Nexusonline
WINTER 2016 CONNECTING THE ALUMNI COMMUNITY
Designed and Activated by: The Gatehouse - Design & Print Consultancy at RGU
A Word from the Principal
Young Software Engineer
RPS Award2016
RGU GO: India
IDS Recruitment
Mexico Skills Development
Board of Governors recruitment
Winter Graduation
MBA Graduate Project
The Challenge Winner
Inspiring Exhibitions
Prince Harry Visits RGU
Nagoya University Visit
RGU’s Aberdeen Business School ranked one of the top for Energy
RGU ALUMNI in Focus
Your ALUMNI Network
Student focussed projects at RGU receive financial backing
Superbugs
Pan Africa
Events
A Word from the Principal As we come to the end of 2016, Robert Gordon University can look back on a year of change and development. We have renewed our academic structures and our senior management team, and we have embarked upon an ambitious new planning process that will set the university’s direction for the next three years and more. Some colleagues who have served RGU for many years have left or retired, while others have joined us on the next phase of our journey. As ever, we welcome and treasure the support we get from our worldwide alumni community. This year I met graduates in China and elsewhere, and again was struck by the sense of belonging and commitment that so many of you express. May I wish you all the very best during this coming holiday season, and my hope for a happy and successful year for all of us in 2017. Ferdinand von Prondzynski
Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski
RGU computing graduate named Young Software Engineer of the Year 2016 A RGU computing graduate has been named Young Software Engineer of the Year 2016. Stuart Whitehead, who graduated from RGU in the summer with a first class degree in Computer Science, won first prize at the coveted Young Software Engineer of the Year awards for his innovative project developing a software platform for ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) applications. IoT is the next technology wave, connecting sensors across the internet which will help enable smart cities, especially in the use of transport and energy, automated control systems and a myriad of small consumer focused solutions that will change the way we live, work and play. Stuart’s project, which was deemed outstanding by the judges, sets out to simplify the way that IoT software and devices connect by creating a common ‘plug and play’ framework, rather than the multiple systems already available. Stuart, who is from Cove Bay, explains: “The main aim of my project was to investigate the technologies which makes the IoT possible. Based on my research I developed two software components: a platform for the IoT which other developers could use to build IoT applications and a demonstration application, showing how the platform could be used.” Stuart received a cheque for £2500 from first prize sponsor Sopra Steria and the Young Software Engineer of the Year trophy presented by ScotlandIS.
Commenting on winning the award, Stuart says: “It feels great to be awarded with this prize. Being recognised in this way is validation that my project and the effort I gave it was worthwhile. It also makes me confident to start my professional career, knowing that the skills I’ve learnt from RGU are valued by the industry.” Stuart is now based in New Zealand after he relocated with his fiancée following his graduation from RGU’s School of Computing Science and Digital Media to pursue his dream job with designled technology company Springload, where he develops websites and applications for a range of clients. Now in their 27th year, the Young Software Engineer of the Year Awards are given to the best undergraduate software projects, drawn from across all students studying computing science and software engineering in Scotland. Each university submits the best final year undergraduate software engineering project from amongst their students. Dr Nirmalie Wiratunga, a lecturer at RGU’s School of Computing Science and Digital Media who attended the awards ceremony, said: “As his project supervisor I was extremely proud to see Stuart’s work being acknowledged in this way. “SoftScot projects must demonstrate technical challenge, innovation, quality of engineering and good evidence of planning and organisation. With the IoT framework he was also able to create a commercially relevant solution which coupled with an excellent thesis presented a deep level of stateof-the-art knowledge.”
RGU computing graduate Stuart Whitehead
RGU student awarded top Pharmacy prize A RGU student has been named Student of the Year by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Lara Seymour, a fourth year Pharmacy student originally from Cumbernauld, Glasgow, recently received the award at the RPS 2016 Awards in Birmingham. The RPS Awards programme celebrates and acknowledges the achievements of individuals and teams within the pharmacy profession. The nine awards encompass all pharmacy sectors and career stages, from Student of the Year through to the Lifetime Achievement Award. The RPS Student of the Year Award was established to recognise a student who stands out through their commitment and engagement with their university, whether this is through participation on staff and student liaison committees, or having an initiative which has benefitted their fellow students. Lara was nominated after her proactive work to support her colleagues and leading her fellow students in professional involvement. She established a Pharmacy Law and Ethics group (PLE) and also led the establishment of the RGU Professional Bodies Group. She has chaired debates on ethical issues and recently led a consultation with her peers on the professional standards of the General Pharmaceutical Council. Her efforts have given students a platform to discuss and debate legislation, while helping them access peer support. Upon willing her award, Lara said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won ‘Student of the Year’ at this year’s RPS Awards. It was a huge honour to even have been nominated and shortlisted for the award. “The ceremony in Birmingham was fantastic and it was really inspiring to hear about the achievements of other individuals and teams who had also been nominated for an award.” Dr Ruth Edwards, Pharmacy Course Leader at RGU, said: “We are all very proud of Lara and all of her achievements. This is such a prestigious award and it is really great to see all of her hard work and dedication be rewarded in this way. “Throughout her time at the university, Lara has been a credit to the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences and I for one am looking forward to see what she achieves next.” This is not the first time Lara has been awarded for her efforts. Earlier this year, she was named ‘Pharmacist of the Future’ at the annual Scottish Pharmacist Awards.
Fourth year Pharmacy student Lara Seymour
RGU graduates establish business start-up from their MBA project companies to join the Accelerator Programme at Elevator UK. The twelve-week programme seeks to support local entrepreneurial businesses with high growth prospects through education, networking and mentoring. Sam Pettipher, Managing Director of EBar Initiatives, said: “We were all keen to put what we have learned in our MBA studies in to practice and the Accelerator Program is helping to provide structure to our efforts in these early days. “The team at Elevator has a great network and we are looking forward to connecting with local partners who can help us create a north-east growth success story.” Dr John Park, RGU Lecturer and Serial Technology Entrepreneur, who teaches technology commercialisation on the MBA programme, said: “The module isn’t just designed to “teach” people how to build technology ventures, it specifically requires them to begin to assemble one during the programme. “It was clear that the EBar team took this very seriously from the get go and their final presentation had me absolutely convinced that they could develop a technology business that has the potential to disrupt the hospitality industry on a global basis.
RGU MBA graduates Sam Pettipher and Nick Beeson
RGU MBA graduates are developing an innovative solution to eliminate long bar queues at major events. Sam Pettipher and Nick Beeson have established a business start-up that aims to commercialise an idea they developed while studying for their MBA.
They have founded EBar Initiatives with a goal of adapting innovative technology from the oil and food sectors to radically change the way in which beverages are served.
“We are currently exploring how to make similar programmes available across the entire university and that this will be one of many technology ventures started by students while studying at RGU.”
Just days after completing their final assignments of their full-time MBA program, the team were one of just twenty selected from over one hundred
Andy Campbell, Elevator project manager, said: “At Elevator, we look out for innovation driven companies with great ideas and great people to
take part on our Accelerator programme. Out of the one hundred plus applications for our latest programme, EBar Initiatives stood out for these reasons.
The team at Elevator has a great network and we are looking forward to connecting with local partners who can help us create a north-east growth success story. “Not only do they have a great innovative idea with potential, we were impressed by the professional and academic calibre of the team. Elevator will work closely with the team to develop their business, validating and refining their ideas. We see great potential and opportunity for them in the future.” The team at EBar Initiatives will now be working with event venues across Scotland over the coming months to develop a prototype.
Winner of The Challenge leaves RGU with life-long memories Agya Yaw Nsiah Agyemang secured a scholarship at RGU after winning The Challenge, an Apprentice style reality TV show in Ghana. The 25-year-old started his MSc International Business at RGU in January 2015 and has now passed with flying colours and leaves Aberdeen with an MSc with Distinction. The Challenge is a British Council Ghana initiative which promotes the UK as a destination offering a wide range of high quality, inspirational opportunities for personal development. The competition came at the right time for Yaw as he was really looking to challenge himself with something more exciting and stimulating – which he says sums up his time at RGU. The Challenge tasks test the contestants in all aspects of academia, business and real life situations. Among the tasks set was drafting a viable digital strategy plan for a bank, designing and modelling technology to improve the life of communities, shooting a documentary and developing and executing a marketing plan. He qualified for the finale of the competition when his team developed the e-Paediatrician, a system which aims to rectify the health care deficit in rural Ghana by using digital connectivity to aid healthcare delivery in the community centres. At the finale, Yaw argued that creating a national development strategy and ideology was central to solving the developmental and economic issues confronting Ghana. Yaw has thoroughly enjoyed his time in Aberdeen and has created some memories which will last him a life-time. He returned to Ghana last month where he would like to continue studying for a PhD or gain some work experience in management consulting, while hopefully continuing to develop his competition winning idea.
Yaw said: “Before the competition, I had just graduated with a degree in political science and had completed one year of national service with a government ministry. Now, I have just completed my International Business from RGU in Aberdeen and I would highly encourage people to enter the competition as you could be doing the same thing next year. “It’s a very exciting place to be. RGU is a university that has been built on the idea of trying to bring the best out in you – they rarely say ‘no’ to something, they say ‘try and let’s see if it makes sense’. This means you allow your students to bring out what is in them.” Yaw continued: “At RGU, students are placed at the very centre of the course as it occurs in the real work environment. Your mind-set is shaped to deal with real life scenarios and offer solutions to the questions business managers and practitioners are confronted with.” Jamie Hastings, RGU’s Regional Manager for Africa, said: “RGU has supported The Challenge and worked closely with the British Council in Ghana for the past five years and we were extremely proud to welcome Yaw to join us in January 2015 after winning season six. “Yaw has contributed a lot during his time in Aberdeen and graduating with a distinction just shows how hard he has worked and flourished at university. “RGU have committed to supporting season seven of The Challenge and we look forward to welcoming more top scholars to Aberdeen in the near future. “RGU wishes Yaw all the best and success in future and we will no doubt be in touch again as he now joins our active and engaged West African Alumni network.”
RGU Regional Manager Jamie Hastings and graduate Agya Yaw Nsiah Agyemang
RGU Garthdee Community Garden receives £10k for the Big Lottery Fund
RGU architecture students to benefit from creation of new scholarship
The RGU Foundation has secured £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund for the RGU Community Garden, as innovative community health project being developed by the university in partnership with Garthdee Allotment Association.
The Ina Scott Sutherland Charitable Foundation has pledged £50,000 to Robert Gordon University for the creation of a new scholarship aimed at supporting students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.
In collaboration with a range of statutory services and third sector agencies, the community garden project aims to improve the health and social inclusion of diverse populations.
David McClean and Sarah DingwallThe ‘Ina Scott Sutherland Access Scholarship’ will support four undergraduate architecture students for the duration of their five year degree course, providing financial support and bespoke mentoring support during their degree course.
Sports and Exercise Science and Occupational Therapy students from RGU will work with a wide range of individuals at the allotment, including primary school children, the elderly community, those with physical or learning disabilities and Alzheimer’s as well as the Scottish Prison Service. The donation will go towards increasing the accessibility of the allotment by installing an on-site disabled toilet with hand rail and ramp assistance at the garden. Eddie Findlay, RGU Foundation Development Officer, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in securing funding for this project. The collaborative approach to the community garden is central to reducing the costs to the public purse in terms of dependency on the NHS and other statutory agencies. “The donation will allow increased participation and use of the facility, which is of value to our students who will develop practical skills, as well as the wider community who will benefit from taking part.” Liz Hancock, Head of the School of Health Sciences at RGU, explains: “Allotments are known to provide an array of recreational, social and environmental benefits including improvements in physical and mental wellbeing. “They provide a source of fresh fruit and vegetables to improve diet, supporting an active lifestyle for people of all ages, particularly those who may not like traditional types of exercise, and encourage social inclusion and community engagement.” The RGU Foundation will be using the day to promote donations for access bursaries to widen access to higher education by supporting students at RGU.
RGU has long benefitted from the philanthropic support of the Scott Sutherland family. Thomas Scott Sutherland, architect, entrepreneur, local politician and alumnus of RGU gave his house and Deeside estate to the university in 1954. This has become the heartland of the Robert Gordon University riverside campus today. In 1957, six years before his death The Scott Sutherland School of Architecture was officially opened. Georgina Scott Sutherland was proud of the family connection with Robert Gordon University and made a generous donation herself in 2000 to support the building of the then new library, (now the Aberdeen Business School), which was designed by Sir Norman Foster. Sarah Dingwall, RGU Development Manager: “We are delighted that we are able to support bright students pursue a higher education at Robert Gordon University through this scholarship, and extremely grateful to the Trustees of the Ina Scott Sutherland Charitable Foundation. “It is a fitting legacy to the philanthropy of the Scott Sutherland family that these scholarships have been established at RGU to support future generations of students especially those student architects that are following in the footsteps of Thomas Scott Sutherland.” Professor David McClean, Head of School, Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment, added: “The Scott Sutherland School is hugely indebted to The Ina Scott Sutherland Charitable Foundation, whose generous commitment to create a scholarship for students of architecture represents nearly 60 years of philanthropic support by the Scott Sutherland Family. Such support has been of enormous importance to the School and University, the current form of which owes so much to Thomas Scott Sutherland’s original gift of estate in 1954. “The pledge of £50,000 to create a new scholarship in support of students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds is especially welcome at a time when the cost of architecture education in the UK is proving particularly challenging for many. “There is an obvious argument that the membership of professions such as architecture should mirror the diversity of the wider society that it represents, and it is through enlightened support such as this that positive steps can be made. For the recipients, support such as this will prove transformational and I am delighted that the scholarships will so powerfully bolster the School’s commitment to the widening of access and opportunity.”
Student focussed projects at RGU receive financial backing A variety of student focussed projects at RGU have been awarded funding from philanthropic donations. The 12 projects, which range from student welfare support to widening access to higher education, have been supported by the RGU Foundation, the philanthropic fundraising arm of RGU. The projects were selected for support from the RGU Foundation’s Annual Fund, which raises vital funds from alumni, staff and friends of the university to create opportunities for current and future generations of staff and students at RGU. This year the number of alumni donations have increased threefold which has resulted in a record number of projects receiving financial support from the Annual Fund. Josh Carroll, RGU Foundation Annual Fund manager, said: “We are extremely grateful to all the donors who have made these awards possible. It is exciting to see the first hand impact that alumni can have on the lives of current RGU students. “By giving back, donors are demonstrating an ongoing commitment to the university and are making a significant and immediate impact to the current as well as future student experience at RGU.” The projects are: • An undergraduate access bursary that will allow a student who has the ability but not necessarily the means to get the most out of a university education. • The Care Experienced Student Awards - celebrating and recognising the achievements of students at RGU who have come from care backgrounds. • RGU Nightline - supporting the award winning student led anonymous listening service that allows all RGU students to talk through any problems that they may encounter. • RGU Radio - funding to provide accredited training to all students involved in RGU Radio. • International conference attendance, for media students to attend a conference in the Netherlands to present their acclaimed work on student wellbeing and safety. • A research and postgraduate teaching collaboration within the School of Applied Social Sciences.
• A Midwifery society workshop - open to all midwifery students that will bring a leading independent midwife, lecturer, author and researcher to campus.
• Support of student societies: 57°10 architecture society, Life sciences Society and the Nursing society.
• A peer to peer mentoring pilot scheme aiming to improve retention rates for students from underrepresented backgrounds studying at RGU.
A representative of the RGU Nightline team: “It was a huge relief and a proud moment to receive a generous donation from the Annual Fund. It has had a huge impact already in that we now have the ability to focus on improving our service, our volunteer’s skills and providing a consistent service to the students of RGU.”
• Funding to support the art and design element of the Aberdeen Youth Games.
Find out more about the RGU Foundation and its Annual Fund
Students return from promoting health and sport in India delivered a presentation about their experiences with invited guests at The British Council. RGU Applied Sport and Exercise Science lecturer, Bryan McCann, worked with Event Management lecturer Rachel Ironside and a team of colleagues from across the university to develop and deliver the pilot RGU GO: India project. He said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for the students involved to expand their knowledge and make a real difference to a local community. The group put in a huge amount of hard work from day one of preparing for the trip and they have taken away definite skills and memories that will last a lifetime. “It has been my pleasure to watch each and every one of them develop over the process and their showcase event put that on display for everyone to see. It was a great opportunity for the students to tell the story of their exciting journey and it also gave them a chance to thank all of the supporters who made the trip a possibility.” A documentary that the students created throughout the process will be released early in the New Year.
A team of RGU students hosted a Showcase of Achievement after delivering health, nutrition and sport sessions to young people in India. Backed by one of Great Britain’s most decorated Olympians, Dr Katherine Grainger CBE, the RGU GO: India project is linked to the award-winning Aberdeen Youth Games (AYG), which promotes physical activity, health and wellbeing to young people in Aberdeen.
The twelve students, who are studying a mix of subjects, including Applied Sport and Exercise Science, Nutrition, Event Management, PR and Media, Communication Design and Journalism, recently travelled to Manipal, in South-Western India. They spent four weeks in the country, with three weeks based at Manipal University – which has existing links with RGU – and one week in Mumbai.
Over the course of their stay, the students worked with students from Manipal University to design, promote and deliver a community health, nutrition and sport project for young people in the community, which addressed local health issues. During their time in Mumbai, they spent time learning more about the ways in which local organisations promote physical activity. They then
Aberdeen data company snaps up RGU grads An Aberdeen company which provides operational reporting solutions to the upstream oil and gas industry has snapped up five RGU graduates and current students to more than double its current team. Independent Data Services (IDS) has recruited four graduates from RGU’s School of Computing Science and Digital Media, with Michal Drobena; Ross McLean; Jess Dunham; and Tiffany Young all taking up positions with the company, alongside current student Mindaugas Uzubalis. Michal who graduated with a Masters in IT for the Oil and Gas Industry and Business Information Systems graduate Ross joins as Data Analysts, while Computing for Internet and Multimedia student Mindaugas and Computer Science graduate Jess each take up the role of Business Intelligence Analyst. Business Information Systems graduate Tiffany has been appointed as Junior Account Manager at the company.
The RGU graduates and students with John Hanson (front left), owner of IDS, and Program Manager Colin Dawson (front right)
A substantial element of practical experience is included in all its courses Program Manager at IDS, Colin Dawson, said: “In being an RGU graduate and current student myself, I know first-hand the skills and experience
that RGU graduates bring to the table. Most have experience in oil and gas or at least some exposure to the challenges that exist in the technology sector in this market, which is key to what we do at IDS. “The employment market across Aberdeen is awash with data managers, and ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) qualified service delivery managers but it lacks data scientists and product visionaries. “The RGU culture not only provides in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, but also prompts students to develop innovative & disruptive solutions.” Senior lecturer at RGU’s School of Computing Science and Digital Media, Dr Ines Arana, said: “The School places great emphasis on the industry focus of its undergraduate and postgraduate courses, benefitting from a panel of industrialists whose opinion is sought to ensure the currency, desirability and demand of the courses’ content. “A substantial element of practical experience is included in all its courses. For example, case studies from industry are used to enhance the students’ understanding of concepts and to develop their hands-on computing experience and some students undertake an industry-proposed final project and all students undertake some collaborative work where they learn transferrable skills such as team-working. “The students’ learning experience is often enhanced by an optional placement, normally at a local business. IDS has been very supportive of our computing students and graduates, offering both industrial projects and employment, as well as having an input in the School’s research. “It is great to see that our graduates are so highly thought of within the industry and I am sure they are looking forward to starting their professional careers.”
RGU hosts inspiring exhibitions
Last month also saw Gray’s School of Art host an exciting exhibition when the UK’s biggest exhibition of contemporary video art from the Republic of Macedonia came to Aberdeen. ‘Imaginarium: Contemporary Video Art from Macedonia’ featured work from 14 artists who provide a representative cross-section of contemporary artists active in the European country. A piece from Julia Gardiner’s exhibition
Obsessive Possessive Aggression “Eternal Body” 2013 video still from Imaginarium
RGU has recently attracted a number of inspiring exhibitions to its Garthdee campus.
Julia originally attended Gray’s School of Art in the 80s before heading to the The Royal College of Art, London. Returning to Aberdeen in 1992, Julia has continued her practice, exhibiting regularly and has won a number of prizes including the Shell Premier Award at Aberdeen Artists Annual Exhibition.
Dr. Jon Blackwood, a Lecturer of Critical and Contextual Studies at Gray’s School of Art who was the exhibition’s curator, says: “We were thrilled to host the UK’s largest exhibition of contemporary video art from the Republic of Macedonia, which features a range of work by inspiring artists. Macedonian art is not so well known in the UK so this exhibition is important in building bridges between local and international art scenes.”
Her Gray’s School of Art Degree Show in 1986 was an installation featuring large, free standing sheets of hand-made paper panels whilst many of her etchings depicted images of structures, containers and boxes. Over the past thirty years these core interests have merged in the form of boxed constructions where hand-made paper or pre-manufactured card or cardboard are ordered and organised in simple geometric compositions and relationships.
Dr Blackwood launched his book entitled ‘Critical Art in Contemporary Macedonia’ at the exhibition’s opening night. Published by Mala Galerija in Skopje, the book was funded by a research incentive grant awarded by the Carnegie Trust for universities of Scotland in March 2015.
Julia Gardiner, who originally trained as a printmaker at Gray’s School of Art, returned to RGU 30 years after graduating to open her new exhibition in the Sir Ian Wood Building.
Gardiner’s etchings depict images of structures, containers & boxes
Julia said: “A large part of my time is taken up with the mundane but necessary production of hundreds of sheets of handmade paper from old newspapers. “These sheets are my raw material along with a very particular type of cardboard that I collect most Wednesday mornings from outside Hamish Munro’s - which also happens to be one of my favourite shoe shops.”
Nikola Uzunovski "My Sunshine", Venice, 2009 from Imaginarium
Divided into three broad themes, the exhibition features a section on activist video art; the documentary function of video art; and work by artists who retreat into the imagination and use video as a means to explore parallel or alternative realities.
Dr Blackwood adds: “The book is the first in English written about this subject. It draws not only on my interpretation of what is going on in Macedonia, but is based on the first hand accounts of twenty three artists, writers and curators active in the scene.”
Prince Harry visits Streetsport on first official visit to Aberdeen Prince Harry paid a visit to RGU in the autumn as part of his first official visit to Aberdeen to learn about the vital work being done by a number of the city’s leading youth development projects. The Prince visited Mackie Academy in Stonehaven on Tuesday, September 20 to participate in the secondary school’s Diana Award Mentoring training day, before moving on to RGU’s Streetsport project and social enterprise and youth charity, Transition Extreme. His Royal Highness was in the northeast as part of a tour of community sport groups organised by the UK’s leading Sport for Social Change charity, Sported, as part of their support for the Prince’s work to further his understanding of how sport can be used as a platform for education, training, employment and personal development. During his time with the award winning Streetsport initiative, Prince Harry received a briefing on the programme of weekly sports and creative activity sessions and how it helps to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour across Aberdeen. He then met Streetsport coaches and volunteers, and was greeted by more than 100 pupils from Kaimhill Primary School who were taking part in a range of sporting activities that the project offers. Cameron Craddock, Co-founder of Streetsport and Senior Lecturer at RGU’s Gray’s School of Art, said: “Streetsport was initiated by Police Scotland and Robert Gordon University ten years ago as part of a joint community engagement
project and we are delighted to highlight our work to Prince Harry on this first official visit to Aberdeen. “His Royal Highness’ support is an invaluable vote of confidence as we seek to secure the long term future of Streetsport. “We’d like to recognise the valuable support, insight and contribution made by students, the wider RGU community, the Denis Law Legacy Trust and Sported throughout our 10 years of operation. “We look forward to continuing our work with Sported on ‘Sport for Change’, which aims to achieve inclusion and participation in sport and other creative activities for hard to reach young people.”
RGU scientists take the fight against cancer and superbugs to ‘treasure trove’ of new drugs RGU scientists have joined forces with an internationally renowned microbiology and chemical analysis company to search for new drugs to fight cancer and combat superbugs. Dr Christine Edwards, Professor Linda Lawton and Josh Burns from RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences are working with the National Collection of Industrial and Marine Bacteria (NCIMB), which is based in Aberdeen, to ‘mine’ their stored microbial cultures from around the world. Bacteria are used to manufacture a wide range of important products, including antibiotics, and NCIMB’s culture collection has great potential as a source of valuable new compounds. The research project has attracted more than £200,000 from Innovate UK and NCIMB through the Knowledge Transfer Partnership, to scrutinise bacteria from the collection of more than 10,000 different microbes. The aim is to find compounds that have potential for use in pharmaceutical products such as antimicrobials and antitumour or anti-inflammatory medication. During the three year project the research team will focus on new compounds from the well-known antibiotic producing bacteria, Streptomyces. There are many different strains of Streptomyces, which play an important role in organic matter decomposition, and are responsible for the familiar earthy smell of soil. They also play an important role in antibiotic production, producing most of the clinically-used antibiotics of natural origin.
Dr Edwards, who is the lead academic from RGU, said: “It is vital that we increase the pace of antibiotic discovery as every day we see new cases of antibiotic resistance in the UK and around the world. “We are delighted to work in partnership with our colleagues at NCIMB on this important project. Their culture collection has vast amounts of potential for new discoveries and also opens to doors to isolates from as far afield as Venezuela, Nigeria, Japan, Tibet and Hawaii, which may not have been fully assessed yet. “This is one of the new fronts in the battle against superbugs and cancer and we’re looking forward to starting our analysis of the cultures and finding out what compounds are available which will help us in these areas.” NCIMB curator Dr Samantha Law, said: “We are really excited about the potential of this work with the team from RGU, as we have known for a long time that we are in possession of what is potentially a treasure trove of valuable new drugs. “Streptomyces are an obvious choice for this project and we hope that it is just the first step in a programme of work that will add value to the culture collection through the provision of more information about the strains within it.” For more information about the National Collection of Industrial and Marine Bacteria, please visit: www.ncimb.com
RGU Professor Linda Lawton, Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate Josh Burns, NCIMB curator Dr Samantha Law and Dr Christine Edwards
RGU to advise Mexican Government on skills development for its oil and gas sector RGU has been awarded funding to create a skills development framework for the oil and gas sector in Mexico.
of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto and his delegation to the university in March 2015, and builds on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which RGU signed with SENER in September 2015.
The university secured the funding, which will be delivered by the British Embassy in Mexico, from the British Government’s Prosperity Fund.
This project is funded by the British Embassy in Mexico as part of its Prosperity Fund energy programme. This programme seeks to support Mexico’s economic development and create commercial opportunities in the energy sector. Through the Prosperity Fund, the British Government has supported Mexico to shape its energy legislation based on international best practices.
The framework will provide recommendations on how to address the potential skills gap in the Mexican oil and gas industry over the next 15 years, both at graduate and vocational level. Drawing on its expertise and experience of working both in the North Sea and internationally, RGU will advise the Ministry of Energy in Mexico (SENER) on appropriate delivery models to train and further develop the Mexican workforce and to secure a pipeline of future talent. Although Mexico has a long-standing track record as one of the leading hydrocarbon producing countries in the world, it is estimated that it will require more than 135,000 additional skilled people in the oil and gas industry over the next 15 years in order to meet the ambitious production targets set by the Government. Professor Paul de Leeuw, Director of RGU’s Oil & Gas Institute, said: “The Energy Reform in Mexico presents huge opportunities for the Mexican oil and gas sector. RGU is delighted to undertake this important review on behalf of the FCO and to advise the Mexican Government on skills development options for Mexico.” The project builds on the relationship RGU has been developing with SENER following the visit from the President
The British Ambassador to Mexico, Duncan Taylor, said: “We aim to build a strong partnership that promotes an open, robustly-regulated Mexican energy sector with significant British collaboration. The UK is a global centre of energy excellence and we hope our experience can contribute to the successful implementation of Mexico’s new energy markets.” Leonardo Beltran, SENER’s Undersecretary for Planning and Energy Transition said: “As part of the Energy Reform, SENER has developed a coordinated strategic human resource programme for the energy sector, seeking to rapidly build capacity to respond to the needs of the transformed energy sector. The partnership with the UK and particularly with RGU will support the development of capacity building of Mexico’s oil and gas sector.” RGU has also recently been identified as a partner university for Mexican SENER-CONACYT (*) scholarships, enabling Mexican students to study oil and gas related Masters and PhD programmes at RGU.
Professor Paul de Leeuw, Director of RGU’s Oil & Gas Institute
Board of Governors recruitment drive Sylvia says: “Throughout my career I have been eager to encourage learning and education in young people, whether they embark upon Higher Education straight from school or as part of their career development. Being a member of the Board of Governors gives me an opportunity to be part of the continuous improvement of our university provision and ensuring that tomorrow's students are prepared for tomorrow's world through a modern, forward thinking university. The close working relationships between the Board of Governors and academic staff is refreshing, productive and rewarding.”
Sylvia Halkerston
The recruitment of independent members of RGU’s Board of Governors is of huge importance in the development of the university’s strategic direction, and members of the RGU community should take a direct interest in it. The Board consists of appointed and elected governors who have a wide range of experience across a variety of sectors including higher education, business (including oil and gas), health, creative industries, digital technologies and public service. The university is looking to create a pool of individuals with a broad range of skills derived from a range of occupations, roles and professions, in both the private and public sectors, who may become members of a number of its external committees or future Board members. There are currently 12 independent governors on the Board who have experience of operating at the highest level within an organisation and demonstrate a track record of success in professional areas of expertise.
Zoe Ogilvie Zoe Ogilvie, director of The BIG Partnership, Scotland’s largest PR and digital marketing agency, sits on the Board and brings with her 27 years' experience in public relations in the UK and overseas. She is one of the most highly regarded and experienced PR practitioners in the North of Scotland, and was recently ranked 14th in a poll of the top 50 most influential women in communications and the media. Zoe said: “RGU has a great track record in producing students who are sought after in the labour market. The university’s strong links with business plays a major role in this and having a broad range of business and commercial skills and expertise on its board is pivotal. “A dynamic, diverse board with complementary skills and experience challenges by bringing an objective perspective and focus to the shaping of that strategy and then guiding the university towards delivering a better experience for students, relevant skills for business and a positive impact on the prosperity of the region. This is what motivated me to commit to being a governor and where I’d like to think I play a valuable role, along with my fellow governors.”
Mike Fleming Mike Fleming is currently the Board’s vice-chair and will be its chair from 1 January 2017. He provides expertise in technology commercialisation and leadership processes. During his 30 year career Mike has held a number of technical positions in the civil engineering sector before transferring to the upstream oil and gas industry. Mike says: "RGU is an ambitious university set in a world class campus, operating successfully under challenging external conditions. These are the ingredients which make for a rewarding environment for external governors from diverse backgrounds to bring their experience to the table. As an external governor I enjoy contributing to RGU’s strategic direction and take great satisfaction from seeing the benefit of our collective work bear fruit." Sylvia Halkerston is another Board member and has extensive experience in human resource management across a range of industries including food and drink, energy and construction. She continues to work in strategic HR, change management, people development and business planning.
RGU’s Principal, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, believes that the Board plays a vital role in the life of the university and that all members of the university – staff and students – should take an interest in what it does. He says: “The experience and expertise of independent Governors contribute fundamentally to the quality of what we do, the resilience of our plans and the effectiveness of our actions.” The Board of Governors’ Nominations Committee would be grateful if the university community could encourage people from outside the university to apply for Board membership or nominate potential future external committee members and/or Board applicants. Currently the committee is particularly interested to hear from individuals with expertise in: law and regulatory environment; health and life sciences; economic development; finance; and the creative industries. For more information on the Board of Governors and its recruitment campaign visit www.rgu.ac.uk/boardofgovernors. To view the profiles of the current Board members visit www.rgu.ac.uk/board-of-governorsprofiles.
Nagoya University visit RGU’s health and social care initiatives A team of RGU researchers have strengthened their international links after hosting a delegation of Japanese health professionals after recently hosting. The visit was part of a developing partnership between RGU and Nagoya University and saw eight health professionals, educators and medical journalists learn more about health and social care integration in Scotland. The international partnership between the two universities has developed over four years through interprofessional educational contacts and two research projects funded by The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. The projects focussed on interprofessional curriculum developments in team working and the understanding of professional roles and responsibilities. They also involved the project teams in Japan and Aberdeen working together to develop an interprofessional game and an online module on diabetic care. Dr Sundari Joseph, senior lecturer in RGU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, and research project lead worked with colleagues to facilitate the visit this summer. She said: “There is a great deal of national and international interest in how educators can improve the delivery of interprofessional education as well as how to research it effectively. “The research projects enabled students from both countries to experience the different cultural contexts for the delivery of health and social care and develop graduate attributes across a number of professional disciplines.” Professor Lesley Diack, from RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, added: “We’re very proud to host our Japanese partners again this year
RGU's Principal, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski and colleagues welcomed the delegation from Nagoya University
and are thrilled to be invited by the Lord Provost to visit the Town House and further strengthen Aberdeen-Japanese connections and research.
Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Japan, sponsored by Alex Johnstone MSP.
impressed me most is the rapid renovation of the healthcare system.
“The research projects have enabled the internationalisation of the interprofessional curricula of several universities in Japan as well as both universities in Aberdeen.”
She said: “The links between Aberdeen and Japan are stronger than ever and further cultural exchange between the two countries at both staff and student level can only benefit our internationalisation and collaborative working.”
“I wish that we can sustain our partnership and friendship, which will encourage people to be healthier and happier both in Scotland and Japan!”
Dr Morag McFadyen, from RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences is also a member of the project team and a founder member of the
Professor Hiorki Yasui, lead for the Aberdeen visit, said: “It was a great pleasure to visit Aberdeen to learn more about the Scottish health system. What
The delegation’s visit was also noted at the Scottish Parliament in a motion put forward by Alex Johnstone MSP and supported by more than 20 of his parliamentary colleagues.
RGU’s Aberdeen Business School ranked one of the top for Energy Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) Aberdeen Business School’s MBA programme has been ranked as one of the top in the world for Energy. Find MBA Top TenFind MBA has ranked Aberdeen Business School (ABS) seventh in the Top 10 for Energy and Natural Resources 2017 shortlist. Find MBA ranks business schools around the world by industry focus or functional area and the Top 10 lists consider employment data, concentrations and other factors to help future MBA students find some of the best business schools for careers in various industries and functions. ABS offers an MBA programme which consists of Master of Business Administration, MBA Oil and Gas Management and maintains a truly global perspective. Ian Broadbent, Acting MBA Director at RGU's Aberdeen Business School, said: "We strive to offer one of the best MBA programmes. Our goal on the MBA is to help students realise their aspiration, build career capital and to be a positive force for society and the industries we serve. We do this by providing an education grounded in practice, building competencies and behaviours, and having industry play a leading role in the degree. "The MBA programme is accredited by AMBA, the premier MBA industry body, and this assures the degree is of direct relevance to the real world of business as well as meeting the highest international standards.
"There is no doubt we have excellent students studying different learning modes from across the globe. We have over 40 companies directly involved with the degree and help hundreds more each year. We work hard to ensure our degree is industry ready and this is recognised by employers." Aberdeen Business School is one of the leading providers of management and professional education in Scotland, and is nationally and internationally recognised for its corporate and management education. Its reputation for delivering courses specific to industry that relate to real life working environments precedes it.
RGU's MBA programme is designed with students' aspirations and industry demand in mind and focuses on academic underpinning and ethical practice, behavioural skills, career mentoring, personal development and industry engagement through guest lectures, projects and networking events. The university has over 1500 MBA alumni and more than approximately 300 students currently studying on the programme.
Courses are delivered through flexible study options of full-time, part-time and distance learning, with students from as far afield as Alaska and New Zealand to London and Glasgow having undertaken and completed an MBA through RGU via online distance learning.
Pan Africa RGU Events connect alumni from East to West Tracy Ewing from our Alumni Team [alongside Jamie Hastings from the RGU International Office and academic colleagues Dr Charles Maddison, Dr Bassam Bjeirmi and Dr Gbenga Oluyemi], has recently returned from a wonderful trip across Africa to strengthen relationships with our international alumni, current online distance learning students and potential applicants to RGU. Successful alumni events were held in Nigeria (Abuja and Lagos), Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Speaking about the experience, Tracy said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for our alumni to network and share experiences and memories of their time at RGU. “I am so grateful to so many of our alumni for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend our events and support the work we are doing. Their feedback and ideas are invaluable and I look forward to working with them all in the future.” Jamie adds: RGU is extremely proud and privileged to have thousands of African alumni around the world working in fantastic jobs across diverse industries. It was for that reason the RGU alumni office, international office and RGU academics hosted a series of alumni events in November 2016 that took place in cities across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. The networking events were a chance for RGU staff but more importantly alumni to reconnect and further develop relationships across the African continent. RGU alumni come from all walks of life and work across numerous disciplines from the energy sector, public sector, government departments to a large number of entrepreneurial former students who are self-employed and run their own businesses. The events were a great success and we look forward to future engagement, events and networking across the continent in 2017.
An exciting outcome of the trip is the launch of an ‘in-country’ alumni mentor programme aimed at supporting recent graduates once they have returned home after their studies. The aim of the programme is to match each graduate with an alumnus and help them to improve their employability skills through sharing experiences and expertise. If you would like to find out more about the programme, email Tracy at t.ewing@ rgu.ac.uk More information will be available on the RGU website in the New Year.
This has been a fantastic opportunity for our alumni to network and share experiences and memories of their time at RGU.
Winter Graduation 2016 The Beach Ballroom provided a fantastically festive backdrop for this year’s Winter Graduation. Here are just a selection of some of the wonderful pictures our graduands posted on social media! The following inspiring graduation stories are also available to read on the RGU website. www.rgu.ac.uk/news/lindsay-hoping-for-a-baby-box-bonus-after-earning-herdegree www.rgu.ac.uk/news/third-time-s-the-charm-for-graduate-ben www.rgu.ac.uk/news/proud-nicola-looks-back-on-amazing-experiences-whilecelebrating-success www.rgu.ac.uk/news/family-pays-tribute-to-inspiring-student-at-graduation www.rgu.ac.uk/news/nursing-degree-marks-a-new-chapter-for-caring-gemma www.rgu.ac.uk/news/caithness-graduate-achieves-long-held-ambition www.rgu.ac.uk/news/aberdeen-man-hits-hole-in-one-with-an-msc-withdistinction www.rgu.ac.uk/news/four-is-the-magic-number-for-huntly-graduates www.rgu.ac.uk/news/michael-masters-energy-management www.rgu.ac.uk/news/inspiring-kate-lets-nothing-get-in-her-way-of-achievingdegree1 www.rgu.ac.uk/news/high-flying-dr-david-caddick-mbe-celebrates-phdsuccess
A huge congratulations to all our 2016 graduates and a very warm welcome to our new alumni‌wherever you may be in the world.
RGU Alumni in focus RGU graduates are achieving incredible things all over the world and we are immensely proud of them. For the festive season we wanted to tell you about two truly inspirational international alumni whose passion and determination is making a difference in their own countries.
Hon. Felix Kwok-pan Chung
Hon. Felix Chung graduated from RGU with a BSc in Quantity Surveying in 1986. He then studied an MBA in Scotland before returning to Hong Kong to join the family business of knitwear garment manufacturing in the late 1980’s.
Subbu Parameswaran
In 2001, with the support from many garment manufacturers, Felix founded a non-profit making association in the name of Hong Kong Apparel Society Ltd (HKAS). The mission of HKAS was to strengthen the ties among the Hong Kong SMEs in textile and garment industry, to provide a platform for exchanges of ideas and opinions within the trade, and to reflect the needs of the industry to the HKSAR government. Felix Chaired the Society until 2012.
However Subbu embarked on a truly inspirational journey in 2011, fuelled by his passion for social enterprise and his strongly held belief that every child has the right to realise their own potential as a human being, regardless of their economic status. Learning Curve Life Skills Foundation was a culmination of self-reflection, research, numerous interactions with educationists, psychologists and other experts. It took Subbu and his dedicated team nearly two years to arrive at what they believed was a comprehensive life skills development programme that would enable children to be psychologically, emotionally and socially healthy. Whenever they came across children who were marginalised in any form, their story started taking shape. It became evident that alongside education, children needed help with their overall self-esteem, identity, expression, self-confidence and the opportunity to realise their own potential.
In 2013 he went on to found the Fashion Industry Development Council (FIDC) which aims to gather elites of different specialties to share, plan and promote the development of the fashion industry in Hong Kong. Other public service roles include:
Inspirational quote
“Where there is a will, there is a way”
• Chairman of Fashion Industry Training Advisory Committee, Education Bureau of HKSAR • Member of the Advisory Group on Implementation of Fashion Initiatives, The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) of HKSAR • Life Hon. Chairman of Hong Kong Apparel Society • Director, The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong • Executive Director, New Territories General Chamber of Commerce • Board of Director, Hong Kong Design Centre • Party Leader, Liberal Party
In 2001 Subbu graduated from RGU with an MSc Marketing degree and for sixteen years he held senior positions in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry in diverse roles including sales, strategic sourcing, supply chain management, clinical operations and project management, in both the UK and India.
Inspirational quote
“If you have a dream, then it is your responsibility to go after it"
The tremendous progress and impact Subbu (in his role as COO) and his team of volunteers are making to children in India has been deservedly recognised this year by Global Action on Poverty who have awarded him the title ‘Star Changemaker’. If you have alumni you want us to shout about, we would love to hear from you – email alumni@rgu.ac.uk
Your ALUMNI NETWORK Library Membership Alumni Network members are entitled to free library membership under the External Membership Scheme. This m embership entitles you to: • • •
A borrowing entitlement of 3 books and 3 journals Access to the new Library Tower based at Riverside East, Garthdee Option to reserve material
For further information, visit the library website here.
Stay connected through social media Join our RGU Alumni LinkedIn group to network with thousands of RGU graduates, like the RGU Alumni Facebook page to find out the latest alumni news and activities and keep up-to-date with university news on Twitter (@RobertGordonUni).
Postgraduate Study Opportunities – 20% discount off courses
Alumni Discount Offer
The RGU Alumni T eam wish all alumni a wonderful festive holiday and all the success in 2017
As an RGU Alum, you can enjoy significant discounted membership rates: Alumni Membership
Off peak
Peak
Annual
£270
£410
Monthly direct debit
£27
£41
Alternative Membership
In such a competitive job market, it is essential to keep developing your knowledge and expertise within your specific field to further increase your employability prospects. RGU offers a range of full-time, part-time and online learning postgraduate study opportunities. As an RGU alumnus, you are eligible to a recently increased 20% loyalty discount to.
Career Services
Alumni Network Card
Reunions and Events
Whether you have found a graduate job, are considering some time out or are busy job hunting, our career services can help you to further develop your career and employability skills, network with graduate recruiters and secure employment.
Do you have your Alumni Network Card to access our on-campus facilities including RGU: Sport and the RGU Library? To receive this card, simply get in touch with us at alumni@rgu.ac.uk . All we need is your name, address and date of birth to verify your alumni status – we’ll then pop one in the post to you.
Organising an event is a great way to get back in touch with old friends, meet new people and reconnect with the university. If you would like to explore your event ideas with us we would love to hear from you. Email alumni@rgu.ac.uk
To find out more about the range of services available to help you to succeed, please click here.
RGU: SPORT boasts modern world class sporting facilities. As well as a swimming pool, climbing wall and three gyms there are a range of classes on offer for people of all fitness levels.
Remember to keep your home and business details up-to-date via our website and please keep in touch. The Alumni Team looks forward to helping you stay connected.
Pay as you go
£60
Off peak
£3.20
Peak
£3.90
annual fee with reduced usage fees for all facilities;
To view our extensive range of facilities, simply visit our website and pop into the Centre based on the Garthdee campus.
A look ahead at RGU events Postgraduate Open Evening 19 January 2017 There has never been a better time to embark on studying a postgraduate course. Find out more at our open evening. As an alumnus you are also entitled to 20% discount too! RGU Dutch Alumni Event (Utrecht) 27 January 2017 All RGU Alumni are welcome to attend, including past Erasmus students.
Postgraduate Employability Symposium 8 February 2017 Professorial Lecture: Pharmacy Practice Research Around The World 15 February 2017 A professorial lecture which will take the audience on a journey showcasing RGU pharmacy practice research impacting patients, professionals, organisations and society at local, national and international levels.
RGU Alumni Career Paths in 2017 22nd February 2017 Career Mentoring Celebration 13 April 2017