Edinburgh College has signed a new partnership agreement with The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust aimed at enhancing students’ learning opportunities and further promoting Prestonpans Battlefield as a cultural heritage asset.

The three-year partnership, initiated as part of the 275^th anniversary of the Battle of Prestonpans, will see the College’s Computing students taking on a project to create an engaging and interactive website for the The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust. The students will use their skills to develop a site which takes visitors through the story of the iconic battle (the first significant engagement of the Jacobite rising of 1745) and which provides a new digital presence for the battlefield and its heritage online.

(L-R) The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust Co-Chair Gordon Prestoungrange; Edinburgh College Vice Principal Corporate Development Michael Jeffrey

Students will also advise the Trust on how it can use social media and mobile applications to improve the experience of visitors interested in exploring more about the famous battle. The College will engage local high school pupils in the project to transfer knowledge and further expand the reach of the work.

The project aims to develop further opportunities for students from across the College’s other curriculum areas by using the battle and project as a theme for work, including students from Broadcast Media courses filming and documenting the project throughout.

(L-R) The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust Trustee Professor Joe Goldblatt; Edinburgh College Vice Principal Corporate Development Michael Jeffrey; The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust Trustee Sharon Beck; The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust Co-Chair Gordon Prestoungrange

As part of the partnership, The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust will provide a monetary donation to the College to help fund the project.

The agreement was signed by The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust Co-Chair Gordon Prestoungrange and Edinburgh College’s Vice Principal Michael Jeffrey at the College’s Milton Road Campus.

Michael Jeffrey said: “This partnership will bring great opportunities for our students to work on a live project, enabling them to hone their skills and develop an increased presence and improved user experience for The Battle of Prestonpans (1745) Heritage Trust.

“We look forward to developing the partnership further over the next three years to utilise the talents of our students and help to continue to tell the story of such a pivotal event in Scotland’s history.”

Gordon Prestoungrange said: “The Battle of Prestonpans was about a young leader overcoming great obstacles to succeed.  Therefore, we are delighted to work with Edinburgh College to encourage and support their students who shall become our future leaders.”