The Queen officially opens Queen Margaret’s new campus
The 4 July was a very special day for Queen Margaret University and one which will become an important part of its history. The Queen was invited to officially open the celebrated new campus at Craighall and this very special day was enjoyed by staff, students, local dignitaries, international partners, friends of Queen Margaret and the local community.
During her visit, the Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque in the foyer of the academic building before Professor Anthony Cohen, Principal of QMU, escorted her on a tour of the campus.
The Queen then gained a flavour of the university’s work through several demonstrations. The first showed how speech researchers are helping Galina MacNeacail, a young school girl with Down’s Syndrome, to improve her speech by using an innovative form of speech therapy based on electropalatography – a technique which has been developed by researchers at Queen Margaret.
Physiotherapists also showcased their new high-tech movement laboratory. Here, the Queen was shown how new techniques and technology is being used to assess and improve the gait of a child with cerebral palsy. There was also a performance by local young people involved in the Mussel-In Project, a community arts initiative devised by final year students to win over the hearts and minds of youngsters in the local East Lothian area.
While the Queen toured the academic building, she gained an insight into Queen Margaret’s research work, was given an overview of the sustainability features of the campus and met with staff, students, researchers, Dyer Architects, international partners and individuals who are being assisted by the university’s pioneering research work.
At the plaque unveiling, Professor Cohen said:
"Today will be remembered with pride by the entire university community, which has worked closely with the local community and its organisations to conceive a model new campus for the 21 st century. Craighall provides first-rate, purpose-built facilities – including those for learning and teaching, research, clinics, conferences, sport and leisure - to the University’s staff and students, and to the people of East Lothian and Edinburgh. This campus was designed for a socially and environmentally responsible university, and to meet all the contemporary needs of a university. It will provide Queen Margaret with a successful and highly sustainable future in the decades to come."
