QMYOU Alumni Magazine Issue 81 | Page 2

Principal’s Introduction Costume Showcase P erforming Arts students model stunning creations developed by undergraduates from QMU's BA(Hons) Costume Design and Contruction. Life is never quiet at QMU and this summer has been a whirlwind of awards, student showcase events and graduation celebrations. We were delighted to be a winner at the first Herald Higher Education Awards in July. Our PR team won ‘Campaign of the Year’ for our ‘Recipe for Success’ campaign which promoted our knowledge exchange work in food and drink and helped launch QMU’s Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation in December last year. We were also pleased that our graduate employment rate rose to 94.4%, which is well above the sector average. This means that 94.4% of graduates find work or go into employment within six months of graduation. On graduation day in July, I was heartened to meet so many of our students who had already secured work in their specialist area, even before reaching their graduation date. In the run up to graduation my senior team was fortunate to attend several student-led events which showcased the work of our talented student groups. Our Costume Showcase was a spectacle with theatrical and outlandish creations capturing the audience’s imagination. The catwalk style performance has become one of the most talked about events in the academic calendar. Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs joined us at the Edinburgh Filmhouse for QMU’s annual Film and Media Degree Show. This event has grown substantially in prominence and this year, over 200 people enjoyed an impressive variety of short promotional films, drama and documentaries from 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students. Queen Margaret Children’s University, our ambitious widening access initiative for 5 – 14 year olds, is proving to have a significant appeal for young children, their families and schools. We are delighted that the project has been so successful, in such a short period of time, in harnessing the enthusiasm of children for learning opportunities beyond the classroom. The first graduation ceremony for children from Midlothian schools took place at QMU in June and you can can read more about it and see the fun photos on page 7. QMU’s work is focused on improving quality of life. We are, of course, delighted that so many organisations and individuals outside of the University support us in achieving this. You can read more about our important work in osteoporosis and our aim of improving the knowledge and skills of frontline healthcare staff who are involved in the care of patients with the condition. The Lydia Osteoporosis Project builds on our existing knowledge within our nursing specialism and has only been made possible by a substantial donation from anonymous benefactors. Read more on page 16. As always, we are delighted to share news of our student and graduate successes and we hope that many of our stories in this issue demonstrate the power of our employability initiatives such as our inspiring internship programmes. We do hope that you will continue to stay connected with the University, eg by mentoring a student, offering an internship, donating to the Student Fund, supporting our research, remembering us in your will or just sharing your news via our alumni team. Professor Petra Wend, PhD, FRSA, FRSE Principal and Vice Chancellor Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh 2 QMYOU / Principal’s Introduction