RaceRunning 3The new sport of RaceRunning for people with severe mobility difficulties will be the topic of a research seminar held at Queen Margaret University (QMU) on Saturday 27th May 2017.

QMU has teamed up with the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA) and researchers at Edinburgh University to stage its first ever public RaceRunning seminar.

The special event will be introduced by Danish Paralympic gold medallist and inventor of the Running Bike, Connie Hansen. A Running Bike is a three wheeled bike with no pedals that supports you as you walk or run. The bike allows people with even the most severe balance difficulties and who are unable to walk, to propel themselves independently.

From 10am until 3pm, physiotherapists, students, athletes and their families , researchers, and representatives of local leisure and sports clubs from across Scotland and beyond will come together on the university campus to find our more about this exciting new sport and its associated research.

Topics of discussion and debate in the morning will include physiotherapists’ and athletes’ perspectives of the sport, how to set up a RaceRunning group, and in the afternoon RaceRunning research, including studies focusing on the sport to be included in future Paralympic games.

Dr Marietta van der Linden from the Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research at QMU and organiser of the RaceRunning seminar, said: “We’re really pleased to be working in partnership with CPISRA and Edinburgh University to raise awareness of RaceRunning and its related research at this special event. ”

“We hope to welcome a variety of physiotherapy professionals and students, as well as people from the sports world, researchers and all others interested in the development of RaceRunning in Scotland.”

“At QMU, we aim to generate research and knowledge exchange activity that enhances the quality of life of people living with long-term health conditions.. Our research, conducted with partners in the healthcare, community and commercial sectors, aims to support the development of enhanced professional practice and policy.”

Dr van der Linden has carried out research into the walking characteristics of children with Cerebral Palsy. At QMU, she has led research related to interventions aimed at improving physical function of people with Multiple Sclerosis and Cerebral Palsy through assistive technology and exercise.

The RaceRunning seminar is free, but people should register online at Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/racerunning-seminar-tickets-5932001777 or email Dr Marietta van der Linden at QMU, E: MVanDerLinden@qmu.ac.uk

For more information on RaceRunning, visit: www.racerunning.org

For more information on the Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association (CPISRA), visit: http://cpisra.org

QMU campus sunny small pondStaff and students from Queen Margaret University plan to raise awareness of dementia by organising a picnic in the grounds of QMU during Dementia Awareness Week 2017. The activity, run by QMU’s Dementia Friendly Working Group, aims to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Scotland and the QMU Dementia Group.

The word ‘Dementia’ describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. These changes are often small to start with, but for someone with dementia they have become severe enough to affect daily life. A person with dementia may also experience changes in their mood or behaviour.

According to 2016 figures, approximately 1100 people in East Lothian are registered as having a diagnosis of dementia. The condition is on the rise, with the number of people affected projected to rise substantially over the next twenty years.

This year, the theme of Dementia Awareness Week is ‘making friends’, so the QMU organising team felt it would be fitting to create an event where participants can have fun and socialise with new people. All funds from the event will be used to support dementia care in Musselburgh.

Professor Jan Dewing, lead of QMU’s Dementia Friendly Working Group, explained: “We are delighted that community groups will be joining us at the fun event in the lovely grounds of the QMU campus. The Dementia picnic is a great way to emphasise the importance of social inclusion, making friends and having fun in relation to our mental well-being. People with dementia, and those who care for them, need that as much as everyone else.”

Karen Rennie, a fourth year nursing student at QMU, said: “The QMU Dementia Friendly Working Group aims to bring students, staff and members of the community together to increase awareness about dementia. Having a picnic is a perfect way to achieve this and most importantly, to have some fun!”
Another fourth year nursing student, Jenny Kirkwood, explained: “I joined the dementia working group not knowing much about dementia, how it affects different people and what can be done to help people living with dementia. Having learnt what big a difference simple changes can make to lives of those living with dementia, I am keen to share this knowledge and awareness with others, and what better way to do this than a picnic!”

Hazel Johnson, Alzheimer’s Scotland Dementia Advisor, confirmed: “I’m very happy to offer this wonderful opportunity for people with dementia and their carers to have a picnic and make friends. People can also be involved in helping to re-design the QMU pathway to be more dementia friendly.”

The Dementia picnic will take place in the QMU grounds on Monday 22 May from 11am – 3pm. People must bring their own picnic lunch – and should bring something to sit on! Awareness raising about dementia and some fun activities will be taking place during the picnic. Everyone is welcome and free parking will be available that day in the QMU car park.

An international field of rising sales stars will converge on Edinburgh for the fourth European Sales Competition.

Students from across the Continent, and a contingent from the USA, will demonstrate their selling skills in buyer-seller business meetings as the prestigious contest comes to Britain for the first time.

Edinburgh Napier University will host more than 50 students from 20 universities in 10 different countries who are taking part in the event – part of the movement to take sales away from the spiv stereotype and put it at the heart of the higher education curriculum.

The first of the competitions – which put students’ skills under the microscope by role playing the pressures of real-life business situations – was organised in Brussels in June 2015 with the aim of addressing a lack of structured sales training and exposing participants to cross-cultural differences.

Supporters wanted to pave the way for a standardised approach to sales education across Europe and foster the creation of a pan-European Sales University Alliance.

Sponsored by cloud computing company Salesforce, the competition at Edinburgh Napier’s Craiglockhart Campus opens on May 31 with a Speed Selling Event which will see students pitching against the clock to professional sales people and getting instant feedback on their performance.

The main competition the following day involves competitors selling to buyers provided by the Royal Bank of Scotland while bracing themselves for possible interruptions and surprises. Those judged to have performed best in semi-finals held in five separate rooms will progress to an afternoon final, which will be broadcast live online and to an audience in the Lindsay Stewart Lecture Theatre.

The winners will be announced at a Gala Dinner that evening, which will also give the visitors, from as far afield as Spain, Finland and Kansas state, the chance to try their hand at ceilidh dancing.

Dr Tony Douglas, Edinburgh Napier’s Associate Professor of Strategy & Sales and Director of the European Sales Competition, said: “I first witnessed sales competition events in the USA some six years ago, and I was so excited by the concept of bringing together industry and students in the Business School environment that I added this event to my list of ‘must dos’.

“Sales by its nature can be very competitive and the European Sales Competition ticks all the right boxes by connecting the right students with the right businesses, who are looking for more efficient ways of recruiting.”

With talented sales people at the heart of most successful companies, leading business organisations have been happy to lend their support to a competition which spotlights up and coming stars.

Salesforce, Oracle, Gartner, Hudson, Eastern Western Motor Group, Textron and the Association of Professional Sales all back the event, which aims to make sales an attractive career choice.

Edinburgh Napier, home to Scotland’s first university sales division and Scotland’s representatives at the event, offers two PG degree programmes with a sales element, and an advisory group drawn from industry helps develop the teaching agenda.

The Business School last month launched its Centre for Sales and Business Development, which will become a hub for the professionalisation of sales through research and commercial activity.

The university now also offers advanced entry to its BA Sales Management course for people with relevant work experience, and has joined forces with universities in Finland, Austria and Germany to research the coaching of sales professionals.

Dr Douglas said: “With the introduction of sales programmes at Edinburgh Napier, we are now able to help students to not just learn about sales but to practise important selling skills such as questioning, listening, presentation and negotiation, using role play as part of our assessments.”

scfdi4An Edinburgh-based food company has its sights set on healthy growth after extending its research and development capability via a partnership with a Scottish university.

Gluten-free food specialist, Genius Foods, has entered into a partnership with the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation at Queen Margaret University (QMU), where its team is now operating from a specialist new food science laboratory.

With a strong research background in supporting the development of Scotland’s food and drink businesses, Genius Foods identified QMU as the academic partner with the most suitable facilities for developing its own recipes and product range.

Food scientists at QMU have provided expert training to the Genius Foods team on ways to measure the texture, colour and flow properties of its products using specialist equipment.

Genius Foods will also have access to the Centre’s fully-equipped sensory suite facility, which allows experts to measure people’s perceptions of food and drink products’ attributes, including appearance, aroma, texture, flavour and after taste.

QMU’s team of food innovation experts regularly provide its clients with consumer focus groups, taste panels, nutritional analysis and shelf-life testing.

Dr Julien Lonchamp from QMU’s Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, said: “We’re very pleased to be providing specialist research and development facilities and training for Genius Foods. The specific combination of sensory and analytical facilities that we offer at QMU was previously unavailable elsewhere in Scotland, so research work was often sent to England or Northern Ireland instead.

“Through practical innovation support and creative business solutions, QMU is continuing to help leading food and drink businesses, like Genius Foods, with new and innovative product development.”

Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, Founder of Genius, added: “The partnership with Queen Margaret University demonstrates our ongoing commitment to producing market-leading gluten free bakery products. While an element of our R&D will remain in-house, we are working in partnership with the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, which will enable us to have an even deeper understanding of the behaviour of our core ingredients. We look forward to working with QMU to take our recipes and product range to the next level.”

The Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation 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. Facilities include a 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 how it can benefit your business, contact Miriam Smith, Business Development Manager at QMU on 0131 474 0000 or email MSmith3@qmu.ac.uk or visit
www.qmu.ac.uk/research_knowledge/scottish-centre-for-food-development-and-innovation.aspx

For more information on Genius Foods, visit www.geniusglutenfree.com

Over 400 lucky school pupils from Edinburgh, Lothians and the Borders secured their place on a pioneering academy project which aims to boost educational and career opportunities for 15 – 18 year olds.

In just two years, the acclaimed academies project, spearheaded by Queen Margaret University and Edinburgh College, has grown from 34 young people from three East Lothian schools, to 450 pupils from over 50 schools in Edinburgh, East and Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.

On Friday 22 August, all 400 new academy students were brought together at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, to begin a programme of learning which will help prepare them for employment in some of Scotland’s most important growth industries.

The initiative, which was conceived by the Vice Principals of Edinburgh College and Queen Margaret University, is hailed as one which is delivering real results for Scotland’s young people. What started as a trial project with three East Lothian secondary schools, has now grown into a unique and highly successful partnership involving the University, Edinburgh College, Borders College, four local authorities and industry partners.

The Hospitality and Tourism Academy started in 2012 with the aim of smoothing the transition between school, college, university and work, as well as raising standards within the industry. The South East Scotland Academies Project now offers four academies for young people. The more recent additions are The Creative Industries Academy, the Food Science and Nutrition Academy, and the Health and Social Care Academy. The academies provide young people with a real insight into key growth industries and improves their employability by developing specialist skills and knowledge.

The project will mark one of its most significant milestones next month when the first cohort of students graduate from the academies project. Having successfully completed the full two year Hospitality and Tourism Academy, the East Lothian pupils will be the first to graduate with an HNC in Hospitality. These academy students will be in a unique position  – leaving 6th year of school whilst also achieving a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Hospitality. This privileged position secures them a place in specific courses at Edinburgh College or allows them to skip first year and move directly into the second year of BA (Hons) in International Hospitality & Tourism Management at Queen Margaret University.

The addition of key industry partners, such as Double Tree by Hilton, Marriot Hotels, Skills Development Scotland and Creative Scotland, has helped to ensure the academies’ success, allowing young people to develop an understanding of the full range of jobs available within the hospitality, creative industries, food and health sectors.

Nick Hogarth, Reception Manager at Double Tree by Hilton Edinburgh – City Centre, is an enthusiastic supporter of the academies project. He is very keen to help young people develop a better understanding of opportunities within the hospitality industry and encourage them to view it as a first destination career choice. He explained: “From an employer’s view, the academies project helps develop a pool of young people who are better equipped than ever before to enter the industry. It’s difficult for young people to get experience but the academy model hits all the marks – academic education, industry insight and hands-on learning. I only wish that I’d had this opportunity when I was their age.”

All 400 new recruits to the academies project gathered for a photograph in the grounds of Queen Margaret University’s campus in Musselburgh where they will study for part of their academy journey. Learning for all four academies also involves the students taking classes with academics and industry experts at the University, as well as Edinburgh College or Borders College and gaining work experience in industry.

Professor Alan Gilloran, Deputy Principal at Queen Margaret University, said: “The academy model shows partnership working at its very best. By bringing together experts in further and higher education and working directly with schools, local authorities and industry, we can offer young people an incredible start in life – one which can help shape their future and bring about educational and career success.”

Ray McCowan, Vice Principal at Edinburgh College, concluded: “The academies project goes from strength to strength and two years on, the realities of our vision can be clearly seen. Many of the young people are now choosing to study towards careers in these important industries. They will not only be better informed about their own future career direction – they will develop skills and knowledge that can contribute to the growth and development of key industries in Scotland.”

 Academies induction group