Royal Opening

Her Majesty the Queen officially opens Queen Margaret's new campus

4th July 2008 was a very special day for Queen Margaret University and one which will become an important part of its history. The Queen officially opened the innovative new campus at Craighall and this very special day was enjoyed by staff, students, civic dignatories, international partners, friends of the university and the local community.

During her visit, the Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque in the foyer of the academic building after which Professor Anthony Cohen, Principal of QMU, escorted her on a tour of the campus.

The Queen gained a flavour of the university’s work through several demonstrations. The first showed how speech researchers are helping a young school girl with Down’s syndrome to improve her speech by using an innovative form of speech therapy based on electropalatography – a technique which has been developed by researchers at QMU. After this, physiotherapists showcased their new high-tech movement laboratory. Here, the Queen was shown how new techniques and technology is being used to assess and improve the gait of a child with cerebral palsy. Finally, there was a performance by local young people involved in the Mussel-In Project, a community arts initiative devised by final year students to win over the hearts and minds of youngsters in the local East Lothian area.

While the Queen toured the academic building, she was given an overview of the sustainability features of the campus and met with staff, students, researchers, representatives of the project architects, and the university's international partners.

At the plaque unveiling, Professor Cohen said: “Today will be remembered with pride by the entire university community, which has worked closely with the local community and its organisations to conceive a model new campus for the 21st century. Craighall provides first-rate, purpose-built facilities – including those for learning and teaching, research, clinics, conferences, sport and leisure - to the university’s staff and students, and to the people of East Lothian and Edinburgh. This campus was designed for a socially and environmentally responsible university, and to meet all the contemporary needs of a university. It will provide Queen Margaret with a successful and highly sustainable future in the decades to come.”

The Queen is presented to QMU's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Anthony Cohen

Professor Anthony Cohen presents to the Queen the Chancellor of the University, Sir Tom Farmer

Rosalyn Marshall, Vice Principal and University Secretary, shows the Queen a model of the campus

The university's international partners are presented to the Queen

A local schoolchild presents a posy to the Queen

Students are presented to the Queen

The Queen's Party watch a performance by local young people involved in the Mussel-In community arts project

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