Court Open Event Stalls 2024
As part of our 2024 open event, there will be an informal exhibition and fair showcasing a range of projects and developments from across the University, with stalls as set out on this page.
Using ultrasound technology to help detect swallowing difficulty
Dr Joan Ma and Professor Jim Scobbie will showcase work using ultrasound technology to help detect and monitor changes in swallowing functions and support the re-learning of swallowing. This work has the potential to be used in acute and primary care settings to allow earlier diagnosis and improved quality of patient care for people with swallowing difficulties due to conditions such as stroke, Motor Neurone Disease, Parkinson’s, and head and neck cancers. This could lead to potential cost savings in medical care and improved quality of life for the patients and their carers.
Walking Fit-Ball
Loneliness is unfortunately all too common, especially among older men. Statistically, those most likely to get involved in social clubs to form connections in later life are women, leaving many men struggling with isolation. Walking Fit-Ball is an intergenerational social project at QMU to get older men meeting one another, improving their physical health, and forming friendships. The project mixes men over 60 from the local community with QMU students to play a less physically demanding version of the beautiful game.
Creating play friendly communities with children
Dr Sarah Kantartzis will be available to talk to you about a QMU research and community engagement project focused on shaping play friendly communities in East Lothian and beyond, as part of the P4Play European Joint Doctorate Programme in Occupational Science.
Filmmaking, young people and unlocking potential
QMU is engaged in a number of projects aimed at exploring the emancipatory potential of filmmaking with young people. Our Cinema is a research project and filmmaking programme aimed at upper primary school stages which encourages young people to 'see the cinema in their own lives'. QMU Creates is an outreach filmmaking project delivered at secondary schools across East Lothian with QMU students and alumni as filmmaking tutors. QMU, in collaboration with Screen Scotland and Screen Education Edinburgh, has also set up the UK's first postgraduate teacher training course in Film and Screen, which explores the potential of film within the curriculum.
Using social science to address issues of individual and social relevance
Professor Olivia Sagan will demonstrate how the work of our Centre for Applied Social Science is relevant to our communities, and how to become involved.
Promoting active travel to, from, and around QMU
Learn about initiatives at QMU to promote active travel. Much of this work involves partners and QMU staff on this stand will be joined by a representative of East Lothian Council who can talk about related initiatives including the Musselburgh Active Toun project which encompasses the campus area.
Strengthening communities through the arts
Dr Anthony Schrag, Programme Leader of our postgraduate degrees in Applied Arts & Social Practice and Arts, Festival & Cultural Management, will showcase how QMU supports community arts, extending access to the arts and higher education and strengthening the University’s links with local communities.
'The Green' - augmented reality in performance
The Green is a performance research project exploring the multifarious historical, archival and community narratives of Glasgow Green, the UK’s oldest public park. This project used interviews, artistic experimentation and community events to explore what Glasgow Green means to the city, and how it can be performed.
The narratives gathered for The Green were developed into a free augmented reality app in collaboration with the University of St. Andrews. The app can be downloaded and deployed at the park, and functions as an accessible space for alternative and underrepresented histories to be shared and celebrated.
Working in partnership with student champions to enhance the student experience
Learn how our Learning Enhancement and Academic Development Centre (LEAD) is employing a team of ‘Student Champions’ on a flexible, part-time basis to work on projects to optimise the student experience at QMU. We have student champions doing great work on the learner journey and on curriculum development.
Queen Margaret University Students’ Union
Come and meet representatives of our Students’ Union and find out how they support our student community and contribute to the wider local community.
Our international footprint (transnational educational partnerships)
Nearly 4000 students based at partner institutions across the world are currently studying for QMU degrees through transnational educational partnerships. As an early adopter of transnational education, we’ve been involved in this type of work for more than two decades. In this last year, we have established new partnerships in India, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan.
Edinburgh Innovation Park
View an exhibition on plans for and progress on the Edinburgh Innovation Hub, due to open in 2025, and the wider Edinburgh Innovation Park.
Helping businesses innovate and grow
Find out how QMU is supporting businesses to innovate and grow, from student start-ups to international companies. This stall will include information on QMU’s participation in Start for Future, an international network of entrepreneurial universities and incubators collaborating to develop innovative and impactful startups and solutions. Alongside this stall, there will be a stall featuring one of our graduate start-up businesses.
Queen Margaret Business School client projects: a win-win situation for students and local businesses
Find out how the Queen Margaret Business School is helping local businesses with their challenges at the same time as giving our students real-world experience to help kickstart their careers.
Helping food businesses innovate
Staff from the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation will be on hand to demonstrate the range of work they do to assist food and drink businesses grow, from small start-ups to large established brands. From sensory and consumer insights to reformulation and new product development, the centre’s team of food scientists, nutritionists and sensory specialists are making an important contribution to what is one of Scotland largest and fastest growing sectors.
Health Design Collective: offering footwear to help people with neurological disorders avoid trips and falls
HDC is a spin-out Community Interest Company from QMU. Its vision is to “transform product design in health care”, with a mission to “collaborate with end-users to co-design fit-for-purpose, accessible, attractive and affordable health care products.” It offers a footwear product for people with foot drop (which affects people with neurological disorders) to help them overcome difficulty with lifting their foot and mitigate against risks of trips and falls when walking. These risks are known to lead to fear and fatigue, preventing people from engaging socially and in physical activity, negatively impacting on health and wellbeing. HDC’s footwear is designed to attractively and comfortably disguise internal features through “Smart Strap Technology”.
