Queen Margaret University – The NEN

QMU talent set for stardom with coveted Spotlight Prize finalist spot

A graduating Acting & Performance student from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh has been named a finalist in the prestigious Spotlight Prize 2025 – one of the industry’s most esteemed platforms for emerging talent.

24-year-old Gregor Curran from Laurencekirk is one of just 20 students to be selected from more than 65 drama schools and universities across UK and Ireland.

The Spotlight Prize is widely renowned for showcasing the very best of drama school graduates – Gregor’s selection is a testament to his exceptional ability and a shining reflection of the talent QMU nurtures.

Marion Scott, Lecturer in Acting and Performance at Queen Margaret University, said: “Over the past two years, Gregor has demonstrated exceptional commitment, collaborating with his peers to create work of outstanding quality.

He is a student who perfectly embodies the spirit of QMU—intellectually curious, ambitious, creative, respectful, and genuinely supportive of others.

“When we invited professionals from the industry to help our students with audition preparation and assess both their live and digital performances, we asked them which three students stood out.

“Gregor consistently appeared in their top three choices, making him a clear front runner for the Spotlight Prize. Having initially stepped away from acting after his HND to pursue a career in Early Years Education, we are absolutely delighted that he had a change of heart and chose to return to acting with us at QMU.”

Each year, nominated graduates for the Spotlight Prize submit a self-tape audition which is reviewed by an independent panel of experts.

From this, 20 outstanding performers are selected to take part in the annual Spotlight Prize Showcase, where they will present both a screen performance (recorded in advance under the direction of Paulette Randall MBE) and a live stage performance in front of a room of casting directors, agents, producers, and other industry professionals.

Gregor’s nomination was announced during QMU’s Acting and Performance Showcase at the end of April, where he was recognised as the University’s official nominee. Gregor has now gone on to secure a place in the national final — an exceptional achievement and a testament to his dedication and talent.

Gregor said: “I’m very honoured to have been recognised by my lecturers and external industry guests from a class with such incredibly talented people who over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside.

“To be a finalist and to represent QMU in London is to put it simply, pretty incredible. Right now, I’m feeling a mix of gratitude, nerves, and excitement, but I know that the training I’ve received at QMU, along with the support of my classmates and lecturers, will help me through.

“The BA (Hons) Acting and Performance course provides a real sense of family, where every effort is noticed and valued, and that’s something I’ll carry with me well beyond this experience.”

The 2025 Spotlight Prize Showcase will take place on Wednesday 2 July in London, where awards will be presented for Best Stage and Best Screen performance.

Past Spotlight Prize winners and nominees include some of the most recognisable names in the industry today, such as Ben Whishaw, Gwendoline Christie, Jodie Whittaker, and Sam Heughan. The prize, which evolved from the Rodney Millington Award, continues a rich tradition of spotlighting the UK and Ireland’s brightest new talent.

In 2008, another QMU graduate, Chloe Thorpe, made it to the finals of the acting competition and after wowing the judges, won the prize for best female actor and £1,500 for her performance of ‘Cowboy Mouth’.

Matt Hood, Spotlight’s Managing Director, said, “I am thrilled to welcome the finalists for the Spotlight Prize 2025.

“The UK and Ireland’s drama training is, rightly, world renowned and selecting the finalists from this year’s nominees proved challenging and exhilarating for our judges. We’re looking forward to welcoming the industry to our annual showcase in July, and to adding two more names to the long list of Spotlight Prize winners.”

QMU extends its heartfelt congratulations to Gregor and looks forward to supporting him as he prepares for the final stage of this incredible opportunity.

A full list of finalists and further details about the Spotlight Prize 2025 can be found at: Spotlight Prize 2025 Finalists Announced.

Game-changing footwear tech prevents trips and falls in stroke and MS survivors

Researchers at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh have developed an innovative new shoe which is helping prevent trips and falls in people with stroke and multiple sclerosis.

The new footwear technology is transforming the lives of people with foot-drop – a condition which makes it difficult for people to lift the front part of their foot and often results in falls.

People living with foot-drop find it very difficult and tiring to walk. They struggle to keep their toes lifted, and can therefore drag or catch their foot on the ground. This can be due to conditions that affect the nervous system, causing a malfunction of the communication between the brain and the muscles that lift the foot at the ankle.

The number of people who experience foot-drop is unknown, however, around 20% of people with stroke and almost 50% of those with MS develop foot-drop. So, just looking at these conditions alone, it is estimated that this new footwear tech could improve walking and prevent falls in 322,400 people across the UK and 3.8m globally.

The cleverly designed footwear has been developed by the Health Design Collective, a team of allied health professionals and researchers mainly based at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

After several years of design and testing, the research team now has a footwear prototype which has the potential to be a game-changer for people with the condition.

Professor Cathy Bulley, a physiotherapist at Queen Margaret University, is part of the research project, which is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). She explained: “Foot-drop can be caused by damage to the nervous system within the brain, spinal cord or the nerves in the lower back or legs.

“Walking can be a huge effort for people with foot-drop – both physically and mentally. People must concentrate to ensure their toes clear the ground, often by lifting their hips and knees up further and swinging their leg out.

“The increased risk of trips and falls can have a terrible impact on people’s quality of life. It leads to fear, avoidance of walking, reduced physical activity and less involvement in social and working life. It reduces people’s confidence and independence and can send them into a downwards spiral.

“There are various products on the market, but there are drawbacks with all of them. They don’t work for everyone, and can be expensive and difficult to tolerate.”

Cathy confirmed: “People with permanent foot-drop need a comfortable, affordable, and attractive, unobtrusive device that holds the foot up while allowing ankle movement.

“Our new footwear has been co-designed with people with stroke, MS and cerebral palsy, and feedback from our users is outstanding!”

Case Study

Jeanette Russell from Edinburgh worked as a nurse in the military before developing MS and subsequently, foot-drop.

She was one of the first people to trial the new footwear technology, and has become a key collaborator in the research.

She said: “This footwear is a gamechanger for people who struggle with mobility due to foot-drop. I really put the footwear through its paces. I wore them in and out of the house, at the exercise studio and whilst driving. My mobility, speed of walking, gait and confidence improved immensely, and I knew the team was onto a winner!

“What really amazed me was watching myself walking with my normal footwear on, and then the shoes. My normal rolling gait was gone, and I was walking upright, with confidence for the first time in eight years. It was life-changing!”

Jeanette loves hillwalking and being outdoors, but foot-drop has really made this challenging in recent years. Thanks to the new footwear, Jeanette has been able to confidently return to hillwalking. She really pushed the footwear to the max as she navigated steep gradients during a walking holiday in Glencoe this February.

She said: “The difference in my walking ability is mind-blowing. In my normal boots, I fell down on flat surfaces with no obstacles. Using the footwear, I can walk up and down steep pathways and literally traverse rocks and navigate slippery surfaces without falling.

“This is what the footwear allows me to do, and why I am so passionate about making sure everyone with footdrop has access to this life-changing footwear.”

Jeanette concluded: “I also can’t wait to wear them at the Remembrance Day Parade in London, later on this year.As a veteran, it means so much to me to be able to march, with confidence, past the Cenotaph.”

Low tech but clever footwear

Professor Derek Santos, from Queen Margaret University, is the podiatry specialist on the project. He explained: “We’ve developed a low-tech, all-season, every-day piece of footwear that incorporates an attractive design which is both comfortable and supports the foot during walking.

“It’s a fairly simple design, but it’s been co-developed with people who have lived experience of foot-drop, alongside experts who really understand the anatomy and mechanics of the feet and limbs when walking.”

Thanks to a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the research team is now partnering with a design and manufacturing company to progress the production of the new shoes. The aim is to produce a shoe that will be attractive, low-tech and affordable, which will help to ensure that they are accessible for anyone who can benefit from them.

Professor Bulley concluded: “In the future, we hope that these innovative shoes will become widely available to patients through the NHS, so we can help improve the lives of a wide range of people with foot-drop.

“We would also like to adapt the design to create other types of footwear, such as hiking boots, exercise boots and an affordable sandal that’s accessible for people with foot-drop in countries with warmer climates.

“No matter where you live, how much money you have, or what condition or trauma has led to foot-drop – everyone deserves to have the best chance to improve their walking. We hope our clever new footwear will provide a simple, affordable solution for millions of people with foot-drop across the UK and internationally.”

Dazzling student creations brought to life at QMU Costume Showcase

A vibrant theatrical catwalk show celebrating the creativity, craftsmanship and collaboration of Queen Margaret University’s talented BA (Hons) Costume Design and Construction students, is set to dazzle audiences across two dates this May.

Taking place at the renowned Traverse Theatre, the QMU Costume Showcase will unveil a bold and beautiful collection of historical, fantastical, whimsical, and elegant costume designs, which have all been meticulously crafted by students for live events and productions throughout their time on the course.

The 2025 showcase draws upon the wonder and magic that costumes can bring to theatre – think Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Kim Henson’s Labyrinth – bringing the audience into a wonderland that has a dark fantasy undertone, while holding the overall appearance of the Edwardian curiosity and oddities style.

Dr Susan Martin, Programme Leader of Costume Design and Construction at QMU, said: “Each year, QMU’s Costume Showcase provides the perfect platform to witness the talent of the next generation of costume professionals—bold in vision, meticulous in craft, and full of passion.

“Not only is the showcase a celebration of our students’ outstanding design work, but also a powerful demonstration of what happens when creativity meets collaboration. Behind the scenes, a large team of students, in roles such as stage management, wardrobe maintenance, dressing, technical support, and modelling, have come together to make the showcase possible – a testament to the spirit of teamwork that defines QMU’s Costume Design and Construction course.”

In addition to the 45-minute performance, an exhibition of graduating student work will be on display in the Traverse Bar, offering guests the chance to explore the inspiration, process and artistry behind the designs.

This year’s showcase includes work created for the Brunton Theatre’s annual pantomime, in collaboration with Wonder Fools Company.

Students have also designed clothes for QMU’s Acting and Performance shows, most recently ‘Charley’s Aunt, Blue Stockings’,a photographic reinterpretation of ‘Sleeping Beauty’, and a fantasy promenade version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, created exclusively for the Costume Showcase catwalk.

Each production highlights the students’ versatility, industry-readiness, and commitment to storytelling through costume design. All costumes will be modelled by students from across QMU’s performing arts department.

The QMU Costume Showcase 2025 will be taking place on Friday 2 May at 7.30pm, and Saturday 3 May at 12.30pm.

Prints and merchandise will also be available to purchase before and after the show in the Traverse Bar.

Join us in celebrating the skill, imagination, and hard work of QMU’s costume cohort – an unforgettable display of theatrical flair awaits.

Book your ticket on the Traverse Theatre website.

QMU’s rising stars to light up stage at Traverse Theatre

Future faces of stage and screen will dazzle audiences with a live theatrical performance at The Traverse Theatre this month in Queen Margaret University’s Acting and Performance Showcase.

Produced at the end of every academic year, the showcase is an opportunity for family, friends, industry experts and the general public to witness the emerging and versatile talent of the BA (Hons) Acting and Performance graduating cohort at QMU, just before they step out into the working world of the creative industries.

This year’s showcase promises an imaginative and high-energy performance, featuring a diverse selection of scenes directed by Bruce Strachan, Lecturer in Acting and Performance at QMU.

It’s a true celebration of collaboration — a core value within QMU’s Performing Arts department. Students will work together to bring the production to life, from stage management and technical support to costume and wardrobe design.

Marion Scott, Programme Leader for Acting and Performance at QMU, said: “The Acting Showcase is always an exciting pinnacle that marks the end of the academic year – not just for our graduates, but for everyone who has supported their journey.

“For the Tuesday evening show on 29 April, our talented 3rd year students will be joining us to perform some devised pieces, followed by songs and some award presentations. After the interval, our 4th year students will present a selection of scenes and songs, interwoven with showreel-style monologue and duologue film clips displaying the versatility of their talents. These clips were produced by Roddy Walker— a QMU graduate who is now an award-winning documentary filmmaker and Company Director of RWP.media.

“What audiences will see is the result of rigorous practice, risk-taking, the honing of their craft and a genuine commitment to exploring what performance can be. It’s also a reminder of the importance of new voices and perspectives in the arts – and these students have plenty to say!”

The QMU Acting and Performance Showcase is also an invaluable opportunity to introduce the graduating cohort to the industry — particularly the agents, casting directors, and artistic directors invited to the show.

Marion continued: “For the Wednesday matinee on 30 April, we will be joined by an array of creative professionals. After the showcase, students will have the chance to network with these experts – a fantastic opportunity which could offer them a real springboard for their acting careers.

“We’re also delighted to be partnering once again with the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh — a perfect stage for our new emerging talent to take their first steps into the professional world.”

QMU’s BA (Hons) Acting and Performance Showcase will take place at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on Tuesday 29 April at 7.30pm and Wednesday 30th April at 1.30pm.

Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the bundles of creativity and acting prowess of tomorrow’s talent as they take centre stage in Scotland’s capital city.

Book your ticket on the Traverse Theatre website.

QMU shines with record Herald Award nominations in 150th year

Six groundbreaking projects from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh have been shortlisted for the prestigious Herald Higher Education Awards 2025.

This marks the University’s most successful year to date in terms of award recognition, with a record number of submissions making it to the finals – a particularly fitting achievement in the year that QMU celebrates its 150th anniversary.

The awards, now in their 10th year, honour excellence across Scotland’s further and higher education sector, highlighting innovation in teaching, student support, business engagement, equality and inclusion, community impact, and all the other extraordinary initiatives in universities and colleges across Scotland.

QMU has been shortlisted in the following six categories:

Enhancing Student Learning for its Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) scheme – a scheme which sees trained student leaders run collaborative sessions where students can deepen their understanding of course materials in a friendly and supportive environment, helping them build confidence, enhance study skills, and engage more effectively with their studies;
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for its work in promoting anti-racism, including its new EDI Culture Review, Strategy and Action Plan – QMU aims to adopt an organisation-wide approach to making the University a fairer and more inclusive place to work and to be part of, with inclusion and belonging at its heart;
Outstanding Business Engagementin Universities for its innovative Employer Mentoring Scheme for students – an award-winning scheme which allow students to develop their employability skills while gaining a close insight into a particular job or sector through 121 mentorships with industry professionals;
Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member for BSc (Hons) Podiatry Programme Leader, Evelyn Weir, for her volunteering work in supporting Scotland’s homeless community – Evelyn has been running specialist footcare clinics and services for people living of the streets of Edinburgh for three decades, and she often facilitates students and graduate involvement in the delivery of podiatric services to the homeless including the Crisis at Christmas initiatives;
Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community for its Wooden Spoon Frame Running Hub initiative – in collaboration with a range of organisations and charities, QMU helped set up Scotland’s pioneering Frame Running Hub in Glasgow, helping young people with limited mobility to access frame equipment, become mobile, and foster independence through sport;
and Widening Access for its ‘Connecting QMU with Craigmillar’ initiative – a scheme which includes community art shows, partnerships, community-based learning and research, and economic development opportunities for the Edinburgh district.

Sir Paul Grice, Principal of QMU, said: “To have such a broad range of projects – and so many of them – make it to the Herald Education Award finals in this milestone anniversary year for QMU, is a tremendous endorsement of the commitment, innovation and community spirit that underpins everything we do.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff, students and partners who consistently strive to create meaningful impact – both within the University and in the wider community.

“As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, these nominations reflect and recognise our ongoing efforts to create an outstanding learning experience for our students and to deliver teaching, research and community initiatives that make a difference to the world around us.”

The winners of the Herald Higher Education Awards 2025 will be announced at a celebratory awards evening on Thursday 29 May at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.

For some more information about each of QMU’s award nomination projects:

More information about the Herald Higher Education Awards.

QMU runs free event to support inclusive practices in organisations

The often polarising debate of inclusivity will be the hot topic for discussion at a free event to be held at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

As part of the University’s work in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, the Queen Margaret Business School will host a free symposium to look at the role and impact of inclusive practices in organisational settings.

The University is keen to open up this sensitive topic for debate in order to assist organisations in dealing with some of the issues around inclusion and to identify good solutions that will support recruitment practices; develop a healthy, happy workforce; and assist with positive organisational development.

Dr Thomas Peschken-Holt, Head of the School of the Queen Margaret Business School, explained: “In recent years, there has been a growing and more pronounced questioning of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) agenda, as well as the role and appropriateness of inclusive practices. These can be complex areas for organisations to navigate and respond to appropriately.

“Queen Margaret University is keen to shine a light on this sensitive topic and open up the conversation across a range of diverse organisations and individuals. We will look beyond the often divisive headlines by exploring the underlying assumptions and practical implications of inclusive practices within organisational settings, aiming to challenge traditional viewpoints to provide audiences with a deeper, more informed, understanding.

“We hope this will be helpful in creating a positive outlook and direction, so that organisations can move forward with confidence in the development and actioning of their inclusive policies and practices.”

This event promises to provide enlightening and helpful perspectives on inclusivity from a diverse range of panel members from across Scotland. Dr Peschken-Holt will lead the panel discussion with contributions from the Director of Policy at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Jo Davidson; the Chief Executive Officer of Knowledge Bridge, Irene Mosota; and the Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, Craig Spalding.

‘Inclusion – A Distracting Liability or A Diverse Organisational Asset?’ is particularly relevant to business leaders, human resource professionals, academics students, and anyone interested in the role of inclusivity in contemporary organisations.

Open to the public, this free symposium will take place at Queen Margaret University on Thursday 10 April (room 2156). Registration – 4:45pm, with main event running from 5pm to 6pm.

For information and registration details, view the Eventbrite.

Festival goers write their own obituary to celebrate life

Audiences will have the unique and unusual opportunity to write their own obituaries in a new thought-provoking workshop at this year’s national festival of humanities – Being Human Festival.

This year, the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, and ‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living’ is just one of 230 free events taking place in November across the UK in 58 towns and cities.

Experts from Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh will host a creative and interactive workshop that aims to challenge participants to explore their own experiences and celebrate their lives in a new way.

Dr Michelle Elliot, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, Dr Giorgos Tsiris, Senior Lecturer in Music Therapy, and Dr Anthony Schrag, Reader in Arts Management and Cultural Policy, will facilitate ‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living,’ which will invite audiences to think about their life and how they want to be remembered.

Michelle Elliot said: “In an age where social media enables real-time documenting and curating images of everyday life, we invite participants to question what might be the ‘sum’ rather than the ‘parts’ of their lives.

“In most circumstances, obituaries are written after someone’s death, by someone else who is possibly going through their own experience of bereavement. What if we were to change the narrative and ask you to write your own obituary, in life, in this present moment?

“We consider this narrative exercise to be a celebration of, and reflection on, life. It allows you to look back at activities, events, and roles – do they represent what you would want to be remembered for? As you consider your life’s journey to this point, you may find the experience reflective and revealing.

“In this interactive workshop, we will look at examples of obituaries and share in conversations about what everyday life says about who we are and how we live. In this reflective space, we will explore the influences on the stories we live by, live with and perhaps aspire towards.”

2024 marks a landmark anniversary year for the Being Human Festival. Every November over the past decade, the festival invites researchers at universities and affiliated organisations to collaborate with local communities and cultural partners to present hundreds of free public engagement events.

The aim is to celebrate and demonstrate the ways in which the humanities inspire and enrich our everyday lives, help us to understand ourselves, our relationships with others, and the challenges we face in a changing world.

To date, the Being Human Festival has featured more than 2,600 free events and activities, reaching over 260,000 people across the UK.

To tie in with its 10th anniversary, the theme of the festival this year is ‘Landmarks’ and will feature free events across the UK between 7-16th November.

‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living,’ will take place on 16 November 2024 at St Columba’s Hospice Care, Edinburgh from 1pm to 4pm.

To find out more, visit the Being Human Festival website – https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/

To book your free spot for ‘Obituaries – Landmarks for Life and Living,’ visit – https://www.beinghumanfestival.org/events/obituaries-landmarks-life-and-living

Maiden / Mother / Whore

In collaboration with The University of Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University and Dancebase, Theiya Arts will bring an experiential arts-academia symposium to the city this October, followed by three November performances of new intersectional feminist performance work in Edinburgh and Glasgow

Dance Base, Edinburgh – 7th October 2024, 1- 4pm

Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh – 1st November 2024, 12 – 5.30pm

Southside Community Centre, Edinburgh – 9th November, 1 – 4pm

Venue TBC, ‘Focus on South Asian Arts’ event collab. The Work Room – 15th November (AM – time tbc)

Civic House, Glasgow – 15th November, 5.30 – 7pm

Theiyā Arts Dance Collective in collaboration with The Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society at The University of Edinburgh present a new interdisciplinary mixed media performance – Maiden | Mother | Whore – exploring the complex relationships between women, social structures, health and social policies, and institutions.

Maiden | Mother | Whore will be performed for the public in November: first in Edinburgh, at the Assembly Roxy (1 November) and the Southside Community Centre (9 November), before a final performance at Civic House in Glasgow (15 November).

Prior to the November performances, on Monday 7th October there will be an experiential symposium in collaboration with The Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society at The University of Edinburgh, Centre for Applied Social Sciences at the Queen Margaret University, and Dancebase, Edinburgh.

This symposium aims to offer a unique space for multi-disciplinary critical discourse, knowledge exchange, and relational introspections of arts and academia.

Drawing on women’s embodied experiences and narratives, Maiden | Mother | Whore is a thought-provoking mixed-media performance that delves into the tensions between individuals and collectives, agency and power, and patterns of oppression and resistance.

The work seeks to investigate the polarised roles and positioning of women and their impact on subjectivities, both collective and individual, through the lens of Transnational Intersectional Feminism.

The audience are invited to become part of the creation of the performance, contributing to and furthering the dialogue between academic and artistic communities, as the performance evolves in response to their engagement with the piece.

An interactive, multi-media show using projection, live music, spoken word, and South Asian classical-contemporary dance, Maiden | Mother | Whore urges all to consider the relationship between self and society and what it means to exist in a gendered body today.

Maiden | Mother | Whore emerged as a result of a creative partnership between Theiyā Arts Dance Collective and academics from the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society and is supported by Creative Scotland and Dance Base, Edinburgh.

Top university for student mentoring launches innovative fresh take

Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh has launched another pioneering mentorship project with a novel twist that will better prepare students for the world of work.

To build upon the success of its inaugural QMU Employer Mentoring Programme, QMU has developed the Rotational Leadership Mentoring Programme (ROME) – the first of its kind in the education sector. This has been designed to give students the opportunity to understand the various industries and career paths available to them by pairing them with four expert mentors.

In this new rotational set-up, students from 2nd year and above can meet with each of their four mentors to focus on a key skill required for that specific role or industry. This means that students can concentrate on key areas with different specialists, such as analytical skills, critical thinking, decision making, team building, and other leadership skills.

Mentors already enrolled for the upcoming year include professionals working across all sectors, including those in the NHS, The Scottish Government, the IHG Hotel group and Dakota Hotels. QMU’s own Principal, Sir Paul Grice, has also been named as a mentor for this year.

Juan Garcia, Employability and Development Advisor at QMU, who is the brainchild behind the innovative mentoring programme, explained: “The idea of rotating mentors is completely new to the higher education sector, and something I was keen to drive forward to ensure our students have the best chance to develop their employability skills and learn from different industry experts.

“What also makes this so unique is that most mentorship programmes aren’t available to students until their 4th year. We wanted to make this available to our students from as early as their 2nd year to give them the best head start. It is vital that we continue to adapt and develop our career programmes to keep up with the ever-changing needs of our students, so they feel really well equipped to step into the world of work.

“We want students and graduates to have the confidence, skillset and knowledge to hit the ground running. Input from good mentors can help to give students excellent industry insights that will give them the edge, allowing them to stand out in the crowd. They can also help direct them into key areas and open doors to other work opportunities.”

Graeme Cleland, Business Development Manager at law firm Shepherd and Wedderburn and one of this year’s mentors, said: “It’s fantastic to see QMU developing new ways to extend the proven benefits of mentoring programmes to even more students.

“This programme will allow mentees to progress faster by drawing on the experience and contacts from their mentor, learn how to navigate entering their chosen field, and understand what skills they should focus on developing.

“Mentors involved also benefit too. As well as lending a helping hand to those aspiring to build a career, they also learn a lot from mentees about what the next generation of colleagues are looking for in the workplace, which can be taken back into their business.”

QMU’s mentoring schemes are distinctive from other university mentoring schemes in that they are particularly student driven and internationally recognised. The University aims to deliver what students really need and want, as well as ensure students develop the skills that employers are looking for.

The award-winning and accredited QMU Employer Mentoring Programme, which was established in 2013, was created with the aim of increasing student confidence and developing excellent industry links and job opportunities. Since its inception, the programme has provided over 500 students with expert mentorship from across a huge variety of sectors and professions.

Adrian Crichton, a graduate of QMU who took part in the mentorship programme when he was a student, is now returning to be a mentor in the rotational project. Adrian, who graduated from QMU in 2019 with a BA (Hons) in PR, Marketing and Events, is now the Director of Business Planning and Strategy within the Global Strategy and Enablement team at American Express.

The pilot Rotational Leadership Mentoring Programme will be open to QMU students for two weeks from the 16th September 2024.

Find out more on our website – https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/services-for-students/careers-and-employability/careers-and-employability/employer-mentoring/

New major partnership will boost community wealth in East Lothian

Queen Margaret University (QMU) is joining forces with East Lothian Council and other key organisations across the country to support the authority’s efforts to increase community wealth in the region.

The University has become one of the first signatories of the council’s East Lothian Community Wealth Building Charter. The Charter, a formal partnership between East Lothian Council, QMU and other key stakeholders across the region, is part of the Scottish Government’s Community Wealth Building (CWB) approach to harness the economic and social leverage of influential anchor institutions across the country.

By working across multiple organisations, East Lothian Council aims to harness the collective power which exists in East Lothian to create more job opportunities, increase business growth, improve wellbeing and deliver substantial economic benefits.

QMU is already embedding the concept of CWB through a significant new partnership with Bright Red Triangle, the enterprise hub at Edinburgh Napier University, in a move which will improve and extend the level of entrepreneurial support available to university, college and wider communities.

The QMU Start Up Studio will accommodate both Bright Red Triangle and East Lothian Council’s Business Gateway services on its campus in Musselburgh, presenting a significant opportunity in raising the profile of East Lothian as a place which supports and accommodates start-ups businesses and spin-out companies.

The Council and Queen Margaret University believe that CWB principles can also positively shape and drive academic engagement with the Edinburgh Innovation Hub – a joint venture between East Lothian Council and QMU and funded by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

The new Hub, which is on track for completion in 2025, will be made up of flexible laboratory, office and fully equipped meeting and conference spaces for rent and will be a major asset to the local communities, as well as further afield.

The University has an important presence in the county through a combination of being a largescale employer, generator of entrepreneurial thinking and innovation, purchaser of goods and services, and controller of large areas of land and ﬁxed assets in the locality.

Kim Stuart, Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange Development at QMU, said: “Queen Margaret University is totally committed to partnership working which delivers economic and societal benefits and the CWB approach aligns closely with many of QMU’s existing strategic objectives relating to social justice, wellbeing, sustainability, and more resilient local and regional economies.

“This new partnership presents a perfect opportunity for QMU to assist in enhancing the collective benefits which can be created within East Lothian. We hope that this relationship will help foster responsible entrepreneurship and develop solutions that have an impact on society, as a whole. We look forward to working with the Council and other organisations to create a strong and inclusive local economy.”

Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Economic Development said: “We are delighted to be working with Queen Margaret University as a signatory of the East Lothian Community Wealth Building Charter.

“Their plans to embed it strategically within the university recognises the importance of this approach and offers a model for other organisations to follow to deliver maximum impact.

“Community Wealth Building aims to redirect wealth back into the local economy to benefit local people. As an authority we’re embracing the opportunities this offers to deliver a fairer and more prosperous East Lothian in line with our key council priorities.

“Our Charter brings together organisations who are committed to this approach and who will work together to create a strong and resilient local economy which benefits everyone.”

Councillor John McMillan concluded: “Community Wealth Building is a cornerstone of the East Lothian Local Economy Strategy.

“Its adoption by Queen Margaret University builds upon our strong partnership and, in particular, the links that exist with our Economic Development service to support entrepreneurial activity, business start-ups and growth.”