May '18 bulletin
Our alumni-oriented round-up of news, events and opportunities for May 2018, updated throughout the month.
1. PhD Horizons returns
The annual PhD Horizons Careers Conference will return to Appleton Tower on 6 June. Dedicated to showcasing the breadth of career opportunities open to PhD graduates of the University of Edinburgh, the conference will include over 30 inspiring speakers from a wide range of occupations, as well as opportunities for gaining advice and inspiration.
PhD Horizons Careers Conference
2. General Council Half-Yearly Meeting and Lunch
The June 2018 General Council Meeting will be held on Saturday 9 June in Appleton Tower. There will be a free light buffet lunch beforehand with an opportunity to see some of the alumni-funded student projects on display. Then there will be a presentation on “A history of the University of Edinburgh Library through to a vision of its future” and Gavin McLachlan, Chief Information Officer and Librarian to the Library, will give a talk on lifelong learning and the use of digital technology in education. The informal committee meeting will be followed by a tour of the Main Library, including a visit to the Special Collections and the Exhibition.
3. Boost for treasures
Internationally important collections belonging to Edinburgh are to benefit from a £3.6 million funding announcement. News of the cash boost for Scotland’s university museums was delivered by the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Shirley-Anne Somerville. The award, announced at Glasgow School of Art, will be managed by the Scottish Funding Council.
4. £1.4m upgrade is focus for new research
Edinburgh scientists are to benefit from a £1.4 million investment in leading edge technology to study materials and molecular structures. The grant will enable an upgrade of a spectrometer to be housed in a newly established centre for research. The instrument uses Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) – a key technique used widely in science, from materials chemistry to medicine. The new centre – based at the University’s School of Chemistry – will provide a focal point for NMR research and industry engagement.
5. William Ury joins the alumni community
American author, academic and anthropologist William Ury has been awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor honoris causa in a ceremony at the Scottish Parliament (21 May). William - one of the world's leading experts on negotiation and mediation - received his degree in recognition of Dr Ury's outstanding contribution to and leadership in conflict resolution: over the past four decades, Dr Ury has served as a negotiation adviser and mediator in conflicts ranging from the Cold War to ethnic and civil wars in the Middle East, Chechnya, Yugoslavia, Myanmar, and most recently in Colombia.
6. Alumni pledge to change
Alumni are signing up to the University's new initiative that encourages them to make personal commitments that could help affect the planet's health. Pledges have so far ranged from eating local and seasonal food to avoiding excessive packaging.
The aim of the Planetary Health Commitment is to balance human needs with the preservation of the Earth to sustain the health and well-being of future generations, and it underpins the work of the University's Global Health Academy. Professor Liz Grant, Director of the Academy, also chaired a major international event on Planetary Health at McEwan Hall, bringing together researchers, policy makers, planners and local communities to stimulate new collaborations and to advance planetary health solutions.
Edinburgh Alumni Planetary Health Commitment
7. University joins European Capitals network
The University has joined a leading network of universities across European capital cities as part of its deepening partnership with Europe. The UNICA network, established in 1990, connects 49 leading European universities across 37 capital cities connecting over 160,000 staff and almost two million university students. Edinburgh joins a prestigious group of leading European universities in major capital cities including Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Dublin, Helsinki, Lisbon, Madrid, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Warsaw.
8. Edinburgh gets on its bike
The University is set to host several rental sites as part of Edinburgh’s new cycle hire scheme. Due to launch in the summer, bikes will be available in locations around the University - including George Square, Bristo Square and King’s Buildings – and across the city centre. Transport for Edinburgh (TfE), which runs the city’s buses and trams, signed the agreement with Serco, an international provider of public services, to deliver the project.
Bike hire scheme wheels onto campus
9. Stunning designs catch eye at fashion show
Voluminous layers of red PVC, sustainable cable ties and an array of Swarovski crystals will feature in a futuristic fashion showcase. The eye catching creations have been designed by fashion students for Edinburgh College of Art’s fashion show Front Row, sponsored by Cazenove Capital. The runway show will take place in the National Museum of Scotland on Friday, 25 May. In a twist on the traditional catwalk show, every audience member will have a front row seat.
The show preempts the 2018 ECA Degree Show, where the public can discover the work of the latest cohort of ECA graduates and which runs from 2 - 10 June.
10. Graduate apprentices to boost tech sector
The University is to help deliver Scotland’s first Graduate Apprenticeship in data science. The new work-based route to a BSc degree will be delivered jointly with the University of St Andrews and global consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers. Its aim is to boost the skills base in Scotland’s fast-growing digital technology sector. The fully-funded data science Graduate Apprenticeship is backed by Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland (SDS).
11. Wellbeing at heart of new centre
Students are to benefit from a new hub dedicated to promoting health and wellbeing. The University is investing £8m to develop the Wellbeing Centre at 7 Bristo Square. The fully accessible building will give students easy access to an expanded range of essential services. Edinburgh’s Student Counselling and Disability Services – both located in the Main Library – will be brought together with the medical practice and pharmacy for the first time.
Enlightened
Be sure to receive Enlightened - the alumni newsletter - in your email inbox every month by updating your details on the MyEd alumni portal. More information: