Edinburgh Napier played host to an initiative which gives students the chance to take up trustee positions on charity boards.

Seventy students took part in the Trustee Week event at the Craiglockhart campus, held in collaboration with Santander and RSM.

The students heard presentations and discussed volunteering opportunities with Scottish SPCA, National Trust Scotland, Chest Heart & Stroke, Inspiring Scotland, Edinburgh
Fringe, Blackwood and Carr Gomm.

The event, organised by university Get on Board (GOB) team Dr Miles Weaver and Dr Jackie Brodie, also heard from Angus Hannah, who told how GOB boosted his skills set,
prepared him for the world of work and led to a role as Vice Chair of the Voluntary Action Fund.

The Get on Board programme was launched with the aim of placing Edinburgh Napier students on the boards of local charities, voluntary sector organisations or public
bodies, where they could network with professionals and help make decisions which impact on the community.

The university team have now adapted the training model from the programme to produce a Get on Board ‘competency pathway’ that can be used by any Scottish university
which opts into the initiative.

A presentation by Dr Miles Weaver showed how the competency pathway was developed from research by the GOB team about the benefits the course has given students by
preparing them to be ‘Board ready’.

Additional corporate support for the development of the pathway has been given by Janet Hamblin of RSM, Arthur Lawrence of Santander and Julie Hutchinson of Standard Life
Wealth.

The GOB competency pathway offers three levels of experience for the students. Bronze level sees students supported to a foundation level of knowledge, skills and mindset
in board governance.

The Bronze award is achieved by completing a workbook, authored by the university GOB team for use on the initiative, and undertaking a reflective discussion.

Next comes the Silver level of the training experience, where students engage in 14 hours of professional development and produce a logbook of activities chosen from a
listing of those offered in board governance in Scotland.

Students then progress to the Gold level of the pathway, which includes professional recognition of a board-level role over a sustained period.

An additional benefit of undertaking the GOB pathway is the option to pursue further accreditation through the Association of Corporate Governance Practitioners (ACGP), a
governance professional body.

Dr Brodie, a senior lecturer in Entrepreneurship, said: “It is interesting to note that of the 1800 voluntary sector organisations across Edinburgh, an estimated 90 per
cent of voluntary organisations in the city have vacancies for trustees. By supporting our students to take up those vacant positions, we are supporting capacity
building, and the development of change makers in the community who can bring their unique skills set to address some of the key issues our society faces.

“Linked to Edinburgh Napier’s 2020 strategy, the GOB competency pathway is also helping to prepare students to be more resilient and responsible citizens able to take on
challenging, but highly rewarding roles, such as social entrepreneurs and charity leaders in the third sector.”

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