An international arts management education conference will be staged in Scotland for the first time in its 36 year history this summer.

The Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) Annual Conference will take place at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, from 31st May until 2nd June.

Over 120 arts management experts from the USA, Canada, Europe, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombia and across the UK will come together for the first time in the Scottish capital to discuss the latest research, policy and practice in arts and cultural management education, as well as address the future of the industry.

The theme of this year’s conference is New Places, Spaces, and Faces: Exploring Possibilities and Crossing Borders.

Keynote speakers will be Shona McCarthy, CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society; and JP Singh, Director of the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for International Cultural Relations. Featured speakers will include Lynne Halfpenny, Director of Culture for City of Edinburgh Council and QMU graduate; and Lindsay Robertson, Service Manager – Arts, Festivals, and Events for City of Edinburgh Council.

Cultural activities and workshops will take place across the Capital, including an exclusive pre-conference Festivals Workshop delivered by Festivals Edinburgh, an opening reception at Dovecot Studios, and special site visits to Summerhall, Stills Photography Studio, the Festival and King’s Theatres, Creative Scotland and The Hub.

QMU was chosen as the host venue for this landmark event due to its widely recognised expertise in creativity and culture, including its internationally popular postgraduate programme, MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Management.

Dr David Stevenson, Head of Division for Media, Communication and Performing Arts at QMU, and programme leader for MA Arts, Festival and Cultural Management, said: “We’re extremely proud to have been selected to host this landmark cultural management event in the UK for the first time.

“We hope that the conference will establish an ongoing conversation among thought leaders and leading networks in cultural arts management education and related fields, as well as reinforce QMU’s international reputation for expertise in creativity and culture.

“The conference will also help to strengthen and build the University’s links with a variety of arts sector partners around the world.”

QMU is currently working in partnership with Arts Council Malta to influence the future of the cultural sector in Malta as its capital city, Valletta, prepares to become European Capital of Culture in 2018. QMU’s Dr Stevenson recently visited Malta to deliver a programme of training with a diverse range of cultural organisations, including the Valletta Film Festival; BLITZ: a contemporary art project space; and Opening Doors, an arts association that promotes the active involvement of adults with learning disabilities in the arts. All of the organisations involved were part of Art Council Malta’s Cultural Partnership Agreement, which is part of its five-year training strategy focusing on partnerships with a number of national and international organisations.

Katy Coy, Executive Director of AAAE, said: “We’re thrilled to be in Edinburgh, a world renowned cultural hub, for this year’s conference.

“As the arts and cultural management field internationalises, it’s critical to cross borders and create opportunities for connection and exchange, as the theme of our conference suggests. We’re delighted to partner with QMU to provide an exceptional opportunity for our members and colleagues to do just that with this event.”

For more information on the AAAE Annual Conference at QMU and to book tickets, visit: http://conference.artsadministration.org

People in Edinburgh and East Lothian are invited to get an insight into the work of Queen Margaret University (QMU) by taking part in its Community Forum.

QMU will host its Community Forum at its Musselburgh campus in East Lothian on Tuesday 30th May at 6.30pm.

Local people will have the opportunity to ask questions about the University and how it is working with the community. Speakers at the event will include Dr Jane Culpan, Senior Lecturer on the BSc (Hons) Physical Activity, Wellbeing and Health, who will be discussing her course and how it links with the community.

The QMU Community Forum brings together university staff, local residents, businesses, organisations, schools and council representatives twice a year to discuss university and local community issues.

Jane Scott, Director of Marketing & Communications at QMU, said: “The QMU Community Forum is designed to create a link between local people in and around East Lothian, Edinburgh and the University. The popular event attracts a variety of interest from local residents, councillors and representatives from community groups.

“We look forward to welcoming a wide range of local people to our next Community Forum on 30 th May, when they will have the chance to find out about the fascinating work of the Queen Margaret Children’s University and about various outreach and learning initiatives taking place with the local area.”

QMU is open to the local community throughout the year, providing a range of public facilities, including learning resources, gym and sports centre, café, restaurant and grounds for leisure activities and dog-walking.

For more information and to register for the QMU Community Forum, contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, QMU, T: 0131 474 0000, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk

Queen Margaret University’s annual Costume Showcase is to take centre stage at one of Edinburgh’s most distinguished and unusual arts settings – the Dissection Room at Summerhall, Edinburgh.

For one day only, a stunning array of performance costumes will be central to the University’s theatrical runway show which celebrates work created by QMU’s Costume Design & Construction students.

Join us on May 19th for the main theatrical showcase event which is accompanied by exhibitions displaying work from across the BA (Hons) Costume Design & Construction programme.

2017’s event will exhibit an eclectic mix of designs developed for characters across the spectrum of the world of performing arts and the audience can expect to be dazzled by an amazing array of styles!

Party on down to the Día de los Muertos graveyard celebrations with Frida Kahlo and her band of skeleton revellers. Be entertained by The Great Lafayette and his troupe of artistes featuring Miss Marie Lloyd and many more in our grand finale tribute to turn of the century British Variety Theatre.

Red Riding Hood and her friends from the Howden Park Pantomime (Livingston) will join in the fun alongside characters designed to appear in productions created by the QMU/Napier Joint BA (Hons) Acting For Stage and Screen. These include Lady Bracknell, Gwendolyn and Cecily from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and The Angel of Death as seen in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America.

QMU’s Costume Design and Construction students will also show their individual projects: an exquisite romantic ballet tutu and a filigree 19 h century fancy dress share the stage with Mary Queen of Scots and the Marquise de Merteil (Dangerous Liaisons), Mack the Knife and Polly Peachum from The Beggar’s Opera will swagger across the stage in 12 different interpretations.

The live show will be paired with a fascinating exhibition of the practical craft – the design, stitching and styling that lie behind the characters appearing on the stage. Guests are invited to meet the students and see, close up, some of the costumes from the show. Also launching this year, at the heart of the exhibition, will be the individual ‘Grad Show’ – presentations of work by our nine graduating fourth year students who are preparing to enter the industry.

Sarah Paulley, Lecturer in Costume Design and Construction at Queen Margaret University, said: “We are proud of our students’ talent and skill in creating memorable costumes and look forward to showcasing their work, this year at Summerhall. We are also pleased that our Grad Show forms our contribution to QMU’s wider ‘Platform 4’ event.”

Dr Richard Butt, Deputy Principal of Queen Margaret University, explained: “For the first time, we have created a larger scale event ‘Platform 4’ which showcases the work of students from across our creative industries courses in Costume Design and Construction, Drama and Performance, Film & Media , and Art and Music therapy. Not only will we have our much loved Costume Showcase, audiences can expect photography, art work, ensemble performances, new writing, contemporary solo and duo pieces as well as community pieces, all of which celebrate the best creative work of our graduating students.”

Costume Showcase 2017 – 19th May only – matinee performance 3pm, evening performance starts at 7pm followed by the exhibition which will remain open until 9pm.

Costume Showcase tickets: £13 (£10 student/concessions) at Eventbrite.

Platform 4 FREE Exhibitions and Performances – Thursday 18th May open 12pm – 5pm and Friday 19th May open 12pm – 9pm.

Location: Summerhall, Summerhall Place, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL

A top creative expert for the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, Rick Spencer, is to make his first public appearance in Scotland on 19th March, when he will present a special public lecture at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh.

The theme of the lecture is ‘New Markets and Creativity…a Universal tradition!’, which will reveal how Rick and the team at Universal build and develop new markets by employing creativity, innovation and new media.

Hosted by QMU’s Division of Business, Enterprise and Management, the event aims to attract an audience of over 200 people from across Scotland, including those in business, education or with an interest in creativity.

The audience will also get the opportunity to ask the Universal manager direct questions.

Rick Spencer recently provided scripting and show direction for the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Despicable Me – the Minion Mayhem and the all new Legendary Truth – The Collective and Alternate Reality Game for Halloween Horror Nights 2014.

As well as being Creative Manager for the Universal Orlando Resort, Rick is author of five novels: Icebound – The Viking Cipher, All that Glitters, The Moneymaster, Terror Merchants and The Devil’s Mirror.  His private clients includePaul McCartney’s MPL Communications, Time Warner and National Public Radio.

Commenting on the event, Richard Bent, Senior Lecturer in Business Enterprise and Management at QMU, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for QMU, businesses and individuals to hear from a creative manager working with one of the world’s leading entertainment and media companies.

“The recent opening of the extension to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando and the phenomenal growth of the Halloween Horror Nights show how a team at the top of its game can push the theme park sector to new levels. This will be a rare opportunity to hear and ask questions about these creative processes.”

The lecture begins at 6pm in the Halle Lecture Theatre at QMU.  The event is free but ticketed. Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your place, E: univ@qmu.ac.uk or call Shereen Fazeli on T: 0131 474 0000.

Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, has launched a new degree in nutrition and food science, as part of the institution’s Food & Drink Strategy.

QMU’s Food & Drink Strategy has been developed through extensive consultation with the food and drink sector to support the commercial application of nutritional science.

The BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Food Science is the latest boost to QMU’s ongoing commitment to enhancing Scotland’s position as a leader in food and drink innovation in Europe and supporting access to the global market for healthy and functional food.

The new degree focuses on human nutrition and food science with an emphasis on health and the prevention of dietary related disease.  Nutrition is becoming more important to the food industry, with consumers demanding more information about the content of the products they choose to eat.  QMU’s food scientists are involved in the development of new food products and food production processes, as well as microbiological and chemical testing.

The aim of the new programme is to produce graduates who have the transferable knowledge, skills and attributes to add value to the UK and global food industry. The food industry is the single largest manufacturing industry in the UK, employing around 500,000 people. Scotland has 12,000 small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food and drink sector which are seeking to exploit the growing market for healthy food and drink products, estimated to be worth £20bn in the UK and more than £300bn globally.

Michael Clapham, Senior Lecturer Public Health Nutrition at QMU, said: “The new nutrition and food science degree has been designed to put health and the prevention of dietary related disease at the heart of our students’ learning experience.  The programme also supports the skills investment plan for the food and drink sector, whilst up-skilling and promoting the enhanced employability of our graduates.

“The degree is also helping to reinforce QMU’s reputation as Scotland’s leading academic centre for food development and innovation.  In order to meet the future demands of the food and drink industry, QMU is continuing to develop a competitive and sustainable infrastructure, which underpins knowledge exchange in nutritional science.”

The BSc (Hons) Nutrition and Food Science provides additional depth and a specific industry focus to the existing portfolio of programmes currently taught by QMU’s specialists in Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences.  The dynamic and research-active team offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the fields of diet, human biology and health.  The University’s team has particular expertise in public health, knowledge exchange and clinical nutrition and metabolism.

Dr Fiona Coutts, Dean of Health Sciences at Queen Margaret University, said: “The development of this course comes at a time when QMU is further strengthening its specialism in food and drink. In December 2014, we launched the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, which is supporting Scottish food and drink businesses to innovate, develop new healthy products and processes, and grow their businesses.

“The creation of this new course also pays tribute to QMU’s history in food and nutrition. In 1875, the institution was established to help address the dietary issues of the urban poor, confirming our commitment to improving quality of life.”

For more information visit: www.qmu.ac.uk or email Admissions at Queen Margaret University E: admissions@qmu.ac.uk

The first Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation was launched at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, on Tuesday 9th December 2014.

The launch of the new Centre is enhancing Scotland’s position as a leader in food and drink innovation in Europe and supporting access to the global market for healthy and functional food.

Over 100 invited guests from Scotland’s £14 billion food and drink industry got a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the new facilities and heard from a range of food experts about the exciting work that is taking place both in the University and across the industry.

QMU’s on-campus SME, Advanced Microwave Technologies (AMT), provided a demonstration of its cutting-edge machinery. AMT is emerging as one of the world’s most innovative users of microwave expertise in its application to the food and drink sector.

Representatives from some of Scotland’s leading food and drink businesses that QMU has worked with also showcased their products.

According to Bank of Scotland’s latest food and drink industry economic report, “Arguably , most critical of all for long term growth is innovation and improvement to food produce and the development of innovative new food sources or ‘frontier foods’.” More than half the companies interviewed in Bank of Scotland’s third annual survey of Scotland’s food and drink sector expect their business to grow by 5 and 25 per cent over the next five years.

Many firms cite new product development and investment in existing products being the top two ways to achieve this growth. It is estimated that a growth in sales of premium health products could be worth an additional £1 billion to the Scottish economy by 2017.

Commenting on the launch of QMU’s new Centre, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment Richard Lochhead, said: “Scotland’s food and drink sectors are internationally recognised for their quality, many of the most famous products having a long history and unique sense of identity. The work of the centre is helping those companies evolve to meet new demand, develop new products and diversify into new markets, particularly lucrative export opportunities.

“Despite having a long history of collaboration with the food and drink industry, in the past three years alone, QMU’s innovation based engagements with SMEs in the sector have generated an estimated extra £5.7 million for the businesses it has worked with.”

QMU has established academic expertise in the translation and application of science to support commercially successful research and development within the industry, including research support for iQ Chocolate in Stirling, Gusto artisan dressings, marinades and oil and vinegars in Leith, Edinburgh; Black & Gold rapeseed oil in East Lothian; leaf tea experts, eteaket, in Edinburgh; Cuddybridge fruit juices in East Lothian, Belhaven Fruit Farm in East Lothian and The Chocolate Tree chocolatier in East Lothian.

Academic Lead for Food & Drink at QMU, Dr Jane McKenzie, said: “We’re really excited to have reached this significant milestone in the development of QMU’s Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation. Facilities like this are currently unavailable elsewhere in Scotland, so research work is often sent to England or Northern Ireland instead.

“The new facilities combined with QMU’s academic knowledge and expertise in food, nutrition and biological sciences is already offering companies in Scotland’s food and drink industry an unrivalled opportunity to innovate and develop new products which are underpinned by QMU’s scientific research.”

Through practical innovation support and creative business solutions, QMU is helping Scotland’s leading food and drink businesses with new and innovative product development and analysis; development of leading edge functional, health enhancing products and ingredients and formulation of existing products – for example healthier alternatives to fat, salt and sugar.

QMU’s team of food innovation experts are also identifying innovative sources of raw materials to produce novel ingredients and ensure sustainability; ingredients to improve product processing and preservation; nutritional analysis; shelf life testing; consumer focus groups and taste panels.

Scotland Food & Drink is the main industry leadership body aligned to the Scottish Government priority economic sector of food and drink. Speaking at the Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation launch, James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food & Drink, added: “The food and drink industry is one of the strongest performing sectors in Scotland’s economy. Our £14 billion industry rests on a growing reputation for producing quality products and an envied flair for innovation. However, we know there is always more to be done to ensure Scotland’s producers adapt to a fast-changing world and the Scotland Food & Drink partnership is working towards the launch of a new innovation action plan in 2015.

“Relationships between the industry and Scotland’s universities are critical. My ambition is that this new centre will provide producers with intelligence and support, to help them create exciting new products and in turn find new customers. With Scottish food and drink exports up 50% since 2007 and sales within the UK up by more than a third, we have real momentum. But competition is always fierce so innovation will be fundamental to staying ahead of the pack.”

Dr Siobhán Jordan, Director of Interface, added: “The launch of the new centre at Queen Margaret University is another sign of the practical support that Scottish universities and research institutions are providing to food and drink businesses.

“By accessing the expertise, technologies and cutting edge facilities that academic institutions can offer food and drink companies will remain competitive and grow their markets both nationally and internationally.”

The Centre’s superb facilities include a dedicated microbiology laboratory; fully-equipped sensory suite; dedicated chemistry laboratory and a technology room for industry to test new technology.

For more information about the Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation and QMU’s Research & Knowledge Exchange Development Unit and how it can benefit your business, contact Miriam Smith, Business Development Manager at QMU on 0131 474 0000 or email MSmith3@qmu.ac.uk

A new film showcasing the new Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation can be viewed online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8IBLptVoIg&feature=youtu.be

L-R Mark Laing, Chairman, Nairn’s Oatcakes Ltd; James Withers, CEO of Food & Drink Scotland; Dr Jane McKenzie, Academic Lead for food and drink at QMU; Dr Siobhan Jordan, Director of Interface; Professor Petra Wend, Principal and Vice Chancellor of QMU

For the first time, the set of maquettes that were used to launch the The Kelpies in New York will be on display in the UK at an outdoor public space. The equine art works will be effectively stabled over the winter months at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh (QMU).

The maquettes were the models for the award-winning 30 metre high horses heads known as The Kelpies. Together with Kelpies Marina, they form the dramatic gateway to the new section of canal in the Falkirk District linking the Forth and Clyde, which is centred within the innovative 350 hectare Helix Parkland operated by Falkirk Community Trust and funded by The Big Lottery Fund, Falkirk Council and Scottish Canals.

Hand crafted by Scottish sculptor, Andy Scott, the 3 metre high maquette sculptures will be positioned in University Square at Queen Margaret University’s campus next to Musselburgh on the east side of Edinburgh. The final design of The Kelpies is uniquely linked to this set of maquettes which recently toured the USA, appearing in Chicago, North Carolina and at New York’s Scotland Week.

Queen Margaret University has a special connection with The Kelpies and The Helix project. Working in partnership with the project partners, the University’s media practice lecturer, Walid Salhab, produced the stunning stop-motion film of The Kelpies which has been shared on social media all over the world and has received nearly 93k hits on the Helix website alone. He was the only filmmaker to have unlimited access to the full four month build phase of the momentous structures, and his mesmerising portrayal of The Kelpies when they reached completion helped launch The Kelpies in New York and in Scotland. His unique stop-motion/time-lapse filming technique has been used to great effect with The Kelpies film helping secure Falkirk’s place on the global tourist map and supporting the Council’s work in exceeding projected visitor numbers to Falkirk and the surrounding area.

Award winning filmmaker, Walid Salhab, often dubbed ‘Mr Kinetic’, due to the style of his unique filming technique, explained: “Filming The Kelpies over a six month period, capturing the build and then their final completion, was the most challenging project of my life. But it was a privilege to help bring Andy Scott’s creation to life in a stop-motion/time-lapse film.”

Walid continued: “I spent so much time filming them during the day and in the dead of night, trying to capture their changing qualities, I began to feel that they belonged to me. I think that people in the Falkirk area probably feel the same sense of ownership. To have them on display at Queen Margaret University is a dream come true. We couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present!

“Once again, I get to experience the brilliance of Andy Scott’s work on a daily basis, albeit in miniature, and to share The Kelpies maquettes with the wider QMU community.”

…/Professor Petra Wend, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “We are extremely grateful to Falkirk Council and we feel honoured to have the maquettes of The Kelpies housed at the University. When we created our purpose built campus in 2007 we constructed a building that deliberately faced into our new community of East Lothian. We have sited the maquettes near the entrance to our academic building so that they too face towards Musselburgh. It is also the first time that we have had art work displayed in University Square.”

University Square has a daily footfall of approximately 2500 people and senior staff and QMU believe that the maquettes will encourage many more people from the surrounding area to visit the campus.

Professor Wend continued, “We now invite people from our East Lothian and Edinburgh communities, and from further afield, to visit our campus and see the maquettes. Hopefully, this will whet their appetite to see the full sized Kelpies in all their glory and to enjoy the amenities of Helix Park in Falkirk and the surrounding area.”

Falkirk Council’s spokesperson for tourism, Councillor Adrian Mahoney, said: “The Kelpies maquettes have become travelling ambassadors for Scotland and the Falkirk area and we are delighted they are being looked after by Queen Margaret University this winter, giving them pride of place as the first major sculpture to be on show in University Square.”

To celebrate the arrival of the maquettes at Queen Margaret University, the Preston Lodge Pipe Band played a set of Scottish tunes in University Square. The juvenile band, which is made up of pupils from Preston Lodge High School in Prestonpans, East Lothian, play at major university celebrations such as graduation.

To watch Walid Salhab’s film of The Kelpies visit: http://vimeo.com/90747645

Over 20 students from Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, are celebrating this week after showcasing their 2014 scholarship and awards success at a special event in the Capital.

Hosted by Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studios, the celebratory occasion showcased the QMU scholars and award winners of 2014, including students who were supported by Santander Universities, the Ryder Cup bursary scheme, the Princess Alice Award and the University’s Vice-Chancellor’s Fund and Student Development Fund.

The award-winning students were joined by the companies and individuals whose generous support has helped boost their academic experience, personal development and made special student projects possible.

Professor Petra Wend, Principal & Vice Chancellor of Queen Margaret University, said: “The University is grateful for the continued support of organisations, individuals and QMU graduates, which greatly enhances the experience of those students who receive scholarships and awards.

“Awards and scholarships like this enrich students’ academic experience, broaden their horizons and allow them make a real contribution to their field or to serving society’s needs.”

Santander Universities

Santander Universities supports QMU through a variety of scholarships and awards.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Award

Professor Petra Wend, QMU Principal, created the Vice Chancellor’s Award for the specific purpose of broadening students’ horizons, providing the means for students to travel abroad to study or take part in exchanges.

The Princess Alice Award

The Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, Scholarship, is an annual award which aims to fund, either wholly or in part (to a maximum of £1000), overseas research-related initiatives which are likely to advance knowledge and/or have a positive impact on people’s lives.

The Student Development Fund

The Student Development Fund is an opportunities fund supported by donations from QMU graduates, friends and supporters. It is designed to help students fund worthwhile projects that couldn’t happen otherwise. The Student Development Fund can also help students make the most of their time at QMU and all students are eligible to apply.  The awards are open to individuals, clubs and societies or other groups made up of QMU students.

Ryder Cup bursary scheme

Ryder Cup Europe has made a commitment to QMU to fund five tourism, hospitality and event student bursaries per year for a total of four years. The bursary scheme means that a total of twenty QMU students will benefit by receiving £1000 each .  The bursaries will help the students pay for their travel and accommodation costs and ensure they can access courses relevant to The 2014 Ryder Cup.

More information is availble here: http://www.qmu.ac.uk/marketing/press_releases/QMU-students-celebrate-2014-Scholarship-&-Awards.htm

The Consumer Insight Centre at Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, has launched the world’s first postgraduate degree for professional complaint handlers.

The new MSc Dispute Resolution is an accredited qualification for professionals in the workplace who deal with disputes between consumers and businesses and between citizens and the state.

Complaints about public services and private industry are big business.  The UK central government alone spends around £1.5 billion a year on professional dispute resolution.

The private sector also spends a significant amount on customer care and complaint handling activities.  The Financial Ombudsman Service received a whopping 2,357,374 complaints and enquiries last year.

QMU’s Consumer Insight Centre has been collaborating with colleagues from the ombudsman and complaint handling world to develop accredited qualifications for professional complaint handlers.  The University has a long standing relationship with the Ombudsman Association and the International Ombudsman Institute and regularly delivers courses to dispute resolution for professionals across the UK and beyond.

QMU is aiming to raise standards across the complaint handling industry by drawing on insights from its research and consultancy work. This includes the development of the University’s new MSc Dispute Resolution.

Chris Gill, MSc Dispute Resolution Course Leader at Queen Margaret University’s Consumer Insight Centre, said:  “There is clearly work to be done to improve standards across the complaint handling industry and the provision of professional education is only one piece in an undoubtedly complex puzzle.

“We feel that it’s now the right time to speed up effort to develop professionalism in the complaints sector. Ultimately, good complaint handling provides better public services and fair consumer markets.  It’s a crucial activity, which affects the everyday lives of consumers and citizens.

“It’s in everyone’s interest to ensure that – in years to come – a consumer can expect the same level of publicly assured professionalism when dealing with a complaint handler as they can when dealing with a lawyer, doctor or accountant. It is time to make this aspiration a reality.”

QMU will welcome its first MSc Dispute Resolution students in January 2015.  The unique course is available as a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or MSc according to each student’s preferred outcome.  The Postgraduate Certificate is available entirely online, while the Postgraduate Diploma and MSc are available by a mix of online and campus-based modules.

The MSc Dispute Resolution will provide students with a qualification which is relevant to the workplace and will maximise students’ potential to develop within their existing or new careers, including public health services, housing associations and banking.

QMU’s business and consumer experts have expertise in Ombudsman training, Complaint Handling, Dispute Resolution and Consumer Affairs.

Dispute resolution falls within the work of QMU’s Consumer Insight Centre and the University’s Division of Business, Enterprise and Management.  The aim of the Centre is to be a nationally and internationally recognised leader in dynamic and innovative learning, knowledge exchange and research in consumer insight.

With an established reputation for high quality accredited training for ombudsman and complaint handling organisations, the Centre has provided accredited training for over 1000 ombudsman colleagues and CPD training for 700 regulatory staff during the last three years.

As the first academic institution to be licensed and approved for the provision of the Ombudsman Association case handler training courses, QMU holds a unique position in the university sector to run effective programmes for this sector and for organisations within the jurisdiction of ombudsman and complaint handling organisations.

For more information, visit: http://www.qmu.ac.uk/be/Research/cic.htm or email Chris Gill, MSc Dispute Resolution Course Leader at Queen Margaret University E: cgill@qmu.ac.uk

Queen Margaret University film and media students have been spreading their own special brand of happiness around local businesses and across the global, as part of their ‘Working in the Media’ module.

Each year, the QMU students undertake a project with external clients which involves the production of a media product such as a film, website or social media campaign.  Often the client is a small business, charity or community group, some of which don’t have the expertise needed to produce specialist promotional media. The result is therefore a win-win situation – our students gain excellent practical and technical experience working on a live project, and the client gets a high quality promotional tool.

2nd year students on the BA (Hons) Film and Media degree, Siril Borgersen, Anine Rygg and Sophia Saheicha, teamed up with Clifton Hall School in Edinburgh this Easter to create an energetic short video set to the chart-topping single ‘Happy’ by singer Pharrell Williams’.

The fun film ‘Clifton Hall Does Happy’ demonstrates the dancing skills of staff and students at the school and has such a great feel-good factor, that it is now being used on the institution’s website and YouTube to show people what a happy school it is.

The feel-good factor has already spread beyond Scotland with many views taking place in California. The school has been able to identify that ‘Clifton Hall Does Happy’ has been viewed by staff at Stanford University in California!

The foot-tapping video has also generated enquiries from parents interested in enrolling their children at Clifton Hall School and into its ‘happy’ environment.

To watch ‘Clifton Hall Does Happy’ visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0TbLjYLQrU

Another group of film and media students has teamed up with an East Lothian home improvement network to help it attract more members and to give its social and digital media presence a boost.

The REdesign network offers furniture up-cycling and refurbishment services for house-proud residents in East Lothian, as well as staging a range of creative upcycling workshops, pop-up shops and local community group events throughout the year.

QMU level two students, Stuart MacKenzie, Connor Mullan, Blue Rainbird and Roni Simpson worked with REdesign to build a new social media network, linking together Facebook and Twitter, as well as photo and video sharing channels – Instagram, Vine and Pinterest. The students also created a new image and logo for REdesign, by advising on a new style of photography to reflect the network as it develops.

The results of the students’ work are already having a positive impact on REdesign’s membership and online presence.

If other East Lothian and Edinburgh businesses and voluntary organisations are interested in finding out more about QMU’s film and media client projects they should contact Denny Collie on E: dcollie@qmu.ac.uk