Students recognised at Edinburgh Award reception
Students who have taken part in volunteering, work experience and community engagement at the University over the summer have been recognised at the Edinburgh Award reception.
Over 70 undergraduate and postgraduate students from across the University attended the award reception on Wednesday to receive a certificate in recognition of the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities they had undertaken.
The Edinburgh Award, which began in 2011, now recognises over 1000 students each year for their involvement in a variety of activities and their commitment to their own personal development.
The Award programme is run by staff across the University with each version recognising a different activity. Students’ experiences are tailored depending on the activity they are doing and the skills they want to develop.
Find out more
Any student can apply to take part. To see the list of activities currently eligible for the Edinburgh Award and to get involved, visit the webpage below.
The Edinburgh Award is a fantastic opportunity for our students to get recognition for activities they are involved in outside of their studies. These activities can play a vital role in shaping students for life beyond university, including the world of work. Through the Edinburgh Award, students are supported and encouraged by staff to recognise this, increase their personal impact and get the most out of these experiences.
Student perspectives
We spoke to three students who have just received their Edinburgh Award to find out about their experiences on the programme:
Mehak Bammi, 3rd year undergraduate studying Business with HR
What section of the award did you take part in?
I took part in work experience. I’m an international student and my family is from Singapore so I completed an internship there over the course of 10 weeks.
What did you do to gain the award?
I was working at the airport, helping implement a new baggage tracking system. I was interning as a project manager, working with different airlines to help them try and implement the system.
What made you sign up for the award?
This is my second time taking part in the award. I signed up again because it let me really focus - and reflect on - skills I was already in the process of developing. It helped me think in detail about what I was doing and how I could do it better.
Matthew Davison, 4th year undergraduate studying Mathematics
What made you do the Edinburgh Award?
I was looking for work over the summer and saw an opportunity for the Employ.Ed internships. I was lucky enough to get an internship and then I found out I could also do an Edinburgh Award alongside it.
How do you feel the award benefitted you?
It was really convenient and it also added to my university life and academic record. It made me think about my internship more and I also gained a number of skills I don’t think I’d have developed as effectively if I hadn’t done the Award. I also met a lot of people, so I now have contacts for the future!
What would you say to others looking to sign up for the award?
It’s definitely worthwhile. If you find yourself doing something where you can apply an Edinburgh Award to, then it’s a good opportunity to fit it into that because it makes you better and more effective at what you’re doing.
Catriona Collie, 4th year undergraduate studying Sociology and Politics
What made you do the Edinburgh Award?
It’s actually the second Edinburgh Award I’ve completed. It was an easy decision to do it again because it was run alongside my internship at the Careers Service and let me get recognition for something I’d already chosen to do.
Is there anything you’ve taken away from it that you didn’t think you’d find?
My internship put me in a more professional environment and could see where I was applying parts of my degree, learning a new skill or where I was responding to other things around me. It definitely made me a lot more confident in my skills and the Edinburgh Awards is one way to recognise that.
Is there any advice you could give to people about the Award?
It’s not hard work – no one is trying to give you anything difficult to do. They’re trying to give you something that will look good on your academic record and helps you to develop your own awareness of your experiences.