Scotland continues to be a destination for people applying to study at university, Minister for Employability and Training, Jamie Hepburn said today. Continue reading Scotland welcomes students from overseas
Tag: study
What does the future hold for you?
| Edinburgh College has the right course to get you where you want to go.There are many reasons why you should study at Edinburgh College.
• Firstly, we have exciting partnerships with industry leaders such as Mitsubishi, Visit Scotland and Standard Life, and we are committed to making students ready for work with real-life working environments. • We offer progression routes to top universities throughout Scotland and the UK, and we also offer a supportive learning environment where you can receive guidance from our student support team. • We have over 700 courses for you to choose from, from entry level to degree level, and with a variety of flexible options to suit you. |
Edinburgh riding high among world’s top universities
The University of Edinburgh is among the leading lights in the world of higher education, featuring 27th on the list of the world’s top learning establishments.
The University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of St. Andrews, University of Dundee and the University of Aberdeen remained in the top 200 universities for 2016-17 in the world’s most comprehensive global league table of higher education.
The new rankings mean Scotland has more institutions per head of population in the top 200 than any other country except Luxembourg.
The THE rankings examine a university’s strengths including research, knowledge transfer, international outlook and the teaching environment. Oxford University tops the league and both Cambridge and Imperial College London also feature in the top ten.
Minister for Further Education and Higher Education Shirley-Anne Somerville said: ““I welcome these figures which underline our strength in higher education and the value with which the Scottish approach is held globally. Credit is due to the staff and students at all five universities for their hard work to achieve this.
“Scotland continues to punch above its weight, having more institutions per head of population in the top 200 than any other country except Luxembourg. This continued strong performance is against a backdrop of other European universities suffering in the rankings due to the ascent of Asian institutions.
“The Scottish Government is investing over £1 billion in our higher education institutions in 2016-17, ensuring that all of our institutions receive financial support to enable them to deliver high quality teaching, world class research and knowledge exchange and remain internationally competitive.”
The five Scottish universities are ranked:
University of Edinburgh – 27th
University of Glasgow – 88th
University of St. Andrews – 110th
University of Dundee – 180th
University of Aberdeen – 188th
Learn something new this autumn
Chanter for beginners, exploring local bridges, creative crochet and the history of Edinburgh are just some of the courses being offered in the new City of Edinburgh Council Adult Education Programme.
With hundreds of day, evening and weekend courses available for adults aged 16 and over, the programme really has something for everyone.
So if you’re looking to learn a new language, brush up on your artwork, meet new people or improve your job prospects then check out the courses which can be booked from today (Wednesday 10 August).
Booking online is the quickest way to secure a place on your chosen course and people are asked to be patient as demand is expected to be high.
Among the numerous classes being offered are art, crafts, creative writing, history, computing, cookery, health and fitness, languages, music, drama, walks and talks and much more.
Councillor Cathy Fullerton, Vice-Convener for Education, Children and Families said: “Every year, thousands of people of all ages and in all areas of the city take part in our adult education classes. Learning should always be enjoyable, and we hope that this programme will inspire people to learn something new or in more depth.
“There are many stimulating, creative and challenging courses and opportunities to suit a wide range of interests, purposes and abilities. This is the chance to learn a new language, play a musical instrument, find out more about Scottish literature or learn a new skill such as wood carving or creative writing.
“Research shows that people who are in lifelong learning are more likely to be employed, to remain in work and to be involved in their communities. It truly is about learning for life and it’s never too late to start.
“Plenty of flexibility is built into the programme as to where and when people can study, with opportunities to take classes at different schools and community centres across the city and they can also be a stepping stone on to further education or indeed into a new career.”
A full list of Adult Education Programme classes are available online or by phoning 0131 556 7978. You can pick up a brochure from your local library or community centre or click on the link (below).
As well as online enrolment, courses can be booked by post, phone or in person.
Also on offer are Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) courses at Higher and Unit levels, run by Edinburgh College.
Full details on all classes and how to enrol can be found here.
College courses: help to make the right choices
Edinburgh College is holding a course drop-in surgery on Friday (12 August) to help school students receiving their exam results this week make the right study choices for their future. Continue reading College courses: help to make the right choices
Edinburgh College student Sarah is ‘tres bon’!
Auld Alliance: Award for Scotland’s top French student
An Edinburgh College student said ‘bonjour‘ to success as she was crowned the country’s best Advanced Higher French student after working her way to top marks in her final exam.
Sarah McArthur scored 190 out of 200 in her final exam, the highest mark in the country. The Franco-Scottish Society has presented her with the Lansdowne Prize, awarded annually to the candidate who achieves the best mark in Advanced Higher French.
Sarah studied for the qualification at the college through open learning while completing her sixth year at Balerno High School, which was unable to run the Advanced Higher course.
Her college lecturer, Caroline Cordier, said: “I am extremely proud of Sarah. I would like to emphasise the difficulty of the Advanced Higher exam. The Advanced Higher courses is a huge jump from Higher and is very challenging academically. Taking an Advanced Higher course is the perfect way to prepare yourself for progressing to university study.
“Her achievement is all the more outstanding considering that she took an open learning course, which requires a great deal of self-motivation. Thanks to resources and feedback available through new tools like Skype tutorials, Sarah was able to make huge progress and have a fulfilling learning experience.”
Sarah, who is now going to the University of St Andrews to study Sustainable Development and hopes to work for charities in the developing world, said: “I was surprised and delighted to discover that I had won the Lansdowne Prize, and I am of course very grateful to the Franco-Scottish Society for presenting me with this award and for the support they give to French language learners.
“I am also very grateful to Edinburgh College for running the course, as otherwise I would have been unable to study Advanced Higher French. I am especially grateful to my lecturer Caroline. She was so flexible and willing to work around my busy timetable as I’m sure I was not the most convenient student.”
Tom Wight, vice-president of Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, said: “Sarah McArthur’s results in the Advanced Higher Exam are outstanding. She is a worthy recipient of the prize and an inspiration to young language learners throughout Scotland.”
Since studying at the college, Sarah has taken part in an eight-month placement in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Africa Inland Mission where she taught English to English teacher trainees and developed her French-language skills.
Pictured: Lecturer Caroline Cordier, Sarah McArthur, Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland president the Rt Hon Lord Brodie, vice president Tom Wight and honorary treasurer Anne Collette Lequet.
Some places are still available on a range of part-time Higher and Advanced Higher courses at Edinburgh College including a range of languages courses such as French, Spanish, Italian, German and Gaelic.
For more information on available courses, visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/august2015/pt.aspx
Botanics strengthens links with Nepal
Agreement strengthens 200 year relationship
A new era has dawned in collaborations between the UK and Nepal with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and the Government of Nepal’s Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation Department of Plant Resources (DPR).
The agreement flags up a significant commitment to long-term capacity building in plant research, conservation and education in the South Asian biodiversity hot-spot.
While RBGE has connections in Nepal dating back to the early 1800’s, this is regarded as a distinctively fresh form of partnership. The deal was sealed when Mr Yam Bahadur Thapa, Director General of Nepal’s Department of Plant Resources, flew to Edinburgh to meet RBGE Regius Keeper Simon Milne MBE.
Looking forward to a number of imminent new initiatives including plans for a Biodiversity Education Garden to be built at Nepal’s National Botanic Garden, the two agreed the way was open for yet closer working ties.
Simon Milne said: “The connections between the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Nepal date back some 200 years and our working relationship is going from strength to strength. This accord underscores a common commitment to build on the strength of our past affiliation towards even more productive collaboration.
“We can look forward to new opportunities in developing appreciation, education, knowledge and conservation of the plant kingdom and protecting the natural capital that sustains us.”
Mr Thapa said: “King Mahendra was so impressed by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh when he visited in 1960 that he inaugurated Nepal’s first and only National Botanic Garden two years later. RBGE horticultural staff are out in Nepal at the moment giving much-needed training to my staff and we are looking forward to developing our partnership in the future.”
Dr Mark Watson, Head of Major Floras at RBGE and Editor-in-Chief of the international Flora of Nepal research programme explained the significance of the MOU: “Although it is a small country, Nepal has an enormous range of habitats and is home to some 7000 species of vascular plants, making it a globally-important biodiversity hot-spot.
“However, conservation and sustainable use of plant biodiversity is hampered by the lack of primary inventory information and means to identify and characterise species. This is exacerbated by a lack of trained people to undertake plant biodiversity inventory and documentation. Poor facilities, lack of equipment and limited funding also need to be addressed.
“The process is underway. RBGE has led several in-country workshops and hands-on training events. MSc and PhD training of Nepalese botanists at the University of Edinburgh and RBGE is proving a success and many more ambitious plans are in the pipeline.”
Click here for more information on RBGE’s Flora of Nepal research programme.
Here’s to the next 200 years!
talking about regeneration
Muirhouse residents invited to take part in regeneration focus group
Ashley McDonald is a final year Geography student at the University of Edinburgh. As part of her final year study, she is undertaking research on the regeneration taking place in Muirhouse and she’d like to hear from YOU!
If you live in Muirhouse or Pennywell and you’d be interested in taking part in a small focus group to discuss your opinions on the regeneration and the area’s future, email Ashley for further details at: amcdonald1168@gmail.com
Ashley has booked Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre next Tuesday -(25th November) from 6.30pm – 8.30pm.
Record number of Scots apply for university places
A record percentage of Scottish 18-year-olds have applied to study at university according to figures published today by the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS).
The number of Scots applying to study in Scotland has increased by 1.2 per cent. Overall, there has been a 6.1 per cent rise in the numbers applying to study in Scotland to 111,296.
These increases follow figures published last month by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) that show graduates from Scottish universities are entering professional jobs more quickly and earning higher starting salaries than graduates in the rest of the UK.
Commenting on today’s figures, Education Secretary Michael Russell said: “Scotland’s universities have a reputation for excellence and today’s figures show their appeal is as strong as ever. Of course, Scottish students are safe in the knowledge that access is based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay and these students will benefit from the best package of support in the UK.
“As the HESA figures demonstrated, the benefits of a Scottish degree are clear. Graduates from Scottish universities are more likely to go on to further study or employment, to have a higher starting salary and to be in a professional occupation than graduates from other parts of the UK.
“The students behind these figures, who are beginning their university journey in Scotland and across the UK, can rest assured that as a Government, we will continue to do all we can to deliver a system of post-16 education that meets their needs, adapts to the challenges of the future and provides the graduates needed to boost our economy.”
