing on the cake.”
The full track is now available to stream at numerous places online including Spotify.
