22nd November 2023

In this week's Student News:

Job Opportunity: School Subject Tutors

Could you make a difference for high school pupils in Midlothian and East Lothian in academic year 2023/24?

THE INITIATIVE

The Enhanced Learning Tutoring Initiative (ELTI) is a high school tutoring programme run by Queen Margaret University. It was initially set up in 2020/21 as a response to the educational challenges faced by young people due to Covid-19 school closures. Due to the success of the programme, tutoring provision has been continued for a fourth year and delivery has now commenced for academic year 2023/24.

The programme works with high schools and community organisations in Midlothian and East Lothian, offering weekly tutoring sessions to eligible S4-S6 pupils who are working towards N4, N5 and Higher qualiﬁcations. Tutoring is offered in the full range of SQA subjects. In 2023/24, one-to-one and small group tutoring sessions will take place over two 10-week periods (pre- and post-Christmas). The ﬁrst 10-week block is now coming to an end, but tutoring will continue after the Christmas break for a further 10 weeks, with options for pupils to continue up to their ﬁnal exams. Both in-person and online options will be offered.

COULD YOU BE ONE OF OUR TUTORS?

Tutors will have achieved a Higher (or equivalent) in the subject to be tutored and will have either completed a degree, or successfully progressed into the 4th year of an undergraduate degree (not necessarily in the same subject).

We are currently recruiting tutors for STEM subjects (including Maths, Engineering and Computing Science) at Higher level, to deliver sessions in-person and/or online.

A comprehensive training programme is provided for tutors. All tutors will be required to attend an in-person training day at QMU in December 2023. Tutoring will commence in January 2024.

Tutors will be:

well organised and able to solve problems
patient and willing to adapt
able to develop relationships with a diverse group of people
creative and innovative.

APPLY NOW

For informal enquiries and to request an application pack, please email: elti@qmu.ac.uk.

Closing dateFriday 1^st December 2023.
Interviews will take place onThursday 7^th December 2023.
In-person training at the QMU campus will take place onThursday 14^th December 2023.

ELTI is coordinated and delivered by Queen Margaret University. Funders include the STV Children's Appeal, a local charitable trust, Midlothian Council, Musselburgh Local Area Partnership, and Dunbar and East Linton Local Area Partnership.

EL_tutoring_initiative_JOB_DESCRIPTION_1123.pdf

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WISeR / Enhancement Themes event - Tuesday 16 January, 1300-1600, Room 2156

You’re invited to an exciting afternoon event on 16th January that spotlights some of the incredible student-centred initiatives of 2022/23. This joint gathering, open to both students and staff, will provide a unique opportunity to not only showcase our accomplishments but also to connect with fellow members of our university community. With 13 engaging presentations, insightful discussions, and moments for socialising over refreshments, this event promises to be a rewarding experience. We hope you will join us!

For more information and to register, please follow this link

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Printing/Scanning unavailable Thursday morning 23/11/2023

Printing/Scanning will be unavailable for a few hours on the morning of 23/11/2023 starting at 09:00. The service will be down to allow the upgrade of the system which improves performance and has very important security updates. An email will go out once the work is complete, but we envision the work will take a few hours to complete. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this essential maintenance.

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Introduction to the UK Data Service - free online workshop
23 Nov 2023, 10.00 – 11.30

The UK Data Service holds the UK’s largest collection of research data. This
introductory workshop is for anyone with an interest in social research who

wants to hear about the vast array of resources that the UK Data Service offers.

Participants will learn about the different types of quantitative and

qualitative data that the UK Data Service holds, how to find those data collections using their online

resource discovery tools and how to register to access datasets in a number of

different formats. Also demonstrated will be how some data collections can

be viewed and analysed online, as well as providing an overview of support

and training resources for students, researchers and teachers.

This free online workshop will consist of an interactive presentation with time
for questions at the end.

More information and booking: https://ukdataservice.ac.uk/events/introduction-to-the-uk-data-service-7/

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Wi-Fi maintenance Friday 24th

Information Technology Services (ITS) are performing maintenance on the Wi-Fi infrastructure between 07:30 and 09:00 on Friday 24^th.

During the period above, The Wi-Fi system may not be able to process new connections to eduroam, but existing connections will not be affected during the maintenance period.

Once the work is complete, you may get a message on your device asking to accept a new certificate from “QMU-ISE-P01” please accept this certificate to continue to utilise using eduroam.

Apologise for any inconvenience caused.

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Santander Brighter Futures Grant

Looking for some extra funds? Fancy winning 1 of 10 Brighter Futures Grants of £1000? Exclusively for QMU students, apply before 30 November for your chance to win!

For more information, or to apply, follow the link

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SERA Conference

Please note there will be a large-scale event taking place on campus from the 22^nd of November until the 24^th of November and 1875 plus the surrounding areas might be busier than usual. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

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Thank Goodness It’s Thursday (TGIT) cancelled this week

Students should be aware that Thank Goodness It’s Thursday is cancelled this week (23 Nov). However, our fabulous volunteers will be back to serve you up some delicious hot meals on Thursday 30th November, and again on Thursday 7th December. We look forward to welcoming you back to these events and enjoying your company in the run up to the festive period.

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Sport & Fitness membership - Black Friday Special Offer!

Kickstart your fitness journey for 2024 with our exclusive membership offer!

Sign up now for:

* NO joining fee

* The rest of November FREE

* December FREE!

Sport & Fitness membership includes use of the Fitness Suite, Weights Room, fitness classes, sports hall and all-weather pitch. Your membership also provides you with an induction to our facilities to get you started and a personalised fitness programme to help you on your fitness journey.

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to get a head start on your new year fitness goals.

Complete our sign up form to commit to a healthier you today!

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QMU Merchandise – Black Friday Deals

Reign in the savings

This Black Friday, we're treating our QMU family to huge discounts on our online shop!

Snatch up your favourite items at unbeatable prices. Don't miss out Shop | Queen Margaret University (qmu.ac.uk)

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Sustainability and Education: There is No Planet B

Wednesday 22^nd November 17:00 – 18.00. Room 0047 or Online

It is now abundantly apparent that the environment crisis is unfolding in multiple ways across the globe with ever more serious consequences. How can we understand this problem, which is complex, contradictory, and potentially overwhelming? More specifically, how can the educational community rise to current challenges and prepare children for what is generally agreed to be a very uncertain future? In this presentation, Stephen Scoffham and Steve Rawlinson will draw on their highly acclaimed book on this subject to explore different ways forward. They do not claim to have all the answers, instead they aim to stimulate a rich and informed debate about the options that lie ahead.

Alan Bainbridge, Reader in Education, ASSaM.

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Smoking on Campus – Designated Smoking Area : Reminder

The University Court agreed that the University, recognising the need to protect the health of students, staff and visitors to the University, should aspire over time to become a non-smoking campus. The Court also recognised the particular challenges presented in enforcing a blanket non-smoking policy on a university campus and agreed that a number of actions should be taken to help towards achieving its goal.

We have recently noticed an increase in the number of people smoking in the University Square and also an increase in the use of e-cigarettes and vapes in non-designated areas . All staff, students and visitors are reminded that the University Smoking Policy states that “Smoking is only permitted within the designated smoking area”. The University has provided a smoking shelter near the pedestrian access from the car park. This is the sole “designated smoking area” on the academic campus and all smokers (including those using e-cigarettes and vapes) are kindly requested to use the smoking shelter. The use of the smoking shelter as the designated smoking area for the academic campus applies 24/7.

We adopt a collegiate approach to this and we would therefore urge all members of the University community to encourage anyone who engages in smoking outwith the designated shelter, and in particular in the University Square, to move to the smoking shelter. We would also ask that any smoker who is approached with such a request should respond in a polite and courteous manner.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Bruce Laing

Director of Campus Services

Convener of the Health & Safety Committee

8th November 2023

In this week's Student News

INVITE: QMU community invited to take part in peace event

QMU staff and students are invited to take part in a special evening which is designed to promote peace through all of the faith and non-faith communities in Edinburgh, organised by the Edinburgh Interfaith Association (EIFA). EIFA is partnering with The Oxford Foundation to present a full evening of music, meditations, messages and prayers. United for Peace: Edinburgh’s Communities United Against Hate seeks to unite people across the city to combat the evil of hate in society with the powerful tools of understanding, respect, and love.

Members of the Queen Margaret University community are invited to join the event at 6pm on Monday 13 November at St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral. The programme for the evening will include the Community Choir of Ukraine, original musical contributions by artists from Mauritius, readings from nationally respected religious leaders, and opportunities for silent reflection, meditation and prayer.

Register for this free public event public at Communities unite for peace.
You can find out more about the institutions involved in organising the event at: and https://www.edinburghinterfaith.com https://www.theoxfordfoundation.com/

WhatsApp Student Groups

After feedback from student groups, QMU Students’ Union have set up WhatsApp groups for students who want to connect with others who are in similar situations. You can find the links to these groups by clicking Whatsapp Links @ QMUSU

At the moment we have groups dedicated to Parents who are students, Class Reps, Direct Entrants, ASSaM PG, Health Science PG and General PG students, however we can set up more groups if you feel there is a group that is missing. These groups will be monitored by SU staff on a weekly basis to check that it is only QMU students using them and to remove anyone who is not. We will also check that users are following the QMU Student Code of Conduct. If you have any direct questions for the Students’ Union please either pop in to the SU (above Maggie’s) or email us on union@qmu.ac.uk

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Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry’s listening project, Let’s Be Heard, wants to hear from students

Let’s Be Heard, the independent Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry's listening project, is inviting students to share their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.

Let’s Be Heard was launched in May 2023 and is the main channel for people who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland to engage with the independent Inquiry.

The project is seeking the answers to three questions:

What were your experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland?
What impact did these experiences have on you or people you know?
What lessons do you think should be learned from your experiences?

Experiences shared with Let’s Be Heard will help guide the Inquiry’s investigations and inform its reports and recommendations. The Inquiry is investigating how the response to the pandemic impacted people in Scotland, including whether there were any unequal impacts for different groups and individuals.

To do this, the Inquiry needs to hear from as many different people as possible. If you wish to share your experience fil out the form on the Let’s Be Heard website.

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Free Paths for All Walk Leader Training

Are you interested in setting up or assisting in running a walking group at University or your local area?

We have 16 spaces on a half-day online Paths for All walk leader training course in the new year (date TBC).

After completing the training you can assist with the University Wellness Walks, set up your own walking group or become a Paths for All Health Walks leader.

It is a great qualification to add to your CV and a way to get involved in your local community.

If you would like to hear more or would like to put your name down please email: swhelan@qmu.ac.uk

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Event in 1875 - Thursday 9th November 2023

Hello Everyone

Please be advised that due to an event taking place in the lower half (decking end) of 1875 on Thursday 9^th November, seating will be slightly reduced in 1875. 1875 will be open as normal, along with all the other catering outlets.

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Lord Forte Scholarships – CLOSING 12PM 13 NOVEMBER

Queen Margaret University and the Lord Forte Foundation are pleased to offer six scholarships to 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

How much are the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarships?

The Scholarships are worth £2,500. This is paid to the successful applicants in instalments of £1,250 each academic semester, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applications are invited from students in year 3 or year 4 of the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management degree programme and the BA (H) Events Management degree programme in 2023/24.

Email development@qmu.ac.uk to apply

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Congratulations to the QMU Entrants’ Survey (QES) prize winners

The two survey prize winners, each winning a £25 Amazon gift voucher, are Katie McGinn who studies Costume Design & Construction and a student from the Division of Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences, Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Radiography. Well done both!

Thanks to all those that completed the survey. The QES results were discussed this week at the Transition and Induction Working Group, and they’ll also be considered at the Student Experience Committee.

1st November 2023

In this week's Student News:

Wee Forest Tree Keeping Monitoring and Session Thursday November 2^nd

All staff and students are invited to join a group of volunteers to do some practical work and help the scientific monitoring of our Wee Forest.

Date: November 2nd.

Time: Any time between 10 am and 3pm- come down for just an hour if you can.

Place: QMU Wee Forest, near the new Howff, by the big pond.

Please wear warm clothes, wellies or boots. We will provide work gloves and tools.

The session will go ahead regardless of weather, unless there is a weather warning.

If you are intending to join us please email Patrick Boxall on pboxall@qmu.ac.uk.

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VICE CHANCELLOR’S & STUDENT FUND NOW OPEN

The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund is open to all Undergraduate (UG), Postgraduate (PG) and research students of QMU.

Awards of up to £750 are available to support students achieve their academic, personal, or vocational goals.

These student-led projects can be based in the UK or overseas and must demonstrate to have a positive benefit to the student, the university, or the local community.

Online Application Form

Fund Guidance Notes

Deadline for applications: Applications for 2023/2024 are now open and will close 12pm 26 February 2024.

For further information contact: development@qmu.ac.uk

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Online Library Workshops on Using Cite Them Right and Introduction to Reference Manager software

Using Cite Them Right Library Workshop 6 Nov 15.00-16.00 hrs

Cite Them Right is an online guide to referencing and citation which gives clear instructions for how to format and present sources you've used in your assignments. Come along to this workshop for a run through of how to navigate the website and use some of its useful functions.

Introduction to Reference Managers Library Workshop 8 Nov 15.00-16.00 hrs

Reference managers are tools that can help you organise, store and cite your study and research materials efficiently and effectively. They can be a great way to take notes, plan your work and save time and effort with writing references and citations. There are a number of different types of reference manager that might be right for you! Join us for an introduction to some of the options.

If you would like to sign up to these and any other workshops from the library, please follow this link:
https://qmu.libcal.com/calendar/workshops?cid=8135&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=8135&inc=0

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Integrated Facilities Management Contract

Our Integrated Facilities Management provider, Atalian Servest, has recently merged with another facilities management company OCS Group UK Ltd and all AS staff will transfer to the new entity.

What this means for QMU - there will be no change to our current contract for IFM services, however, OCS brings a wider knowledge and experience of supporting the higher education sector, which should, ultimately, bring benefits to the service at QMU.

From 1st November, you will notice that staff uniforms are rebadged with the OCS logo.

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Santander Brighter Futures Grant

Looking for some extra funds? Fancy winning 1 of 10 Brighter Futures Grants of £1000? Exclusively for QMU students, apply before 30 November for your chance to win!

For more information, or to apply, follow the link

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Lord Forte Scholarships – CLOSING 12PM 6 NOVEMBER

Queen Margaret University and the Lord Forte Foundation are pleased to offer six scholarships to 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

How much are the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarships?

The Scholarships are worth £2,500. This is paid to the successful applicants in instalments of £1,250 each academic semester, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applications are invited from students in year 3 or year 4 of the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management degree programme and the BA (H) Events Management degree programme in 2023/24.

Email development@qmu.ac.uk to apply

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Academic Freedom Seminar

Reminder: Seminar by Professor Terence Karran, University of Lincoln

Academic Freedom: A User's Introductory Guide

Convenor Professor Olivia Sagan

Introduced by Sir Paul Grice

Wednesday 8th November 10:00-12:00 room 0048

to assist with numbers, if you have not already done so, please register your attendance to escandrett@qmu.ac.uk

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Newly elected Post Grad Officer

QMUSU are delighted to announce that William Horsu has been elected by students to represent out PG/Masters/Research students. William joins our Officer Committee at QMUSU, who work hard to make your student experience the best it can be. Our full Officer Committee is made up of the following amazing students, all elected by you: -

President – Academic Life – Jay Brown

President – Student Activities – Louise Ford

Equality & Diversity Officer – Lucas Paxton

Events Officer – Charly Grant

Post Grad Officer – William Horsu

Societies Officer – Steph Hume

Sports Officer – Ruth Lawlor

Welfare Officer – Hannah McIndoe

You can contact our Officer Committee on SUOfficers@qmu.ac.uk with any questions, ideas or feedback on Uni life that you may have.

25th October 2023

In this week's Student News:

Calling all 3rd and 4th year IHTM and Events Management students

I am pleased to inform you that you are eligible to apply for the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarship. This opportunity is open to all 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

There are six scholarships worth £2,500 each, for more information and an application form, contact the email below.

Closing date: Friday 27th October 2022

Enquiries: development@qmu.ac.uk

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Alison Scott Scholarship Now Open!

The Alison Scott Scholarship is a chance for Undergraduate QMU students, who identify as female, to learn a second language alongside their QMU studies (for the duration of their undergraduate degree).

The scholarship also includes mentoring and career coaching, and works towards a chance to attend a language school for your chosen European language later in your studies.

Follow the link to apply:

https://www.qmu.ac.uk/alumni-and-friends/make-a-donation/the-alison-scott-scholarship-application-form-2023-24/

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Wellness Walks

Join us on the next walk on Friday the 27^th Oct.

Walks occur every two weeks, alternating between Wednesday afternoons and Friday Mornings. Meet at the bench by the sport centre entrance.

All walks will last 1hour and be at a leisurely pace around the local area. The walks will be guided by a member of the universities Wellbeing Team and Sustainable Travel Team.

Book your free space on eventbrite: Wellness Walks Booking

For more information please email: Wellbeing@qmu.ac.uk

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Library workshops

Do you need help with study skills like referencing or finding resources? Library Services is running a series of online workshops. See them all here or below for the upcoming sessions for the rest of this month and November. Booking required.

OCT

24

Harvard referencing

2:00pm - 3:00pm.

NOV

2

Using the digital library

3:00pm - 4:00pm.

NOV

6

How to use Cite Them Right for referencing

3:00pm - 4:00pm.

NOV

8

Introduction to reference managers

3:00pm - 4:00pm.

NOV

9

APA referencing

2:00pm - 3:00pm.

NOV

14

Harvard referencing

2:00pm - 3:00pm.

NOV

30

Getting the most out of Google Scholar

2:00pm - 3:00pm.

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Challenging the Attainment Gap: The Potential of Tutoring

Date Friday 10^th November 2023

Time 10:30 to 16:00 (10:30 for coffee on arrival, 11:00 start and lunch provided)

Location QMU Campus, Queen Margaret University Way, Musselburgh EH21 6UU

Staff and students are warmly invited to this free one-day conference that will provide an opportunity to explore the challenges currently facing schools in their attempts to narrow the poverty-related attainment gap.

Since 2020, QMU has worked in partnership with charities, local councils, schools and community organisations to help challenge the attainment gap through tutoring. QMU’s tutoring scheme, the Enhanced Learning Tutoring Initiative (ELTI) has reached over 200 young people each year since its conception. ELTI was established during the pandemic, with the difficulties associated with that situation. Collaboration has been key to the success of ELTI and working closely with colleagues in schools and community organisations, building strong relationships has helped the tutoring programme grow in strength. Looking ahead, QMU believes an equitable approach to tutoring across Scotland is necessary with a more sustainable, financially viable model.

There will be opportunities throughout the day to network and connect with other professionals and share practice.

To reserve a free place, please register your attendance via the following link.

Challenging the Attainment Gap: The Potential of Tutoring Tickets, Fri 10 Nov 2023 at 10:30 | Eventbrite

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Anti-Racism in Education: Stories of Growing Activism - Event Series

Please join us as our current and past QMU colleagues discuss their chapter contributions to Anti-Racism in Education: Stories of Growing Activism, https://www.criticalpublishing.com/anti-racism-in-education edited by Dr Geetha Marcus and Dr Stefanie Van de Peer. The events, hosted by the LEAD Centre, will explore the stories of how scholars, researchers and teachers at QMU became part of anti-racist teaching activism through their own growing understanding of racism in education.

In each session, we will explore anti-racism through different approaches and make space for questions and discussion. We hope to provide a nourishing space for learning and sharing of practice. We ask that you commit to these principles explained by Building the Anti-Racist Classroom.

You can access both physical and digital copies of Anti-Racism in Education: Stories of Growing Activism through QMU Library.

Facilitator: Vikki Hill

For further details, please contact Vikki Hill in the LEAD Centre – vhill@qmu.ac.uk

Events in this series:

Dr Geetha Marcus - Ethno-cultural conflict and learning for sustainability: Why anti-racism matters?
Thursday 2nd November 2023, 12.30-1.30pm, Room 3162 Booking link
Dr Michelle L Elliot and Zaynab Akhtar - Walking the talk: stepping into difficult conversations in occupational therapy education (Chapter 14)
Monday 27th November 2023, 1-2pm, TEAMS Booking link
Dr Anthony Schrag, Creative strategies for unknowing: taking risks to encourage equitable relationships in the classroom (Chapter 9)
Wednesday 6th December 2023, 10-11am, Room 0050 Booking link
Bianca Mastrominico, White is the colour of my name: anti-racism in theatre and performance praxis (Chapter 10)
Tuesday 9th January 2024, 1-2pm, Room 2175 and TEAMS Booking Link
Dr Arek Dakessian, Imagining defragmented university spaces (Chapter 12)
Tuesday 16th January 2024, 3-4pm, Room 2171 and TEAMS Booking Link
Anne O’Donnell, Mad studies and anti-racism (Chapter 11)
Wednesday 7th February 2024, 12-1pm, Room 2176 and TEAMS Booking Link
Dr Simon Hoult, Changing worldviews through study visits (Chapter 3)
Wednesday 21st February 2024, 12-1pm, Room 2173 Booking Link
Dr Geetha Marcus, Learning to Love
Thursday 14th March 2024, 1-2pm, Room 2174 Booking Link

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Voting in the PG By-Election closing soon

We have three candidates all looking for your vote in our Post Grad By-Election. The successful candidate will become part of QMU Students’ Union’s Officer Committee who work towards making your student experience the best it can possibly be. You can vote online either through the link which has been sent to you via your QMU email or you can use this link . Voting closes at 12 Noon tomorrow (Thursday 26^th October) and the results will be announced in Maggie’s at 5pm.

Please support our three fabulous candidates by voting and you can find out more details about them by looking at our Candidate Guide

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Former RAF pilot gives leadership talk: An Officer, Not a Gentleman (talk by Mandy Hickson)

QMU staff, students and local business people are invited to a fascinating talk by former RAF pilot, Mandy Hickson, who will discuss her career and the extreme-pressure and high-performance experiences of being the only female pilot on her RAF Tornado Squadron.

Hosted by QMU and organised by the Edinburgh Universities Military Education Committee, this event will be of interest to anyone interested in leadership, management and development.

Buckle up for a dynamic journey through some of Mandy's high pressure situations flying multimillion-pound jets over hostile environments, including patrolling of Iraq’s No Fly Zone, whilst also recognising the critical human role in systems.

Mandy now takes uses her incredible experience and the lessons she learned as an RAF pilot to help those in management and leadership

During the event you will have the opportunity to listen to Mandy inspire and enlighten firsthand through her experiences, passionately sharing the insights into strategy, tactics, and behaviours that she adopted when the stakes were at their highest. Having already provided invaluable insights to some of the most successful organisations in the world via her TedX talks - you too, will have the chance delve deeper into Mandy’s strategic thinking with an open Q&A session. Networking opportunities with refreshments will also be provided.

This event will be held in the Halle Lecture Theatre at Queen Margaret University on Thursday 2November, 6pm – 8pm. Register for this free event at the Eventbrite page.

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Lord Forte Scholarships – CLOSING 12PM 31 OCTOBER

Queen Margaret University and the Lord Forte Foundation are pleased to offer six scholarships to 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

How much are the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarships?

The Scholarships are worth £2,500. This is paid to the successful applicants in instalments of £1,250 each academic semester, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applications are invited from students in year 3 or year 4 of the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management degree programme and the BA (H) Events Management degree programme in 2023/24.

Email development@qmu.ac.uk to apply

18th October 2023

In this week's Student News:

LRC Tours

Helpdesk are running a series of in person tours of the LRC throughout October. These cover the frequently asked queries from students from a day to day use of the space perspective, including

Finding Books
Borrowing and Returning Books
How to use printers
Various room types in the LRC

and much more!

For more information, dates and to register.

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Lord Forte Scholarship Now Open

Calling all 3rd and 4th year IHTM and Events Management students

I am pleased to inform you that you are eligible to apply for the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarship. This opportunity is open to all 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

There are six scholarships worth £2,500 each, for more information and an application form, contact the email below.

Closing date: Friday 27th October 2022

Enquiries: development@qmu.ac.uk

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Converge drop-in session - 26 October, 1000-1630 (Business Innovation Zone at QMU)

We would like to bring to your attention Converge Drop-in session here in the Business Innovation Zone here at QMU.

Converge is supported by the Scottish Higher Education Institutions. Our QMU membership gives us access to their company creation programme for researchers, aimed at creating a new generation of entrepreneurs in Scotland.
To find out the essentials of starting a business you can access the Converge workshops series tailored specifically for business propositions coming out of academia.

Converge supports staff, students, and recent graduates from QMU to create innovative new businesses and translate their research. Lissa Herron, Converge Enterprise Manager, is available for drop-in meetings and advice sessions to help you take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey. You can find Lissa in the Business Innovation Zone here at QMU.

Please get let us know if you would like us to put you in touch with Converge. You can contact RKEDU at: rkedu@qmu.ac.uk

Facilitator: Lissa Herron, Enterprise Manager, Converge
Please, register

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QMU Running Collective

Following our recent triumph in the Scottish 10K event, QMU Running Collective is looking ahead to their next challenge and we want you to join us!

We've witnessed the power of unity, dedication, and a shared passion for running. We want to keep the momentum going and offer you a chance to participate in a thriving and supportive group of like-minded runners.

The QMU Running Collective is not just about running; it's about fostering a sense of community, pushing our limits, and celebrating each other's successes. Whether you are a seasoned runner or just starting your running journey, we welcome runners of all levels. Our collective is a place where you can find motivation, improve your performance, meet new people and set yourself new challenges!

If you are interested in joining us, please take a couple of minutes to complete our online form, that can be found by following this link

Next Events

There are two events in the first half 2024 that we will aim to take part in.

The first is the Winter Warmer Run on Saturday 3rd February. There are three separate distances to choose from; 5k, 10k and half marathon, meaning it is a great event for runners of all abilities. More information about the event can be found on the website which can be accessed by clicking here.

The second is the Kilomathon, which will take place on 7th April 2024. There are two distances on offer; 13.1km and 6.5km. The 13.1km distance is a manageable step up from running 10k and is ideal for those that may not want to do a half marathon. The 6.5km run is great for those progressing from a 5k run. The route starts by passing by the historic Royal Yacht Britannia then runs along Edinburgh’s tranquil cycle paths, before finishing in front of the West Stand in BT Murrayfield Stadium. It’s nice and flat too! You can find out more information about the event by clicking here.

Training

The group will meet once per week for a group run up until the Christmas holidays. Days and times will vary to give everyone the opportunity to attend. After Christmas, as we build up to the events, we will meet two days per week to make sure we’re all ready for the challenge ahead.

As with our last outing, we’ll provide training plans for each event and organise your registration for you. All you need to do is run!

If you have questions about anything to do with QMU Running Collective or any of the events, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We hope to see you all soon!

The Sports Team

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Event on Campus 20th October

Please note that there is a large event taking place on campus this Friday, 20th October.

Part of the event will be held in 1875, which means there will be reduced seating and space for staff and students during the day. However, we will ensure there is still adequate space for all and 1875 will be open as normal for lunch.

The event delegates are expected to lunch from 1pm – 2pm so this time will be the busiest & noisiest within the space.

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Alison Scott Scholarship Now Open!

The Alison Scott Scholarship is a chance for Undergraduate QMU students, who identify as female, to learn a second language alongside their QMU studies (for the duration of their undergraduate degree).

The scholarship also includes mentoring and career coaching, and works towards a chance to attend a language school for your chosen European language later in your studies.

To apply

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Question of Semester

QMUSU have officially launched our first 'Question of the Semester'!

This is an opportunity for students to feedback on a specific theme related to the student experience at QMU! It gives students a chance to express any concerns, make any suggestions, or just highlight the positives of student life here on campus.

By gathering this feedback, the SU can then update the relevant departments and keep the university in the loop with relevant campus issues. This allows us to make positive change to enhance the student experience.

The theme for this semesters' question focusses on student spaces, specifically Maggie's Bar & Cafe, and how it functions as a student-centred social hub.

The QotS will be open for responses until the 30th October, then the results will be discussed at the next Academic Council meeting.

To Complete

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Voting - New Post Grad Officer

Voting for your new Post Grad Officer in the QMUSU By-Election will open on Monday 23rd October 2023 at 10am and closes on Thursday 26th October @ 12 Noon. Voting is open to all PG/Masters/Research matriculated students.

The voting link can be accessed through our website QMUSU and we will also email all eligible students with their own direct link to the vote. To find out more about our three fabulous candidates and what they could deliver for you if elected, check out our Post Grad Candidate Guide

You also have the opportunity to meet with your PG Officer candidates on Monday 23rd October at 2.30pm in Maggie’s, where we wil be holding our Candidates Question Time. Feel free to ask them any questions you have about how they can improve the student experience at QMU for all PG students.

The successful candidate will be joining the QMUSU Officers Committee, who work together to make sure all students have the best possible experience they can at QMU, so if you are eligible to vote please make it count.

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Last chance for new students to have their say – New Entrants Survey closes 19th Oct.

At QMU, we love to hear your opinions so we can keep making life and learning better for new students at QMU. By hearing from you, we can identify what we are doing well and where we can make improvements, so all new students feel like an important part of the QMU community and are supported in having the best learner journey.

The QMU Entrants Survey closes tomorrow, 19th October at midnight!
Don't miss this chance to share your views with us.

Click here https://qmu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/qes-2023 (password: qes)

11th October 2023

In this week's Student News:

Wi-Fi Maintenance Thursday 12/10/23 07:30 to 08:30

Information Technology services (ITS) are performing maintenance on the Wi-Fi tomorrow between 07:30 to 08:30. The work will stop any new connections from being established within that period, but existing connections will continue to work throughout the maintenance period.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

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LRC Tours

Helpdesk are running a series of in person tours of the LRC throughout October. These cover the frequently asked queries from students from a day to day use of the space perspective, including

Finding Books
Borrowing and Returning Books
How to use printers
Various room types in the LRC

and much more!

For more information, dates and to register.

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Lord Forte Scholarship Now Open

Calling all 3rd and 4th year IHTM and Events Management students

I am pleased to inform you that you are eligible to apply for the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarship. This opportunity is open to all 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

There are six scholarships worth £2,500 each, for more information and an application form, contact the email below.

Closing date: Friday 27th October 2022

Enquiries: development@qmu.ac.uk

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Shibboleth server maintenance Tuesday 17th October

Information Technology Services (ITS) will be performing critical maintenance on the Shibboleth Authentication server between 06:00 to 08:00 on Tuesday 17th October. The resulting maintenance will result in some library resources being inaccessible during that time if they use Shibboleth for authentication.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this essential maintenance.

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Join the QMU Muslim Society!

Are you looking for a community that celebrates diversity and fosters friendship? Look no further! The QMU Muslim Society welcomes you with open arms.

Connect with us on social media:

Instagram: @qmumuslimsociety

Join us in creating a vibrant and inclusive community that embraces all backgrounds. We look forward to meeting you!

For more information, contact us at @muslimsociety@qmu.ac.uk

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Council Consultation on the Condition of Play Areas in East Lothian

Community Consultation on Play Areas

Help shape and improve play opportunities in East Lothian by sharing your views on the current provision, quality and accessibility of play spaces across the area.

The survey is live until the 13^th of November and can be accessed on the councils consultation hub or via this link:

https://eastlothianconsultations.co.uk/housing-environment/play-sufficiency-assessment/

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Wellness Walks

Engage with nature, Explore the area, Space to talk.

All walks will last 1hour and be at a leisurely pace around the local area. The walks will be guided by a member of the universities Wellbeing Team and Sustainable Travel Team.

Walks occur every two weeks, alternating between Wednesday afternoons and Friday Mornings. Met at the bench by the sport centre entrance.

For more information please email: Wellbeing@qmu.ac.uk

Book your free space on eventbrite: Wellness Walks Booking

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Cheaper Train Tickets Pilot Across Scotland

Scotrail have scrapped peak-time train tickets on key routes across Scotland until March.

The Pilot runs from Oct 2023 to Mar 2024 and aims to make train travel more affordable for those travelling at peak times.

The off-peak tickets will automatically be available to you, when booking at ticket machines, online or buying in person.

Example savings:

Inverkeithing – Edinburgh £11.10 to £6.50
Perth – Dundee £14.40 to £9.90
Glasgow – Stirling £16.10 to £9.60
Inverurie – Aberdeen £11.10 to £8.90
Inverness – Elgin £22.00 to £14.40

For more information visit the Scotrail website: www.scotrail.co.uk/off-peak-fares-all-day-long

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Veterans at QMU – Veterans and Armed Forces Network.

Staff and students are invited to join the first gathering of Veterans at QMU – The Veterans and Armed Forces Staff and Student Network to be held on campus on Tuesday 24^th October from 11.30am to 1pm in 2092.

As part of my role at QMU, I am the Armed Forces Champion and, in partnership with current student Simon Spence (ex-British Army), we are keen to foster a sense of community amongst the growing veterans and defence community at QMU. As well as veterans, we would like to extend the invite to serving regulars and reservists as well as the siblings and family members of veterans.

This first meeting of the network will be an informal drop-in gathering of staff and students at which we will explore how we can grow and develop the network. Refreshments will be available.

If this is something that would appeal to you, both Simon and I would be most grateful if you could email wpo@qmu.ac.uk to confirm your attendance by Friday 20^th October.

If you’re unable to attend, then please do register your interest in joining future Network gatherings by emailing us and we will keep in touch with you over the coming weeks and months.

Many thanks for taking the time to consider - we look forward to hearing from you.

Callum Maguire

Head of Widening Participation and Outreach

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FREE EVENT FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS

Mandy Hickson: An Officer, Not a Gentleman

In partnership with the Edinburgh Universities Military Education Committee, QMU warmly invites you to join us on fascinating journey through the life and career of former RAF Pilot, Mandy Hickson. Drawing on extreme-pressure and high-performance experiences of being the only female pilot on her RAF Tornado Squadron. Flying multimillion-pound jets over hostile environments, including patrolling of Iraq’s No Fly Zone, Whilst also recognising the critical human role in systems, Mandy now transfers these vivid lessons to situations in management and leadership.

During the event you will have the opportunity to listen to Mandy inspire and enlighten firsthand through her experiences, passionately sharing her insights into strategy, tactics, and behaviours that she adopted when the stakes were at their highest. Having already provided invaluable insights to some of the most successful organisations in the world via her TedX talks - you too, will have the chance delve deeper into Mandy’s strategic thinking with an open Q&A session. Networking opportunities with refreshments will also be provided.

This event will be held at QMU Halle Lecture Theatre on Thursday 2 November, 6pm – 8pm. Head to our Eventbrite page to register to attend this free event.

Thanks,

QMU Events Team

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SU Monthly Blog

After our Students' Union officers away day, we thought it would be a nice idea to create a monthly blog that goes out to both staff and students, detailing what we have been up to over the previous month. We believe this will be a good way for people outside the SU to see what we've been up to, what we're currently working on, amongst other bits and bobs from the officers committee. The first edition for September is a little first-time prototype, and hopefully it'll get bigger and better, but we would be so pleased if QMU staff and students could have a wee read! - Jay

4th October 2023

In this week's Student News:

Come and play traditional Scots tunes - slow session at QMU

We are playing on Saturday 7^th October

The session will run for 2 hours from 1 till 3pm.

and you are welcome to join us for lunch before the session at Maggies at 12noon.

We will play a selection of tunes from Nigel Gatherer's website- look for the tunes listed on the GFW Slow Session (nigelgatherer.com)

Please register if you would like to join us. registration form - https://forms.office.com/r/5iHKPpWQgc

We ask for a donation of £7 if you can afford this. The money raised supports Nigel's website and the Scots Music Group - Scots Music Group

Tunes/sets

I Am Here Alone, Plus: Eternal Surge of the Sea, Memories of Fr Angus, Hector the Hero, Glenside Polkas, The Shepherd's Wife

followed by

The High Road to Gairloch, Plus: A Fig for a Kiss, Flatwater Fran, McKechnie's Farewell, Farewell to Govan.

We keep the pace slow and provide a supportive and welcoming space for musicians reading the dots or playing by ear.

any questions get in touch.

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LRC Tours

Helpdesk are running a series of in person tours of the LRC throughout October. These cover the frequently asked queries from students from a day to day use of the space perspective, including

Finding Books
Borrowing and Returning Books
How to use printers
Various room types in the LRC

and much more!

For more information, dates and to register.

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Jisc online surveys updated to version 3.0

Jisc Online surveys has upgraded its platform to version 3.0 with highlights listed as:

Easy to use.
GDPR compliant.
Certified to ISO 27001 standard.
Enables benchmarking across multiple organisations.

Further information can be found at FAQ: Migration to Online Surveys v3 – Online Surveys (jisc.ac.uk) with further updates on new features available at Releases – Online Surveys (jisc.ac.uk)

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Santander Brighter Futures Grant

Looking for some extra funds? Fancy winning 1 of 10 Brighter Futures Grants of £1000? Exclusively for QMU students, apply before 30 November for your chance to win!

For more information, or to apply, follow the link

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On-campus Business Gateway drop-in sessions - 10 October, 1200-1300 (on campus – Location: BIZ)

This drop-in session is facilitated by our on-campus Business Gateway Advisors and is open to QMU staff and students who have an idea for starting a business. They are also available to present into courses around entrepreneurship.

Business Gateway is a Scotland wide service which offers impartial one-to-one advice and training to staff and students on enterprise creation including free workshops and seminars covering a wide range of topics on marketing, branding, and getting the best from your website and finance.

Facilitator: Steve Newlin, Business Advisor, East Lothian Business Gateway

Location: BIZ (Business Innovation Zone - QMU)

Please, register here

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Using the digital library online workshop Wednesday 4^th October 3-4pm

Not sure where to find academic literature? Have you missed the library induction or would like a reminder? If so, please register for this online workshop for Wednesday 4^th October 3-4pm https://qmu.libcal.com/event/4035933 to find out how to use the library resources: use Discover, find and download journal articles and how to find relevant subject databases, etc.

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Calling all 3rd and 4th year IHTM and Events Management students

I am pleased to inform you that you are eligible to apply for the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarship. This opportunity is open to all 3rd and 4th year students on the BA (H) International Hospitality & Tourism Management and BA (H) Events Management programmes.

There are six scholarships worth £2,500 each, for more information and an application form, contact the email below.

Closing date: Friday 27th October 2022

Enquiries: development@qmu.ac.uk

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Post Grad Officer By-Election

QMUSU are delighted to announce that Nominations are now open for the role of Post Grad Officer. The PG Officer elected by the PG/Masters/Research Students at QMU will join our Officers Committee and be part of shaping the experience for all students at QMU. Nominations will close at 12 Noon on Wednesday 11^th October 2023. If you are interested in putting yourself forward for the role, have a look at the link below.

By-Elections 2023 @ QMUSU

If you are a PG/Masters/Research student and want to know more about the role, please email us at Union@qmu.ac.uk to arrange a chat.

Voting for the role will open on Monday 23^rd October 2023 @ 10am and the polls close on Thursday 26^th October 2023 @ 12 Noon.

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Shibboleth server maintenance Tuesday 17th October

Information Technology Services (ITS) will be performing critical maintenance on the Shibboleth Authentication server between 06:00 to 08:00 on Tuesday 17th October. The resulting maintenance will result in some library resources being inaccessible during that time if they use Shibboleth for authentication.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this essential maintenance.

Mark

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Invitation to Decolonise Research NOW - October meeting

Decolonise Research NOW is a conversation space at QMU to interrogate the legacies of colonialism on our research, our institution and ourselves. It’s an interdisciplinary space for staff and students to talk and think critically, but also to give each other support in this work. Importantly, we discuss how decolonisation could manifest in our work; we don’t spend energy on establishing that we need it.

We meet on every 6^th of the month at 12pm. The next meeting takes place on:

October: Friday, 6/10/23, 12pm in room 3106

Can the neoliberal university enact a decolonising agenda?

Reading:

An immanent critique of decolonisation projects, by Sunny Dhillon (2021)

https://convivialthinking.org/index.php/2021/09/25/critique-of-decolonisation-projects/

27th September2023

In This Weeks Student News

Marketing Database Training for students and staff at QMU - 9^th October from 4-4.30pm online

Please join the WARC Marketing Database representative in this 30 mins training session on how to use and search the marketing database WARC (to which QMU library subscribes) and which you may find useful if your research, assignments or dissertations have a marketing related topic.

Join with Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/npb-arqd-kkh

Or dial: (GB) +44 20 3957 3081 PIN: 265178567# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/npb-arqd-kkh?pin=9614502763610&hs=7

Learn more about Meet at: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9282720

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Thank Goodness it’s Thursday – free food event returns on Thursday 28 September

We are delighted to announce that Thank Goodness It’s Thursday (TGIT) – QMU's award-winning weekly free food and community building event – is back!

Thanks to the support of QMU’s Senior Leadership Team, and the help of QMU’s incredible staff volunteers, we are pleased to bring back TGIT. Our event, which offers students free hot meals and optional activities in our 1875 food court, is part of the University’s drive to help support the QMU community with the cost of living and nurture QMU’s great community spirit.

It offers the chance for students to relax and socialise with students and staff volunteers, and enjoy a chilled-out evening in QMU’s food court. During the colder months, the event offers a warm, cosy and friendly space to meet up with the QMU community and enjoy a sociable meal without the need to cook or heat your home for a few hours. TGIT proved very popular last year, and everyone is warmly invited. We want you to feel supported and fully part of the QMU community.

So don’t miss out on the chance of a free meal. TGIT will run on Thursday 28 September in 1875 from 5pm - 7pm. You can expect hot soup and a hot main course (vegan option available too). If you bring a food container (tupperware) you might even be able to take home some leftovers! Come and enjoy yourself. We won’t even ask you to do the washing up!

We look forward to seeing you in 1875 in the main academic building at 5pm on Thursday 28 September, and we will keep you posted about more TGIT events throughout the year.

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Shibboleth server maintenance Tuesday 3rd October

Information Technology Services (ITS) will be performing critical maintenance on the Shibboleth Authentication server between 06:00 to 08:00 on Tuesday 3^rd October. The resulting maintenance will result in some library resources being inaccessible during that time if they use Shibboleth for authentication.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this essential maintenance

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Keeping The Promise at QMU: Helping our care experienced students to thrive by delivering on our corporate parenting responsibilities.

Colleagues are warmly invited to this half day training and insight session, at which you will learn what it means to be a Corporate Parent in Scotland and the duties to Care Experienced people that all staff at QMU should be aware of.

At QMU we want to be Proud Corporate Parents, with a knowledge base and awareness that permeates through all staff teams from academics to student support to facilities, security, and catering.

We are all responsible for #Keeping The Promise.

We will be joined by the Who Cares? Scotland Education and Training team, who will deliver an engaging and interactive session that works to support your knowledge and understanding of care experience, Corporate Parenting and Scotland’s commitment to #Keeping The Promise. https://thepromise.scot/what-is-the-promise/

We will also be joined by partner organisations MCR Pathways, The East Lothian Champions Board and The Hub for Success, as well as some of our own QMU care experienced students, to hear about the lived experience, as well as post-event networking and volunteering opportunities.

The event will run from 9.15am to 12.30pm on Wednesday 8^th November 2023 in Room 2091.

To book a place, please email qmcares@qmu.ac.uk by Friday 20^th October.

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Last call! Online course in academic writing for NEW international students starting soon

Are you a new student at QMU (September 2023 start)? Do you use English as a second or foreign language? Would you like to develop your skills in academic writing and get familiar with some of the academic expectations at a Scottish university?

Effective Learning Service (ELS) International are offering an optional in-sessional academic skills programme aimed at NEW international postgraduate students who are joining QMU this September. It will be delivered online once a week, either on Tuesdays 3pm to 4pm OR Thursdays from 10 to 11:00am and you will be able to choose one of those days. It will run for 5 weeks, with the first session scheduled for Tuesday 3^rd of October.

If you would like to join this online course, use your student e-mail account and contact ELSInternational@qmu.ac.uk to request your place. In your e-mail please confirm you are a new student at QMU (September 2023 start), English is your second or foreign language, and say which programme you you're studying. Deadline for applications is this Friday 29^th of September so make sure you contact us as soon as you can.

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Visit the Malawian gift stall on Thursday to help Malawian women and girls become powerful and get the future they deserve

The QMU based charity, STEKAskills says:' Please show solidarity for women and girls in Malawi by buying some of our exquisitely made hand beaded decorations and vibrant bags. In Malawi, less than 1% of the population can go to college and learn the skills needed to be economically independent.

Every penny made by selling our gifts goes towards providing skills training to give the poorest women a fighting chance of escaping a future being subservient to men. By buying from us, you can help us build a women’s hostel, a safe space where they can develop new aspirations and challenge the deep rooted belief that ‘being a man means being in control’.

This means that many girls and women who want acceptance are expected to be meek and sexually submissive. Desperate to avoid abject poverty, they believe they must take part in illegal initiation ceremonies at the point they reach puberty (or even younger) which involves being raped by adult men. A practice called ‘the removal of the dust’.

Find out more about our amazing Malawian led charity which is making marginalised women’s voices heard (and is partnered with QMU*) and see our beautiful products at stekakills.com or find us on Facebook and Instagram. Watch our film showing how we aim to challenge initiation camps here . And please come along to our stalls this week on 11.00-2pm in the food hall'.

*QMU has a formal relationship with the charity STEKAskills and the Malawian care home STEKA whereby QM students and staff benefit from getting involved in STEKAskills' practical and research-based projects and young people in Malawi benefit from QMU expertise and education. Together we've made amazing progress, developing the anti-white saviour Youth Solidarity Critical Dialogue Groups which were judged as internationally significant / world leading by the UK Government as part of the REF. If you'd like to get involved email ewood@qmu.ac.uk

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Academic Freedom Seminar Series

Academic freedom is a fundamental principle of higher education. It should guarantee independence in research, education and scholarship from state and commercial interference. A commitment to academic freedom fosters an environment where diverse perspectives can be explored and debated without fear of repercussion. This safeguard allows scholars to challenge existing norms, question conventional wisdom, and drive the progress of society through rigorous enquiry.

It is unique to academics worldwide and protected in Scots law. However, it is often misunderstood, even by academics.

Academic freedom is different from freedom of speech, which is enjoyed by all citizens. It is different from professional autonomy. Moreover, academic freedom is never a license for hate speech. Rather, it upholds the values of open inquiry and reinforces the democratic principles that academics hold dear. Various researchers have raised concern that academic freedom is currently under threat.

This seminar series will explore academic freedom and discuss, with invited speakers, how QMU academics can make use of our responsibility for academic freedom

The first seminar in the series is delivered by

Professor Terence Karran

Emeritus Professor of Higher Education Policy, University of Lincoln

Introduced by Sir Paul Grice, Principal

Convened by Professor Olivia Sagan, Director of Centre for Applied Social Sciences

Wednesday 8th November September 10am-12pm, Room 0048

Professor Terence Karran is an international expert in academic freedom, how it is understood and protected (or not) in different parts of the world.

To help assess numbers, please indicate your intention to attend by emailing Eurig Scandrett (escandrett@qmu.ac.uk) with the subject line ‘Academic Freedom’

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QMU Entrants' Survey

Dear New QMU Students,

We hope you're settling in smoothly. This week, you should have received an e-mail from Student Survey containing a link to the QMU Entrants Survey (QES), designed exclusively for students like you who have recently joined QMU. The survey seeks to gather valuable feedback on your induction experience.

To access the survey, please click on the link provided in your personalised survey invitation email. Alternatively, you can follow this link (your username is your student number, and the password is ‘qes’): https://qmu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/qes-2023

By participating in this survey, you play a crucial role in shaping the future of QMU. You’ll also be in with the chance of winning an Amazon voucher!

Thank you for being a part of the QMU community and best wishes for a successful semester.

The QMU Student Survey Team

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20th September 2023

In this weeks' Student News

Upcoming QMU careers and employability events for students

Careers Events:

qmploy23 early careers fair:

Your future career starts here. All QMU students are invited to attend our annual careers fairs with over 40 different employers and organisations attending across this 2-day event.

Tuesday 26^th September and Wednesday 27^th September 2023.

The main academic building, Atrium.

10:30am – 2:30pm (10:30 – 11:00am quiet time)

Please click the link below to see our booklet for the event, containing the employers due to attend.

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/students/events/detail/119435

Options after your degree

This session is for all students and will cover general options after finishing your studies - including employment, further study, volunteering and travel.

Thursday 21^st September 2023.

The main academic building, room 2168.

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Please see the link below to book a slot to attend the session:

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/s/careers/events/detail/119352

CV Clinics

These are drop-in sessions which anyone is welcome to attend. These sessions help students work on their CV with the help of one of the QMU Careers team.

Tues 3^rd October, Tues 10^th October and Tues 17^th October 2023.

The main academic building, student services.

2:00pm – 4:00pm

No booking necessary.

Finding you Graduate job

This session will cover graduate roles in different sectors, including graduate schemes and working for other organisations.

Monday 9^th October.

The main academic building, room 2169.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Please see the link below to book a slot to attend the session:

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/students/events/detail/119354

Using tech in your job search

Job searching and applications are becoming increasingly focused on the use of tech - this session will cover how you can use linked in and the internet to focus your job search, and help you to understand how AI is used by companies in the recruitment process

Tuesday 17^th October.

The main academic building, room 3163.

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Pleas see the link below to book a slot to attend the session:

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/students/events/detail/119355

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Study Skills Workshops and NEW Academic Skills Videos ‘Three by Three’!

Would you like to tune up your academic skills?

Try out our NEW Academic Skills videos. Our new ‘Three by Threes’ break a key topic down into three manageable parts, with activities along the way. We currently have videos on Positive Time Planning and Planning Assignments, available on Canvas: https://canvas.qmu.ac.uk/enroll/LRDNYL

We’re also offering a number of online workshops on a number of academic skills areas this semester, open to all students! Workshops will be delivered via Microsoft Teams and you will be sent a link to join on booking a place.

All workshops are one hour long and this semester each workshop will have two available timeslots. The following sessions are available:

Essay Planning & Structure	Tue 3^rd Oct (11:15) Fri 6^th Oct (13:15)
Essay Writing & Drafting	Thurs 12^th Oct (11:15) Fri 13^th Oct (13:15)
Looking Ahead to Dissertations	Thurs 19^th Oct (13:15) Fri 20^th Oct (11:15)
Plagiarism & Turnitin	Fri 27^th Oct (12:15) Mon 30^th Oct (12:15)
Reflective Writing & Blogs	Tue 31^st Oct (13:15) Thurs 2^nd Nov (11:15)
Report Writing	Tue 7^th Nov (13:15) Fri 10^th Nov (11:15)
Proofreading & Wordcount	Mon 13^th (11:15) Tue 14^th Nov (12:15)
Literature Reviews	Thurs 23^rd Nov (13:15) Fri 24^th Nov (11:15)

To book a place, go to Student Central, or for information about workshops, or our Three by Three videos, email els@qmu.ac.uk

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WARC Marketing Database Training for students and staff at QMU - 9^th October from 4-4.30pm online

Please join the WARC Marketing Database representative in this 30 mins training session on how to use and search the marketing database WARC (to which QMU library subscribes) and which you may find useful if your research, assignments or dissertations have a marketing related topic.

Join with Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/npb-arqd-kkh

Or dial: (GB) +44 20 3957 3081 PIN: 265178567# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/npb-arqd-kkh?pin=9614502763610&hs=7

Learn more about Meet at: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/9282720

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Online Library Skills Workshops and Support

Library Services run a series of online library skills workshops throughout the year. To see the full list, dates and to register please visit the QMU LibCal events page.

Upcoming workshops (September and October)

Getting the most out of Google Scholar Sep 21^st 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

How to use Cite Them Right for referencing Sep 28^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Getting hold of references Oct 2^nd 2:00pm - 3:00pm.

Using the digital library Oct 4^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

APA referencing Oct 5^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Advanced Google Search for literature searching Oct 11^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Using ebooks Oct 12^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Harvard referencing Oct 24^th 2:00pm - 3:00pm.

Further support

You can book a one to one session with your librarian at the top of the LibCal events page, for help with things like:

Referencing and citations
Finding resources for your assignment
Designing a search strategy for your assignment
Technical help with accessing library resources (ebooks, databases, journal articles)
Technical help with reference manager tools (EndNote or other software)

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Redevelopment plans for the LRC as part of the Future Spaces project

If you didn't get the chance to see the display boards containing outline plans and examples of different spaces during the consultation exercise on Thursday 14 September the boards, and a QR code to the online survey have been displayed in the LRC. These can be found in the area behind the laptop lockers.

If you want to add any comments to the board post it notes and pens can be located on the stationery table between the MFDs

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QMUSU Welcome Week Survey

We hope you enjoyed the QMUSU events of Welcome Week.

We'd really like your feedback. It won't take you long and you can enter the draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher!

Click on the following link: https://qmu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/qmu-students-union-welcome-week-survey-copy

The survey will close at 5pm on the 29th of September.

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Thank Goodness it’s Thursday – free food event returns on Thursday 28 September

We are delighted to announce that Thank Goodness It’s Thursday (TGIT) – QMU's award-winning weekly free food and community building event – is back!

Thanks to the support of QMU’s Senior Leadership Team, and the help of QMU’s incredible staff volunteers, we are pleased to bring back TGIT. Our event, which offers students free hot meals and optional activities in our 1875 food court, is part of the University’s drive to help support the QMU community with the cost of living and nurture QMU’s great community spirit.

It offers the chance for students to relax and socialise with students and staff volunteers, and enjoy a chilled-out evening in QMU’s food court. During the colder months, the event offers a warm, cosy and friendly space to meet up with the QMU community and enjoy a sociable meal without the need to cook or heat your home for a few hours. TGIT proved very popular last year, and everyone is warmly invited. We want you to feel supported and fully part of the QMU community.

So don’t miss out on the chance of a free meal. TGIT will run on Thursday 28 September in 1875 from 5pm - 7pm. You can expect hot soup and a hot main course (vegan option available too). If you bring a food container (tupperware) you might even be able to take home some leftovers! Come and enjoy yourself. We won’t even ask you to do the washing up!

We look forward to seeing you in 1875 in the main academic building at 5pm on Thursday 28 September, and we will keep you posted about more TGIT events throughout the year.

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Shibboleth server maintenance Tuesday 3rd October.

Information Technology Services (ITS) will be performing critical maintenance on the Shibboleth Authentication server between 06:00 to 08:00 on Tuesday 3^rd October. The resulting maintenance will result in some library resources being inaccessible during that time if they use Shibboleth for authentication.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this essential maintenance.

13th September 2023

In this weeks' Student News

Report and Support

QMU use the online platform Report and Support, to support students and staff wanting to report and/or seek support for various forms of harassment and violence they have experienced. The platform provides information and advice to students and staff as well as links to one to one professional support and routes to reporting.

We promote Report and Support in partnership with the Students’ Union, as part of QMU’s commitment to provide a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, free from any form of discrimination or harassment. Report and Support is used by many higher education institutes across the UK.

Whether or not you choose to make a report, you will find useful information, support and signposting on:

Bullying and Harassment

Rape, Sexual Assault and Harassment

Relationship Abuse and Coercive Control

In addition we will use the platform to run campaigns highlighting particular issues and sources of advice and support, such as our current one on drink spiking.

HOW TO REPORT AN INCIDENT ON REPORT AND SUPPORT

There are two ways to make a report on Report and Support:

Anonymous reports let the University know something has happened, monitor trends and allow us to target awareness raising activities and prevention work. Please note that with an anonymous report, we won’t have your contact details so we can’t reach out and offer support or advice. To do this we would need you to report with contact details.

Reporting with contact details allows you to get support from one of our advisers within three working days. They can discuss what options you might wish to consider and you choose how and when you want to proceed. All information remains confidential unless there is a serious safety, welfare or duty of care concern.

STI Testing on Campus

We are organising STI testing on campus for students. Just book in and you can get tested without any questions asked. Free, confidential and quick! You can book on student central Student Central (qmu.ac.uk)

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Vaccinations

If you are a student and you do not have up to date vaccinations for MMR (Measels, Mumps, Rubella) or MenACWY (meningitis) you should consider getting vaccinated. You can find out more here. QMU will also be running a vaccination pop-up clinic with the NHS later in the semester.

Student Safety Booklet

This information resources from Police Scotland provides you with important safety advice on how you can avoid becoming a victim of crime. The guide will equip you with information and advice to increase your awareness, prepare you to identify potential frauds and prevent the loss of your valuable data to those intent on stealing it. You can access it here

Confidentiality and Information Sharing at QMU

Within Student Services we are sharing information in order to deliver services and support to students effectively. Student Services may share information about individual students in order to support students effectively, resolving any issue that the student has raised or respond to concerns regarding a student’s welfare. This document explains more about how we might share information. Student-Services-Confidentiality-and-Information-Sharing.pdf (qmu.ac.uk)

Togetherall

QMU is working with Togetherall to provide a safe, online community where people support each other. By sharing feelings, thoughts, emotions, and experiences we can all improve our mental health, together. Members can sign up instantly, share anonymously and access the community at any time, day, or night. Togetherall has specific sections related to wellbeing at Christmas time.

Togetherall is available and free to all students and staff at Queen Margaret University. Simply click here and use your university email address to join.

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Dragon’s Glen Challenge 2023 – information session on Thursday 14^th September

Would you like to take part in a fantastic experience, developing key employability skills whilst also fundraising for a charity? Join Children 1st in this fundraiser challenge - Dragon's Glen! QMU are working with Children 1st to offer this brilliant experience to students - open to any subject area, any level of study, you just need to bring some enthusiasm and inspiration!

The challenge involves you setting up a business idea to fundraise for the charity. As a team, you will set up your 'company' and will get support from some of the best entrepreneurs and business minds in Scotland who will mentor you throughout. You will gain skills in teamwork, planning, organising and fundraising - all hugely valuable for any future career.

Come along to this information session to find out more and to register your interest. Thursday 14^th Sept between 12.30-1.30pm in room 2108.

This is a drop-in session, but you can book a place on Student Central to get a reminder email with the room number.

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QMU Careers Calendar 2023 –

Come along to our events and see what QMU's Careers and Employability service can do for you!

Some of our events are live now for bookings! If you would like to book for our events, please see the following link:

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/s/careers/events

Thurs 7^th Sep	Applying for part-time jobs
Mon 11^th Sep	QMU Mentoring Programme – applications open
Thurs 14^th Sep	Dragon’s Glen Challenge – info session
Mon 18^th Sep	Saltire Scholarships Internships – info session
Tues 19^th Sep	Prepare for the careers fair
Tues 19^th Sep	CV Clinic
Thurs 21^st Sep	Options after your degree
Tues 26^th Sep	qmploy23 early careers fair – day 1
Weds 27^th Sep	qmploy23 early careers fair – day 2
Tues 3^rd Oct	CV Clinic
Mon 9^th Oct	Finding your graduate job
Tues 10^th Oct	CV Clinic
Tues 17^th Oct	CV Clinic
Tues 17^th Oct	Using tech in your job search
Tues 24^th Oct	Getting Into Teaching
Fri 27^th Oct	Applications/CVs

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Online Library Skills Workshops and Support

Library Services run a series of online library skills workshops throughout the year. To see the full list, dates and to register please visit the QMU LibCal events page.

Upcoming workshops (September and October)

Introduction to reference managers Sep 14^th 2:00pm - 3:00pm.

Getting the most out of Google Scholar Sep 21^st 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

How to use Cite Them Right for referencing Sep 28^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Getting hold of references Oct 2^nd 2:00pm - 3:00pm.

Using the digital library Oct 4^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

APA referencing Oct 5^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Advanced Google Search for literature searching Oct 11^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Using ebooks Oct 12^th 3:00pm - 4:00pm.

Harvard referencing Oct 24^th 2:00pm - 3:00pm.

Further support

You can book a one to one session with your librarian at the top of the LibCal events page, for help with things like:

Referencing and citations
Finding resources for your assignment
Designing a search strategy for your assignment
Technical help with accessing library resources (ebooks, databases, journal articles)
Technical help with reference manager tools (EndNote or other software)

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Developing your Academic Skills with the Effective Learning Service

Here at the Effective Learning Service, we’re looking forward to the start of the new academic year, and are offering a range of options to support our new and returning students in the development of their academic skills. We can help with areas like:

Academic Writing
Reading Strategies
Time Planning

….and lots more!

If you would like to know more about the support we’re offering this semester (including support for new international students!), please see our Semester 1 Newsletter for more information. Please do get in touch by emailing els@qmu.ac.uk, or popping into R1153 within the LRC if you would like any information about any of our sessions.

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FREE Seminars Aimed at Future Food and Drink Entrepreneurs (THRIVE Programme)

Interested in starting your own food and drink business (product or service)? Industry professionals at QMU and SRUC are delivering FREE sessions over September and October aimed at current and future entrepreneurs. Sessions include how to pitch and price your product, how to develop your product, how to taste your product and the opportunity to Network with likeminded people. Hariz Lee, a QMU student attended THRIVE last year and wrote a student blog post on his experience, “what I enjoyed the most about the programme is this - I know I am not alone in starting a food business in Scotland and I know where I can go to seek advice on food product development, funding, distribution and starting my food business.” Click here for the full list of sessions and sign-up information. If you have any food related questions please email: HelloSCFDI@qmu.ac.uk

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Food Pantry

The QMU Food Pantry is happy to announce that it will be running again this academic year.
We are here to give students access to affordable, delicious, and fresh food. All for just £1 a week. You can expect everything from delicious treats, fresh fruit and veggies, cupboard essentials and much more.

We understand that budgeting can be hard for every student, especially with the rising cost of living. So let us take some of the stress out of managing your budget at university.

The QMU Food Pantry runs every Wednesday at 2-3 PM next to 1875 in front of the window front.

New members can sign up from Tuesday, September 12^th through the SU website or by coming along to the Fresher’s Fair between 12-2 PM.

You can also come along to the first pantry on September 20^th, and we will have a QR code ready for you to scan.

We are excited to see lots of new member’s faces as well as our previous list of lovely members this academic year!

Next to visiting us as a member, you can also help as a volunteer with us.

If you are interested in being involved as a volunteer or have any questions, please send us an email at foodpantry@qmu.ac.uk or a DM on Instagram @qmufoodpantry.”

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Upcoming QMU careers and employability events for students

Careers Events:

qmploy23 early careers fair:

Your future career starts here. All QMU students are invited to attend our annual careers fairs with over 40 different employers and organisations attending across this 2-day event.

Tuesday 26^th September and Wednesday 27^th September 2023.

The main academic building, Atrium.

10:30am – 2:30pm (10:30 – 11:00am quiet time)

Please click the link below to see our booklet for the event, containing the employers due to attend.

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/students/events/detail/119435

The Saltire Scholar Internships Programme – Information Session

The Saltire Scholar Internship Programme matches students to a suitable organisation , relevant to their area of study and skill set, to engage in a summer internship programme. If this sounds interesting to you, please feel free to attend our information session to gauge whether you might like to participate!

Monday 18^th September 2023.

The main academic building, room 2168

12:00pm, - 1:00pm

Please see the link below to book a slot to attend the session.

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/s/careers/events/detail/122673

Prepare for the careers fair

Careers fairs present a fabulous opportunity for you to find out about job opportunities and talk directly to employers. At this session you'll learn about what to expect - the format, who will be there, the kinds of opportunities on offer and how to create a good impression. Come along to find out what employers at the Fair will be looking for and the sorts of questions you might ask them.

Tuesday 19^th September 2023.

The main academic building, room 3162

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Please see the link below to book a slot to attend the session.

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/s/careers/events/detail/119349

Options after your degree

This session is for all students and will cover general options after finishing your studies - including employment, further study, volunteering and travel.

Thursday 21^st September 2023.

The main academic building, room 2168

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Please see the link below to book a slot to attend the session.

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/s/careers/events/detail/119352

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Come along and see the plans for the development of the LRC

The Architects, ADP, and staff from Library Services will be in the Atrium tiers on Thursday 14 September between 10am and 3pm with copies of the latest plans for developing the LRC space. We would be delighted to see you there to talk through the plans, answer any questions you have and to gather feedback on the plans.

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Volunteer Opportunity: My Sighted Guide

In this role you will support a person with sight loss to get out and about in their local community, building self-confidence, increasing social interaction, and promoting independence.

“I really care about making a difference – it is brilliant to be a part of watching someone else go on to achieve something with encouragement” - Joe, My Sighted Guide volunteer

What you’ll be doing

We rely on volunteers like you to help us improve the lives of people with sight loss. In this role your support will include:
• Delivering sighted guide assistance, using skills provided in our training, on a regular basis to someone with a visual or vision impairment to help increase their confidence, varying from 3 months to 12+ months.
• Meeting at agreed times/location based on the mutually agreed activity plan.
• Maintaining professional boundaries and adhering to safeguarding procedures.
• Providing regular feedback on partnership progress and highlighting any issues that may arise in the partnership to your key contact.
You’ll have
Ideally you will:
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to use them when support is required.
• Be patient and flexible.
• Act in a non-judgemental way, without discrimination.
• Have the physical ability to guide someone with a visual impairment.

If you don’t feel you tick every box but are sure this role is the one for you, please drop us a message and tell us why. We’re open to suggestions and happy to chat with you to find out what’s possible!

You’ll get

Volunteering is a two-way street, so in return for your time you will get a dedicated key contact who will help you settle in and support you during your time with us. You’ll also get to:

• Gain skills and experience whilst doing an activity that you enjoy.
• The opportunity to network with a variety of individuals at Guide Dogs.
• Increase the independence, dignity and wellbeing of people living with sight loss through the delivery of the My Sighted Guide service.

Training and support

This role has the equivalent of 2 days of training, which can be flexible around your requirements, and then you’ll be ready to go! These modules include:

• Sighted Guide training.
• Guide Dogs safeguarding training

If you have questions about the training requirements, we can answer these at your interview along with any other support or accessibility needs you may have.

Volunteering for Guide Dogs should never leave you out of pocket. We’ll make sure we pay any expenses related to your volunteering with us in line with our policy.

What we need from you

Criminal Disclosure check necessary? Yes, this role requires that you have an Enhanced Disclosure check (PVG in Scotland).

We are working hard to make sure anyone who wants to can volunteer for Guide Dogs, but at the moment we have a minimum age of 18 for this particular role.

To find out more and register your interest, please pop over to www.guidedogs.org.uk/volunteer

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6th September 2023

In this weeks Student News:

QMU Meal Plans

We are delighted to be able to launch our new QMU Meal Plans.

QMU Meal Plans are a flexible weekly scheme that enables you to purchase meals in advance, at a discounted price, for Semester 1. Choose from three or five lunches a week depending on your living arrangements and your lifestyle.

We know how important it is to have a varied and balanced diet. By taking out a meal plan, you can be safe in the knowledge that you will be getting high-quality, home cooked, nutritious food.

All meals are chosen from 1875 restaurant. 1875 is QMU’s main eatery where all your favourites are served, from daily hot mains with a wide selection of dietary friendly and vegan options including full salad & deli bar, soups and baked potatoes. Our vision is to provide fresh, locally sourced, good food made by our talented chefs to the highest possible standard. Menus change daily and are influenced by the seasonality of ingredients to ensure best quality and provide wholesome and balanced meals paired with a little flair and fun!

QMU Meal Plans are great value and will help our new students in particular settle into University life quickly and allow everyone to focus on university priorities without the stresses of having to shop and cook food for themselves on a daily basis.

Full details about the QMU Meal Plans and how to sign up to them, can be found on our website here . Meal plans for Semester 1 have to be booked by Sunday 3^rd September.

If you have any queries about the QMU Meal Plans, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Catering Team on: mealplans@qmu.ac.uk

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qmploy 2023 - QMU Early Careers Fair

QMU Careers and Employability invites all staff and students to attend qmploy 2023.

An opportunity to meet 40+ organisations on campus. Employers always enjoy talking to students, recent graduates and members of staff.

When? Tues 26th and Wed 27th September 2023 10:30AM - 11AM (quiet time), 11PM - 2:30PM

Where? @ THE ATRIUM, QMU

What’s on offer? Grad jobs | Part-time jobs | Internships | Volunteering

Graduate and Internships employers include: EY, Deloitte, Lloyds Banking Group, Enterprise-Rent-a-Car, Scottish Power, OCS (Atalian Sevrest), Jac Travel, Saltire Scholar Programme, Bright Green Placements and Black Professionals Scotland.

Part-time work employers include: Virgin Hotels, The Action Group, Off To Work, Ark Housing Association, Trust-Care, Autism Initiatives, Fort Kinnaird ,The Sheraton, The Balmoral, Eloscn, Hickory, Signature Pubs, Carr Gomm and Scottish Autism.

Volunteering organisations include: People Know How, Firsthand Lothian, Volunteer Centre East Lothian, Changes East Lothian, Shelter Scotland, Big Hearts Community Trust, Rock Trust and Police Scotland Youth Volunteers

For more information contact jgarcia@qmu.ac.uk

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An online course in academic writing for new international PG students

Effective Learning Service (ELS) International will be offering an optional in-sessional academic skills programme aimed at NEW Postgraduate students who are joining QMU this September. It will be delivered online once a week, either on Tuesdays 3pm to 4pm OR Thursdays from 10 to 11:00am and you will be able to choose one of those days. It will run for 5 weeks, with the first session scheduled for Tuesday 3^rd of October.

If you would like to join this online course, use your student e-mail account and contact ELSInternational@qmu.ac.uk to request your place. In your e-mail please confirm you are a new student at QMU (September 2023 start) and say which programme you are joining. The number of students is limited to 35 on a given day, so make sure you book early.

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Information from Student Services

Report and Support

QMU use the online platform Report and Support, to support students and staff wanting to report and/or seek support for various forms of harassment and violence they have experienced. The platform provides information and advice to students and staff as well as links to one to one professional support and routes to reporting.

We promote Report and Support in partnership with the Students’ Union, as part of QMU’s commitment to provide a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, free from any form of discrimination or harassment. Report and Support is used by many higher education institutes across the UK.

Whether or not you choose to make a report, you will find useful information, support and signposting on:

Bullying and Harassment

Rape, Sexual Assault and Harassment

Relationship Abuse and Coercive Control

In addition we will use the platform to run campaigns highlighting particular issues and sources of advice and support, such as our current one on drink spiking.

HOW TO REPORT AN INCIDENT ON REPORT AND SUPPORT

There are two ways to make a report on Report and Support:

Anonymous reports let the University know something has happened, monitor trends and allow us to target awareness raising activities and prevention work. Please note that with an anonymous report, we won’t have your contact details so we can’t reach out and offer support or advice. To do this we would need you to report with contact details.

Reporting with contact details allows you to get support from one of our advisers within three working days. They can discuss what options you might wish to consider and you choose how and when you want to proceed. All information remains confidential unless there is a serious safety, welfare or duty of care concern.

STI Testing on Campus

We are organising STI testing on campus for students. Just book in and you can get tested without any questions asked. Free, confidential and quick! You can book on student central Student Central (qmu.ac.uk)

Vaccinations

If you are a student and you do not have up to date vaccinations for MMR (Measels, Mumps, Rubella) or MenACWY (meningitis) you should consider getting vaccinated. You can find out more here. QMU will also be running a vaccination pop-up clinic with the NHS later in the semester.

Student Safety Booklet

This information resources from Police Scotland provides you with important safety advice on how you can avoid becoming a victim of crime. The guide will equip you with information and advice to increase your awareness, prepare you to identify potential frauds and prevent the loss of your valuable data to those intent on stealing it. You can access it here

Confidentiality and Information Sharing at QMU

Within Student Services we are sharing information in order to deliver services and support to students effectively. Student Services may share information about individual students in order to support students effectively, resolving any issue that the student has raised or respond to concerns regarding a student’s welfare. This document explains more about how we might share information. Student-Services-Confidentiality-and-Information-Sharing.pdf (qmu.ac.uk)

Togetherall

QMU is working with Togetherall to provide a safe, online community where people support each other. By sharing feelings, thoughts, emotions, and experiences we can all improve our mental health, together. Members can sign up instantly, share anonymously and access the community at any time, day, or night. Togetherall has specific sections related to wellbeing at Christmas time.
Togetherall is available and free to all students and staff at Queen Margaret University. Simply click here and use your university email address to join.

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Start for Future (SFF) What it means for QMU - 25 September 2023 1000-1100 - (On Campus) Room 2174

In partnership with a consortium across the EU, QMU has secured funding from the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT) to build capacity to support innovation and entrepreneurship. This is a strategically important priority initiative for QMU , as it underpins a major step change in QMU’s entrepreneurial culture and innovation capabilities through collaboration with Edinburgh Napier University, East Lothian Council and universities across the EU, aligned closely with opportunities arising from the new QMU Innovation Hub.

SFF is an international network of entrepreneurial universities and incubators collaborating on the development of innovation and impactful start-ups and solutions.

There are three visible SFF activities at QMU: LEARN; MATCH AND START; and OPEN INCUBATOR. Join this session facilitated by members of the QMU SFF Implementation Group to find out what SFF means for QMU and how you can be involved.

Facilitator: Dr Duncan Pentland, Member of the QMU SFF Implementation Group.

Please, register here

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Dragon’s Glen Challenge 2023 – information session on Thursday 14^th September

Would you like to take part in a fantastic experience, developing key employability skills whilst also fundraising for a charity? Join Children 1st in this fundraiser challenge - Dragon's Glen! QMU are working with Children 1st to offer this brilliant experience to students - open to any subject area, any level of study, you just need to bring some enthusiasm and inspiration!

The challenge involves you setting up a business idea to fundraise for the charity. As a team, you will set up your 'company' and will get support from some of the best entrepreneurs and business minds in Scotland who will mentor you throughout. You will gain skills in teamwork, planning, organising and fundraising - all hugely valuable for any future career.

Come along to this information session to find out more and to register your interest. Thursday 14^th Sept between 12.30-1.30pm in room 2108.

This is a drop-in session, but you can book a place on Student Central to get a reminder email with the room number.

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Travelling to Campus

We encourage everyone to travel in a sustainable manner where possible. This could be travelling by public transport or cycling as opposed to driving to campus. By travelling sustainably you will be helping to reduce congestion, improve the air quality and lower the amount of carbon that is released into the atmosphere. You’ll find more information on travelling to campus here.

On Monday, 11 September enforcement of the car park will start. The car park is controlled by automatic number plate recognition technology, meaning that any vehicles parked between 8am and 5.30pm, Monday – Friday, must have a valid permit or pay the daily parking rate.

Please note that parking on Queen Margaret University Drive, including the access road to the student residences is not permitted and enforcement is carried out by East Lothian Council on all roads surrounding campus.

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Welcome Week Events

Welcome to QMU! Your Students’ Union are holding lots of events, so please have a look at the link below and check out what is on, most events are free and there is something for everyone. Today we have our Student Opportunities Day in the Tent (located just before the exit towards the train station) where you can see what QMU has to support you on your Uni journey.

Welcome to QMU 2023! @ QMUSU

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QMU Careers Calendar 2023 –

Come along to our events and see what QMU's Careers and Employability service can do for you!

Some of our events are live now for bookings! If you would like to book for our events, please see the following link:

https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/s/careers/events

Thurs 7^th Sep	Applying for part-time jobs
Mon 11^th Sep	QMU Mentoring Programme – applications open
Thurs 14^th Sep	Dragon’s Glen Challenge – info session
Mon 18^th Sep	Saltire Scholarships Internships – info session
Tues 19^th Sep	Prepare for the careers fair
Tues 19^th Sep	CV Clinic
Thurs 21^st Sep	Options after your degree
Tues 26^th Sep	qmploy23 early careers fair – day 1
Weds 27^th Sep	qmploy23 early careers fair – day 2
Tues 3^rd Oct	CV Clinic
Mon 9^th Oct	Finding your graduate job
Tues 10^th Oct	CV Clinic
Tues 17^th Oct	CV Clinic
Tues 17^th Oct	Using tech in your job search
Tues 24^th Oct	Getting Into Teaching
Fri 27^th Oct	Applications/CVs

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Pickleball – Free Learn to Play sessions

Pickleball is a fun, inclusive sport for all abilities that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Come along to the Sport & Fitness Centre to have a go at Pickleball and discover for yourself just how much fun it is!

Join Pickleball Scotland Ambassador, Suzanne, and her team, for a free session to teach you everything you need to know about this exciting and easy to learn sport. The session will take place on:

Thursday 7^th September 2023, 4.00pm – 6.00pm

All equipment will be provided.

Places are limited, so please book your space by emailing sportsreception@qmu.ac.uk or call the
Sport & Fitness Team on 0131 474 0150.

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Welcome Hub Event for New Students & Free Food!

This is a brand new event that we are excited to be running during induction week this year. Staff from Registry, Student Services, Effective Learning Service, Academic Administration, Canvas and our Student Champions will be coming together to meet with students and have a chat about life at QMU. Come along and find out about:

Accessing Canvas - QMU's online learning environment
Student Funding
Council Tax discounts
Registering with a GP
Top Tips from Current Students
Paying fees
Support with Study
Returning to Study
Disability Services
Finding your way around...and much more

So if you have any questions about any aspect of your studies or anything else, come and see us at the Welcome Hub in the Atrium (located next to Starbucks) on the 7th September 2023 (1pm - 5pm).

We are also giving away free lunch vouchers that can be used in 1875 (the Canteen) until the 29^th September.

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Timetable Changes

Please be aware that over the next three weeks we will need to make some minor changes to the initial timetables of some students. This will affect around 15% of modules.

We are sorry that we need to do this and apologise for any inconvenience it causes you. Although we try to avoid timetable changes, this action is necessary on this occasion as a result of a number of factors across the University.

We will manage these changes as swiftly and efficiently as practicable. We would ask you not to contact Timetable, Academic Staff or Academic Administration regarding this matter, as this will delay progress and because they may not be able to definitively answer your question at that time.

While these changes are ongoing we recommend that you check your personalised timetable on the MyQMU App or on the Student Portal for any changes the day before each of your classes to ensure you are looking at the most up to date information.

If a change to your timetable means that you are no longer able to make a class, you should record the absence via the student portal and advise your Module Tutor. Thank you.

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Have your say on future plans for the LRC

We are hosting an event with the Architects to give you an opportunity to see, and comment on, the proposals for the redevelopment of the LRC space in the coming years. This event will be held between 10am and 3pm on Thursday 14 September in the Atrium. Library Services staff will also be on hand to answer any questions that you have.

A link to more details on the plans will be forthcoming

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October 20th marks World Osteoporosis Day 2023

Queen Margaret University and the Lydia Plus Osteoporosis Project are hosting a day of learning, practical tips and collaboration to showcase the latest research in bone health and osteoporosis. Speakers from many different areas of osteoporosis healthcare and research will be here to present their latest findings, and there will be an opportunity to get moving with bone-healthy activities and get cooking with delicious recipes that optimise bone-healthy nutrients!

Discounted are tickets are available for QMU Staff & Students – just £25 for QMU Staff and £20 for all students.

Spaces are limited so book soon!

You can find more about the programme of events and purchase your tickets on our website here.

And if you’re interested in hearing more about the Lydia Plus Project and the amazing work they’ve achieved, you can find a bit more about them here.

Any event queries should be directed to events@qmu.ac.uk.

30th August 2023

In this week's student news

Parking Permit Applications

Parking permit applications for the 2023/24 academic year are now open.

You’ll find more information, including permit costs and how to apply, on the Parking on Campus section of our website.

Application Processing Timescales & Deadline

The application window will close on Friday 8 September 2023 at 5pm.

Please allow up to 10 working days for your application to be processed.

Your application may take longer to process if you do not provide the correct documents to support your application. Staff and students are therefore advised to submit their application as early as possible.

Submission of an application does not mean that your permit request has been approved. There is no guarantee that submitting an application will result in a parking permit being issued due to limited availability.

Once an application form is received and processed, applicants will be notified by email whether their application has been successful or not. If your application is successful, you will receive guidance on how to accept your permit offer and make payment. Your permit is only valid once you fully complete this process.

Parking Policy, Rules & Regulations

Prior to submitting an application for a parking permit please ensure that you review the Parking Policy and Rules & Regulations Governing the Use of the QMU Car Park. When you submit an application, you are agreeing that you have read and understand the policy, rules and regulations.

Enforcement

Enforcement of parking permits will commence on Monday 11 September. An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is in operation in the car park which detects cars entering and exiting the car parking using an ANPR camera. All staff and students using the car park will need to ensure they have a current valid permit or paid the daily parking rate to avoid being issued with a parking charge notice.

Parking, Travel & Transport Options

If you require further information on travel, transport and parking options please visit the Location and Getting Here section of our website or contact parking@qmu.ac.uk.

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QMU Meal Plans

To all students:

We are delighted to be able to launch our new QMU Meal Plans.

QMU Meal Plans are a flexible weekly scheme that enables you to purchase meals in advance, at a discounted price, for Semester 1. Choose from three or five lunches a week depending on your living arrangements and your lifestyle.

We know how important it is to have a varied and balanced diet. By taking out a meal plan, you can be safe in the knowledge that you will be getting high-quality, home cooked, nutritious food.

All meals are chosen from 1875 restaurant. 1875 is QMU’s main eatery where all your favourites are served, from daily hot mains with a wide selection of dietary friendly and vegan options including full salad & deli bar, soups and baked potatoes. Our vision is to provide fresh, locally sourced, good food made by our talented chefs to the highest possible standard. Menus change daily and are influenced by the seasonality of ingredients to ensure best quality and provide wholesome and balanced meals paired with a little flair and fun!

QMU Meal Plans are great value and will help our new students in particular settle into University life quickly and allow everyone to focus on university priorities without the stresses of having to shop and cook food for themselves on a daily basis.

Full details about the QMU Meal Plans and how to sign up to them, can be found on our website here. Meal plans for Semester 1 have to be booked by Sunday 3^rd September.

If you have any queries about the QMU Meal Plans, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Catering Team on: mealplans@qmu.ac.uk

Many thanks

QMU Catering Team

______________________________________________________________________

Heads up! See Hear Fest on Friday 01 September 2023 -

Event information:

See Hear Fest

On Friday 01 September 2023

From 11am to 4pm

At Meadowbank Sports Centre, London Road, Edinburgh EH7 6AE

It’s open to all. All welcome – individuals with sensory loss and other disabilities. And adults, young people, family, friends, carers, colleagues, organisations, who have an interest or involvement with and/or in sensory loss and other disabilities matters.

We have over forty Exhibitors attending who can offer you information, advice and guidance for individuals with sensory loss (blindness and sight loss, deafness and hearing loss, and deafblindness and dual sensory loss).

BSL / English Interpreters and Electronic Notetakers will be available. (Some Exhibitors have booked their own BSL / English Interpreters.)

Exhibitors attending are:

Sight Scotland, Visibility Scotland, Deaf Action, AbilityNet, Access Scottish Theatre, All In Edinburgh, A Local Information System for Scotland (ALISS), Audio Description Association Scotland (ADAS), British Deaf Association Scotland (BDA Scotland), Care and Repair Edinburgh, Changeworks, Citizens Advice Edinburgh, Citizens Rights Project, Communication Inclusion People, Contact Scotland BSL / 999 BSL, Deafblind Scotland, Disability Equality Scotland, Disability Information Scotland, Edinburgh Community Rehab Support Service (ECRSS), Euan’s Guide, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC), Fedcap Scotland / StartScotland, Guide Dogs Scotland, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People / Hearing Link Services, Home Energy Scotland, Inclusion Scotland, Independent Living Fund Scotland (ILF Scotland), JustRight Scotland, Lead Scotland, Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living (LCIL), Lothian Deaf Counselling Service (Health in Mind), Lothiansound, Macular Society, National Deaf Children’s Society Scotland (NDCS Scotland), NHS 24, NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland (RNIB Scotland), Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), Scottish Care, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Disability Sport (SDS), Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), Scottish Labour Party, Scottish Mental Health Service for Deaf People (SMHSDP), Scottish National Party (SNP), Scottish Course to Train Tutors of Lipreading (SCTTL / Lipreading), Sense Scotland, Sight Scotland Veterans, Social Security Scotland, The Scottish Sensory Centre (SSC), Triple Tap Tech, Voice of Carers Across Lothian (VOCAL), VoiceAbility and Volunteer Edinburgh Health and Wellbeing Team.

Posters:

Plain English poster with large print – available in both Word and PDF formats

Plain English poster with large print and in yellow fonts – available in both Word and PDF formats

Easy Read information – available in both Word and PDF formats

Social media links / information:

Hashtag – #SeeHearFest (others – #SeeHearStrategy #SensoryLoss #CommunicationForAll #BSLForAll)

X (formerly Twitter) – @EdinburghHSCP (others – @Edinburgh_CC @NHS_Lothian @scotgovhealth)

We will share the accessible film clips from our YouTube channel shortly, hopefully soon. We will also forward a copy of the X (formerly Twitter) message link for you to retweet / quote. Speak soon.

We genuinely appreciate your time and support. We look forward to seeing you there at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Have a great week!

Should you have any questions, please get in touch with Derek Todd.

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Changes to the space in the LRC

As part of the summer works associated with the Future Spaces project the speed gates and rolling stacks in the LRC have been removed to create a more welcoming entrance area and additional study spaces.

Prior to the removal of the rolling stacks an exercise was conducted to review the collections held in the stack. Items that were not readily available elsewhere have been retained and will be shelved within the LRC. This includes all of the book collections that were held in the stack, PhD theses and the Speech and Language Therapy items. All of the journal material is held in multiple UK locations.

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Applications for the Santander Universities Research Grants 2023 are now open!

As part of Santander Universities’ commitment to supporting higher education, they have developed a new funding initiative exclusively for postgraduate students and academic staff at UK universities.

50 grants of £1000 are available to help you with the funds you need to support and develop your research.

The funding can be used on resources, equipment, travel, workshop or conference attendance, and any other research-based expenses.

The grants will be allocated on a random basis.

Who can apply?

Any postgraduate (Masters and PhD) students and academic university staff conducting research. Your research can be in any field.

How to apply?

Visit the Santander Scholarships platform, where you’ll need to register an account. After registering, you’ll get a confirmation email. Then you can apply for the Santander Universities Research Grants initiative. You’ll need to provide a valid university student or staff ID number and confirm Queen Margaret University as the university you attend or work at.

What’s the deadline for applications?

12 October 2023.

23rd August 2023

In this week's Student News:

Parking Permit Applications

Parking permit applications for the 2023/24 academic year are now open.

You’ll find more information, including permit costs and how to apply, on the Parking on Campus section of our website.

Application Processing Timescales & Deadline

The application window will close on Friday 8 September 2023 at 5pm.

Please allow up to 10 working days for your application to be processed.

Your application may take longer to process if you do not provide the correct documents to support your application. Staff and students are therefore advised to submit their application as early as possible.

Submission of an application does not mean that your permit request has been approved. There is no guarantee that submitting an application will result in a parking permit being issued due to limited availability.

Once an application form is received and processed, applicants will be notified by email whether their application has been successful or not. If your application is successful, you will receive guidance on how to accept your permit offer and make payment. Your permit is only valid once you fully complete this process.

Parking Policy, Rules & Regulations

Prior to submitting an application for a parking permit please ensure that you review the Parking Policy and Rules & Regulations Governing the Use of the QMU Car Park. When you submit an application, you are agreeing that you have read and understand the policy, rules and regulations.

Enforcement

Enforcement of parking permits will commence on Monday 11 September. An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is in operation in the car park which detects cars entering and exiting the car parking using an ANPR camera. All staff and students using the car park will need to ensure they have a current valid permit or paid the daily parking rate to avoid being issued with a parking charge notice.

Parking, Travel & Transport Options

If you require further information on travel, transport and parking options please visit the Location and Getting Here section of our website or contact parking@qmu.ac.uk.

____________________________________________________

QMU Meal Plans

We are delighted to be able to launch our new QMU Meal Plans.

QMU Meal Plans are a flexible weekly scheme that enables you to purchase meals in advance, at a discounted price, for Semester 1. Choose from three or five lunches a week depending on your living arrangements and your lifestyle.

We know how important it is to have a varied and balanced diet. By taking out a meal plan, you can be safe in the knowledge that you will be getting high-quality, home cooked, nutritious food.

All meals are chosen from 1875 restaurant. 1875 is QMU’s main eatery where all your favourites are served, from daily hot mains with a wide selection of dietary friendly and vegan options including full salad & deli bar, soups and baked potatoes. Our vision is to provide fresh, locally sourced, good food made by our talented chefs to the highest possible standard. Menus change daily and are influenced by the seasonality of ingredients to ensure best quality and provide wholesome and balanced meals paired with a little flair and fun!

QMU Meal Plans are great value and will help our new students in particular settle into University life quickly and allow everyone to focus on university priorities without the stresses of having to shop and cook food for themselves on a daily basis.

Full details about the QMU Meal Plans and how to sign up to them, can be found on our website here. Meal plans for Semester 1 have to be booked by Sunday 3^rd September.

If you have any queries about the QMU Meal Plans, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Catering Team on: mealplans@qmu.ac.uk

Many thanks

QMU Catering Team

____________________________________________________

16th August 2023

In this week's Student News:

QMU and the National Student Survey results

Last week, results from this year’s National Student Survey (NSS), one of the largest student surveys in the world, showed that 74% of students at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, are satisfied overall with the quality of their course. The survey saw several courses at QMU achieve 100% overall satisfaction, and Queen Margaret University’s Students’ Union (QMUSU) coming out second top in Scotland, with students agreeing that QMUSU represented students’ academic interests well.

Background to the NSS

The National Student Survey (NSS) is conducted by the Office for Students (OfS) on behalf of the UK funding bodies. As well as capturing student views on the overall quality of their undergraduate degree, the survey gathers students’ responses to a series of questions relating to academic support, learning resources, teaching, management and assessment. Feedback from the students on the quality of their courses and their experience of university, helps to inform prospective students’ choices, provide data that helps universities improve the student experience, and supports public accountability.

Changes to the NSS

As a result of the review of the NSS, the survey questions and response scales have changed for NSS 2023. The main changes include: new direct questions with a 4-point item specific response scale, replacing the Likert response scale (with the exception of the overall satisfaction, healthcare practice placement questions and optional bank questions); a new additional question on mental wellbeing services; the overall satisfaction question is asked to students in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only; and a new additional question on freedom of expression, which is asked to students in England only. Because of these changes, it is not valid to compare question level responses from NSS 2023 with those from previous years.

QMU’s highlights

QMU saw strong results in key areas with the following outperforming QMU’s benchmarks set by The Office for Students for QMU:

90.85% of students agreeing staff were good at explaining things;
83.8% thought teaching staff made the subject engaging;
85.2% confirming the course was intellectually stimulating; and
80.5% responding positively about the fairness of the marking and assessment on their course.

Courses scoring 100% or very high levels of overall satisfaction:

100% overall satisfaction - Acting and Performance
100% overall satisfaction - Physiotherapy
100% overall satisfaction - Speech and Language Therapy
90.9% overall satisfaction - Master of Nursing
90% overall satisfaction - Public Relations and Marketing Communications

Students Union
Students were particularly positive about their experience of QMU’s Students’ Union with 78.6% students agreeing the SU represented students’ academic interests well (6.8% above QMU’s benchmark* and the UK average).

Areas for improvement

The results also highlight areas for improvement, where students’ satisfaction with particular programmes or particular aspects of the student experience are below the University or subject benchmark*. For individual programmes, some of the explanation for this is likely to be context specific, for instance: external changes to placement provision, the development of new programmes with larger than usual cohorts participating in the NSS for the first time, and the impact of industrial action. Nonetheless, students scored QMU more than 10% below its benchmark for the following two questions:

How often have you received assessment feedback on time?
How well organised is your course?

By programme though, the results of the above questions are quite varied.

What the results mean and what happens now

We are pleased that in general the NSS results confirm the high levels of student satisfaction across our portfolio areas and demonstrate the passion our staff have for their subject, the clarity of their teaching and their ability to challenge students academically. These NSS results mirror the findings from our own internal surveys and confirm that our academic and support staff engage with students effectively and enable their personal and professional development.

The NSS results clearly show areas where QMU needs to make improvements – particularly in areas such as student feedback and course organisation – and this too is helpful in enabling us to develop a data-driven response whilst always being mindful of the specific context for each programme.

Programme level results, including students’ comments, will be sent to Deans, Heads of Division, Programme Leaders and School Managers shortly. In their Annual Programme Monitoring Reports (AMRs), Programme Teams will, as usual, reflect on the NSS results along with other programme data which contribute to the wider evidence base for enhancement. In addition, the NSS Working Group will analyse further the survey results and cross reference them with our internal student survey results and other student data, as well as the recent QESR recommendations and action plan. Following that analysis, we will work with student representatives and selected programme teams, as well as our Learning Enhancement and Academic Development unit, to develop an action plan, and to identify what support is required to enable specific enhancements, with the objective of ensuring a high-quality student experience across the institution.

Richard

Professor Richard Butt BA (Hons) PhD

Deputy Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor

* As student populations are different across providers it is not always helpful to directly compare results of one provider with another. To account for some of the factors which contribute to different NSS results, benchmarks are constructed. These benchmarks are sector averages, which are adjusted based on the characteristics of the group. The factors that are taken into account when constructing the benchmarks are: mode of study, subject of study, level of study, age, ethnicity, disability and sex. For example, it may be the case that a difference in positivity measure between two providers can be accounted for by their different subject mix, or the different ages of their students. We can think of the benchmark as a prediction of what the NSS results for the sector would have been, had the sector had the same breakdown of students and subjects as the population we are interested in.

_____________________________________________________

2023/2024 Academic Timetable

Returning Students can now access their personalised timetable for academic year 2023/2024 via the QMU Student portal or the myQMU app. Full details on how to access the QMU Student Portal & myQMU app can be found here.

For further information on what’s included in personalised timetables can be found here and for information on how to request a group swap please visit the timetable page on the QMU website.

For a small number of modules and programmes, students cannot be assigned to some groups in advance and this is done once teaching starts based on lists provided by academic staff. You can find a list of the modules on the Timetable page (under the ‘What’s included on my timetable’ section) of the QMU website. If this affects you, you’ll be added to appropriate groups as soon as the grouping lists have been provided, therefore some timetable events will not appear on your timetable until the start of teaching or until lists have been provided by academic staff which may be several weeks after teaching starts.

If you are awaiting any re-assessment results, then please note that your timetable is provisional and may change as a result of your re-assessments.

____________________________________________________

Parking Permit Applications

Parking permit applications for the 2023/24 academic year are now open.

You’ll find more information, including permit costs and how to apply, on the Parking on Campus section of our website.

Application Processing Timescales & Deadline

The application window will close on Friday 8 September 2023 at 5pm.

Please allow up to 10 working days for your application to be processed.

Your application may take longer to process if you do not provide the correct documents to support your application. Staff and students are therefore advised to submit their application as early as possible.

Submission of an application does not mean that your permit request has been approved. There is no guarantee that submitting an application will result in a parking permit being issued due to limited availability.

Once an application form is received and processed, applicants will be notified by email whether their application has been successful or not. If your application is successful, you will receive guidance on how to accept your permit offer and make payment. Your permit is only valid once you fully complete this process.

Parking Policy, Rules & Regulations

Prior to submitting an application for a parking permit please ensure that you review the Parking Policy and Rules & Regulations Governing the Use of the QMU Car Park. When you submit an application, you are agreeing that you have read and understand the policy, rules and regulations.

Enforcement

Enforcement of parking permits will commence on Monday 11 September. An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is in operation in the car park which detects cars entering and exiting the car parking using an ANPR camera. All staff and students using the car park will need to ensure they have a current valid permit or paid the daily parking rate to avoid being issued with a parking charge notice.

Parking, Travel & Transport Options

If you require further information on travel, transport and parking options please visit the Location and Getting Here section of our website or contact parking@qmu.ac.uk.

9th August 2023

In this weeks Student News:

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SHIFT 2023 – 4 September to 8 September 2023 – DEADINE FOR APPLICATIONS – 15 AUGUST 2023

Applications for SHIFT 2023 are still open until 15 August 2023. SHIFT is QMU’s award winning entrepreneurial collaboration with Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland that aims to build a new network of creatives from a range of disciplines. The aim of the week is to have fun and equip the participants with the collaborative, practical and professional skills they need to “shift” into a career in the Arts and Creative industries. By the end of the week participants will leave with new ideas, networks and an action plan for the next steps in their career.

The collaborative week long programme is focused on how you can live and work as a creative entrepreneur. The programme is open to all budding freelancers, creative company founders, artists, musicians, producers and performers who are students or recent graduates from QMU.

Follow this link to find out more about the programme and speakers for SHIFT 2023.

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Applications for the Santander Universities Research Grants 2023 are now open!

As part of Santander Universities’ commitment to supporting higher education, they have developed a new funding initiative exclusively for postgraduate students and academic staff at UK universities.

50 grants of £1000 are available to help you with the funds you need to support and develop your research.

The funding can be used on resources, equipment, travel, workshop or conference attendance, and any other research-based expenses.

The grants will be allocated on a random basis.

Who can apply?

Any postgraduate (Masters and PhD) students and academic university staff conducting research. Your research can be in any field.

How to apply?

Visit the Santander Scholarships platform, where you’ll need to register an account. After registering, you’ll get a confirmation email. Then you can apply for the Santander Universities Research Grants initiative. You’ll need to provide a valid university student or staff ID number and confirm Queen Margaret University as the university you attend or work at.

What’s the deadline for applications?

12 October 2023.

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Wi-Fi maintenance

Essential maintenance work is happening on the Wi-fi infrastructure between 18:15 to 18:45 Thursday 10th August. The work will implement security fixes and general improvements.

Users should not be disconnected from the Wi-Fi during that period, though any new connections won’t be able connect to the Wi-fi till the maintenance window is over. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the essential work.

19th July 2023

In this weeks Student News:

‘Enabling breastfeeding: Making a difference for working parents’

This year, Breastfeeding week is between the 1st and 7th August and the key theme is ‘Enabling breastfeeding: Making a difference for working parents’. This couldn’t come at a better time for more awareness to be raised around QMU’s involvement in UNICEFs Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI). You might be aware that last year, the Health Visiting Programme achieved a UNICEF Stage 2 accreditation. This was a massive achievement for everyone involved and we are now striving to achieve the ‘Gold Standard’ accreditation. This will see the University embed the core principles and outcomes of the BFI across all areas and achieve sustainability of the standards.

We are passionate about promoting QMU as a safe and supportive space, where staff, students and those from the local community, can feel comfortable and confident to feed their children on campus and in Maggie’s.

We are currently in discussions about ways to move this forward and would also love to hear the voices from those on campus. If you would like to know more or have any queries, please get in touch with Lisa Luhanga BFI Lead and Programme Lead for Health Visiting and School Nursing or one of the team.

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QMU Students' Union - New CEO

Our fabulous GM Kirsten Baird had her last day at QMUSU on Friday after 11 years of representing QMU students publicly and often behind the scenes. I am sure you will join me in thanking her for all her hard work and wishing her well in her new role.

I am delighted to confirm that QMUSU has appointed a new CEO, Dan Doyle, who is due to start in their new role on Monday 7^th August. We would like Dan to have some time to settle in to his new position and complete his induction, therefore any queries in both this interim period and Dan’s first few days can be sent to either the SU inbox union@qmu.ac.uk or if you have a specific/confidential query please contact Sacha Forbes, (Deputy General Manager) on SForbes@qmu.ac.uk

12th July 2023

In this weeks student news:

Pickleball – Free Learn to Play sessions

Pickleball is a fun, inclusive sport for all abilities that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Come along to the Sport & Fitness Centre to have a go at Pickleball and discover for yourself just how much fun it is!

Join Pickleball Scotland Ambassador, Suzanne, and her team, for a free session to teach you everything you need to know about this exciting and easy to learn sport. Sessions will take place on:

Thursday 13^th July 2023, 6.00pm – 7.30pm

Sunday 16^th July 2023, 12.00pm – 1.30pm

All equipment will be provided.

Places are limited, so please book your space by emailing sportsreception@qmu.ac.uk or call the Sport & Fitness Team on 0131 474 0150.

Student News

22nd November 2023

8th November 2023

1st November 2023

25th October 2023

18th October 2023

Converge drop-in session - 26 October, 1000-1630 (Business Innovation Zone at QMU)

QMU Running Collective

11th October 2023

4th October 2023

27th September2023

In This Weeks Student News

Thank Goodness it’s Thursday – free food event returns on Thursday 28 September

Keeping The Promise at QMU: Helping our care experienced students to thrive by delivering on our corporate parenting responsibilities.

Last call! Online course in academic writing for NEW international students starting soon

Visit the Malawian gift stall on Thursday to help Malawian women and girls become powerful and get the future they deserve

Academic Freedom Seminar Series

QMU Entrants' Survey

20th September 2023

13th September 2023

6th September 2023

In this weeks Student News:

QMU Meal Plans

qmploy 2023 - QMU Early Careers Fair

An online course in academic writing for new international PG students

Information from Student Services

Report and Support

Start for Future (SFF) What it means for QMU - 25 September 2023 1000-1100 - (On Campus) Room 2174

Dragon’s Glen Challenge 2023 – information session on Thursday 14th September

Travelling to Campus

Welcome Week Events

QMU Careers Calendar 2023 –

Pickleball – Free Learn to Play sessions

Welcome Hub Event for New Students & Free Food!

Timetable Changes

Have your say on future plans for the LRC

October 20th marks World Osteoporosis Day 2023

30th August 2023

23rd August 2023

16th August 2023

9th August 2023

Applications for the Santander Universities Research Grants 2023 are now open!

19th July 2023

12th July 2023

Dragon’s Glen Challenge 2023 – information session on Thursday 14^th September