WELCOME TO ALL STUDENTS FROM PRINCIPAL

Dear Students

A very warm welcome to the new academic year. If you are a new student, I hope that you are settling in well to life at Queen Margaret University. I’m conscious that, whilst starting at university can be a very exciting experience, it can also be somewhat daunting. We aim to provide a friendly and welcoming community in which to learn, and there are many people here to help ease the transition for you: from student mentors, whom you can catch in the main atrium in the first two weeks of semester, to the Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) assigned to you; and from LRC helpdesk staff to the student counselling service. To find out more about any of these services, see the Student A to Z.

I was delighted to see so many of you at our welcome talks, but if you were unable to attend you can access a recording at the following links:

>>Postgraduate Talk

>>Undergraduate Talk

If you are a returning student, I hope that you have had an enjoyable summer vacation that brought opportunities for personal development, earning, and relaxation.

The summer saw a steady stream of good news stories at QMU. We received an update on some of our key performance indicators from the Higher Education Statistics Agency which showed that we continue to perform well in terms of graduate employability (which stands at 92%) and research outputs. We became the first university in the UK to offer a degree in Nepal . We launched our new Clinical Audiology, Speech and Language Research Centre (CASL), the aim of which is to apply cutting edge techniques which will assist in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of communication disorders. And we were shortlisted for two Green Gown Awards which celebrate sustainability .

We also received the results of the National Student Survey. We participated in the NSS for the first time this year, and this development is an important part of our work in enhancing the student experience. The results reveal some areas of excellence at QMU (for example, we rank first in Scotland for students agreeing that their communication skills have improved) and also some areas of improvement. Compared with previous (internal) surveys, the NSS results show an improvement in all areas and we look forward to continuing this pattern of enhancement by acting on the findings. If you would like more information, take a look at our NSS webpages .

As part of our work to enhance the student experience, we have just set up an innovative link with the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School which will give our International Hospitality Management students the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and knowledge in a professional setting. And, to enhance the living experience on campus, we have installed wireless service in the halls of residence and also IPTV, which allows residents to watch TV programmes from the comfort of their room on their PC or laptop.

I am personally supporting the student experience by funding student projects through the sale of gift cards featuring my own drawings of the campus. The funds raised so far have allowed QMU students Sarah Sproule and Alice Stockton to develop their knowledge and experience during the summer vacation. Sarah visited Brisbane for a speech and language therapy placement, and Alice volunteered with children in an orphanage in Uganda using her dance movement psychotherapy skills.

Whether you are new to Queen Margaret University, or a final year student, or somewhere in between, I am sure that this new academic year will bring you many opportunities to develop academically, grow in confidence and prepare yourself for your future career. By studying with us, you are preparing yourself well for the challenges ahead, as we set out to provide you with a relevant education that will help you achieve your goals in life.

I urge you to take every opportunity to make the most of your university education. If you have problems, ask for help. And seize opportunities to enrich your experience, for instance through voluntary work, involvement in the Students’ Union and participation in clubs and societies. Do remember that our careers advisers can help you increase your understanding of careers education and give you guidance on developing your individual career strategy.

I wish you all the very best with your studies, and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the weeks and months to come.

Yours,

Petra

Professor Petra Wend PhD FRSA
Principal and Vice-Chancellor

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