Principal’s foreword

As a demanding, yet hugely exhilarating, year draws to a close, I would like to thank everyone who has made me feel so welcome since I took up my post in February 2018.

These are challenging times for higher education in the UK and I am grateful that I have been left such a strong legacy on which to build.

As we look to the tasks that we have set ourselves such as: improving student satisfaction; addressing areas highlighted in our first staff survey; widening access to the University, ensuring that this great institution remains globally relevant; and working productively with our partners in this wonderful city, they present many opportunities for us to continue to improve our University.

Our research quality is widely recognised and the excellence of our teaching and learning should match this. It is appropriate, therefore, that in this review we mark 10 years of recognising and rewarding outstanding teaching through the Edinburgh University Students’ Association Teaching Awards.

We also take this opportunity to reflect on two stories that highlight the skills and creativity of our students: those from the Law School who have been closely connected with the winners of the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize; and the Edinburgh College of Art students who collaborated with our city’s International Festival to create stunning designs for its opening extravaganza.

As a civic university, we are excited about making a long-lasting impact on the region’s economic and social development. In one of many ventures enriching the University’s relationship with its city, we highlight our Edinburgh Local initiative. Launched to create a vibrant dialogue between the University and its neighbours, it is the latest chapter in a narrative that dates back to our institution’s earliest days.

We see further evidence of this commitment in a pioneering centre that will equip young people with highly prized digital skills. This new Digital Centre of Excellence, based at Newbattle Community High School in Midlothian, will focus on burgeoning disciplines that include robotics, data science, digital marketing and video production.

Excellence in research is indispensable for a world-leading university such as ours. We reflect on three such initiatives: biologists paving the way for new fertility treatments; veterinary researchers improving the wellbeing and productivity of cattle in developing countries; and new multidisciplinary approaches that are revolutionising NHS England for the digital age.

We also explore the benefits of collaborations that transcend borders despite the uncertainties posed by Brexit. The University of Edinburgh remains resolutely global in outlook, keen participants in the movement of people and, indeed, of the ideas that they carry, all of which help universities such as ours to flourish.

I thank everyone for their contributions to date and look forward to an exciting year ahead.

Tha bliadhna a bha dùbhlanach, ach glè bhrosnachail, a’ tighinn gu crìch, agus bu mhath leam taing mhòr a thoirt don h-uile duine a tha air fàilte a chur orm bhon a ghabh mi an dreuchd agam sa Ghearran 2018. Tha sinn ann an amannan dùbhlanach airson foghlam àrd-ìre san Rìoghachd Aonaichte, agus tha mi taingeil gun do dh’fhàgadh dhomh dìleab cho làidir air am faodar togail.

A thaobh nan amasan a chuir sinn romhainn – leithid meudachadh na h-uimhir de dh’oileanaich a tha sàsaichte; dèiligeadh ri raointean a thàinig am follais sa chiad shuirbhidh de luchd-obrach; leudachadh cothrom air an Oilthigh; dèanamh cinnteach gum mair sinn mar ionad àrd-fhoghlam a tha cudromach san t-saoghal; ag obair gu tarbhach leis ar com-pàirtichean sa bhaile mhìorbhaileach seo – tha iad a’ toirt dhuinn iomadh cothrom air sìor-leasachadh an Oilthigh againn.

Tha càileachd an rannsachaidh againn air aithneachadh fad is farsaing, agus bu chòir gum bi sàr-mhathas ar teagaisg a’ co-fhreagairt ris. Tha e iomchaidh, mar sin, gu bheil sinn san lèirmheas seo a’ comharrachadh 10 bliadhna de bhith a’ toirt aithneachadh is duaisean airson sàr-theagasg tro Duaisean Teagaisg Chomann Oileanach Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann.

Tha sinn cuideachd a’ gabhail a’ chothruim seo gu bhith a’ toirt am follais dà sgeulachd a tha a’ sealltainn sgilean is cruthachalachd nan oileanach againn: an fheadhainn bho Sgoil an Lagha aig an robh dlùth-cheangal ri buannaichean na duaise Nobel airson sìth; agus na h-oileanaich bho Cholaiste Ealain Dhùn Èideann a cho-obraich le Fèis Eadar-nàiseanta a’ bhaile gus èididhean iongantach a chruthachadh airson na cuirme-fosglaidh.

Mar oilthigh catharra, tha sinn dealasach gus buaidh mhaireannach a dhèanamh air leasachadh eaconamach is sòisealta na sgìre. Am measg an iomadh iomairt a tha a’ beartachadh a’ cheangail eadar an Oilthigh is a’ bhaile, tha sinn a’ tarraing aire don iomairt Dùn Èideann Ionadail. Air a cur air bhog gus còmhradh beothail a chruthachadh eadar an t-Oilthigh agus ar coimhearsnaich, tha an iomairt seo mar chaibideil as ùire ann an sgeul a tha a’ dol air ais gu tràth-bhliadhnaichean an Oilthigh.

Tha sinn a’ faicinn dearbhadh a bharrachd den dealas seo san ionad tùsaireach a bhios ag uidheamachadh òigridh le sgilean didseatach luachmhor. Bidh an t-Ionad airson Sàr-mhathas Didseatach, a tha stèidhichte ann an sgoil coimhearsnachd a’ Bhatail Nuaidh ann an Lodainn Mheadhanach, a’ taobhachadh ri cuspairean a tha a’ sìor-fhàs, nam measg robotaireachd, saidheans dàta, margaideachd didseatach agus obair bhidio.

Tha sàr-mhathas rannsachaidh riatanach gun teagamh airson oilthigh de ar leithid a tha am measg an fheadhainn as fheàrr san t-saoghal. Tha sinn a’ tarraing aire do thrì iomairtean an seo: bith-eòlaichean, a tha ag ullachadh na slighe airson leigheasadh bho mhì-thorrachas; rannsachairean air leigheas-sprèidh, a tha a’ leasachadh sochair is torrachas nan ainmhidhean ann an tirean fo-leasaichte; agus na dòighean-obrach ioma-chuspair a tha a’ cruth-atharrachadh NHS Shasainn airson an linn didseataich.

Tha sinn cuideachd a’ tarraing aire do na buannachdan a thig à co-obrachaidhean a tha a’ dol thairis air crìochan, a dh’aindeoin nam mì-chinntean a tha Brexit ag adhbharachadh. Mairidh Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann seasmhach nar sealladh cruinneil, agus tha sinn dealasach a bhith a’ gabhail pàirt ann an saor-ghluasad de dhaoine agus, gu dearbh, de na beachd-smuaintean a bhios iad a’ giùlan, oir bidh sin uile a’ cuideachadh oilthighean de ar leithid gu bhith a’ soirbheachadh.

Tha mi a’ toirt taing don h-uile duine airson na rinn iad gu ruige seo, agus tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bliadhna bheòthail ri teachd.