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APRIL 2017 CONNECTING THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY
D e s i g n e d b y : Th e G a t e h o u s e - D e s i g n & Pr i n t A g e n c y a t R G U
A Word from the Principal
LAM Accredidation
EC Transperancy Research
Worldwide Web Consortium
RSC Schools Analyst Competition
Digital Communications
Upcycled Shirt Project
Pharmacy QS Ranking
Student Festival Lanuch
English Language Course
Aberdeen Youth Games Launch
Parmacist of the Future Award
Look Again Launch
Duke of Edinburgh Award
i3 Conference
Look Again @Garthdee
Events
Future Developed
Haudagain Project
NIB
A word from the Principal
In this column in October 2016 I noted that, in the world of Brexit and other recent political developments, universities might have a special role in reinforcing society's sense of values. As we now move into the final phase of developing RGU's next strategic plan, the issue of our ethos and our values is of major importance. All universities express their ethos in some way or another in their strategic documents. Mostly these statements are interchangeable – you can look at any university's stated values and you will generally find it is exactly the same as any other universities; and it is not at all unlikely that the statement will contain a few clichÊs and platitudes.
institution that we are. We believe in an inclusive education that supports people in their aspirations and meets the needs of the world in which they will work. We believe in educational innovation and in being enterprising. We believe that what we do works best when we interact closely with industry and with major public employers. We believe that we will be most useful when we are slightly different from the rest of the sector. And of course, we believe in honesty and integrity, and in a sense of social responsibility. As we put the finishing touches to our new strategy, it is important that we also make a clear and succinct statement of our values – a statement that the RGU community can own and believe in. It will be a vital part of our growth and our future success.
RGU grew to what it is today with a strong understanding of the kind of
Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski
Professional accreditation for RGU Architecture course
The architecture course at RGU has received professional accreditation by the Malaysian Board of Architects (LAM), the first institution in the UK to do so. The university’s BSc Architecture / Master of Architecture course, which is delivered by the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment, received the stamp of approval by Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia, in recognition of the highest standards of teaching offered by the course, and the relevance of its curriculum to the future needs of the profession in South-East Asia. All graduates of the course, regardless of nationality, will now be eligible to progress to undertake the registration examination with the Board of Architects Malaysia. Professor David McClean, Head of the School, said: “We are delighted to have received the accreditation from LAM and it is testament to the work of our staff that our course is highly regarded by the profession and industry both in the UK and overseas.
We are delighted to have received the accreditation from LAM and it is testament to the work of our staff At RGU, our priority is for all our courses to be as contextually relevant as possible and to ensure that our students are well equipped with the skills, knowledge, and aptitude that potential employers look for." “We have a long history of working with students from Malaysia and this accreditation allows us to strengthen and build on this, furthering the School’s presence in country, and helping to contribute to the expertise and vibrancy of the country’s architecture profession.”
RGU’s Architecture course, which is accredited in the UK by the RIBA and ARB, provides students with the professional and creative skills required for a successful career in architecture. The taught course is complemented by a year's practical experience, allowing students to gain valuable experience of architectural practice in a range of locations worldwide.
Professor David McClean, Head of the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment
RGU staff appointed to global web standards consortium
Staff from the School of Computing Science and Digital Media have been appointed to the Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) Silver Task Force (STF) to advise on standards and guidelines which are used to develop web pages all over the world. Dr Michael Crabb and Dr Michael Heron will collaborate with academics and students to help create the next generation of web accessibility guidelines.
Dr Michael Heron and Dr Michael Crabb from the School of Computing Science and Digital Media
RGU is the only university in Scotland to be working on the project, and Dr Crabb and Dr Heron’s research will focus on how individual user groups use the web and how they can create more accessible experiences for them.
Dr Crabb commented: “Our role will be to get students engaged in answering research questions which have been set by the STF as well as carrying out our own research in this area. “The research covers a mix of different techniques, from involving end users and web developers, all the way through to looking at preexisting technologies and how they can be adapted and made more accessible for the future. “The research that we are doing supports the work happening at W3C and will be used in the future to influence development of Web Accessibility Guidelines that are used across the globe.”
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web. Led by Web inventor Tim BernersLee and CEO Jeffrey Jaffe, W3C's mission is to lead the Web to its full potential. “Some countries even go as far as making W3C Accessibility Guidelines legislative requirements, so the work is going to have a big impact across the world,” Dr Crabb continues. In short, the work that we are going to be taking part in is going to have a beneficial effect on users that rely on accessibility services all across the world.”
RGU students give digital review of Speyside hotel
A new MSc module on Strategic Digital Communications, introduced at the School of Creative and Cultural Business in response to the global digital skills shortage, has produced its first set of findings for a North-east business. Students have been working on a project in partnership with The Station Hotel, Rothes and Aberdeen-based Tricker PR since September 2016 to carry out a detailed analysis of the luxury hotel’s digital communications strategy, including the hotel’s website and social media platforms. Based on their research and analysis each student then developed a set of recommendations for the client. The top four students were invited to present their
recommendations to Neil Slessor, General Manager of The Station Hotel, and Beverly Tricker, Tricker PR, who selected Lois Atherton as overall winner.
our data to analyse the trends and insights from our website and Facebook page, then present their findings, I was delighted to get involved.
Lois has been awarded an overnight stay in the hotel’s top suite and will be presenting her recommendations to hotel and local business owner Richard Forsyth. Tricker PR has also awarded each student a weeklong placement at their Aberdeen office.
“Not only is it fantastic for us, giving invaluable information, but it lets the students of RGU use live data from the real world.”
Neil said: “With The Station Hotel being such a new business, having little past experience or statistics to analyse, we aren’t always 100% where our marketing strategy should be directed. When we were approached by Christina Stewart from RGU, with the proposal that her students could work with
Strategic Digital Communications equips students with the skills to plan, manage and optimise digital communications strategies by providing them with practical experience of digital marketing and digital PR tools. The module was introduced for the first time this year for students undertaking courses in International Marketing Management MSc and Corporate Communication and Public Affairs MSc.
Christina, a lecturer at the School of Creative and Cultural Business, said: “The partnership with The Station Hotel provided valuable industry insight to our MSc students. Importantly, students gained hands-on experience using a range of contemporary digital tools in the context of a real business. This project addresses the current digital skills gap, in turn increasing our students’ employability prospects.” Neil also heard presentations from Jana Gersdorf and Iga Monika. He also received the findings of a fourth student, Amy Guyan, who was unable to attend. Students Jana Gersdorf, Iga Monika, Lois Atherton with Neil Slessor, General Manager of The Station Hotel
RGU’s Pharmacy degree rated amongst the world’s best
RGU’s MPharm degree has been ranked as one of the top Pharmacy courses in the world. The latest QS World University Rankings by Subject have been released by leading higher education analysts, QS Quacquarelli Symonds. They are designed to help applicants identify the world’s strongest universities for each discipline and evaluated over 4,400 institutions, finally ranking the top 1,117. RGU was ranked in the top 250 universities for Pharmacy and Pharmacology. This latest accolade continues to build the worldwide reputation for the university’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, which has also been ranked as the top Pharmacy school in Scotland in The Guardian University Guide, as well as being
in the UK top 20 in both The Guardian and The Complete University Guide. Professor Donald Cairns, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, said: “Our constant goal is to offer one of the best Pharmacy programmes around and help our students be a positive force for society and the healthcare industry. “I believe that the pharmacists of tomorrow will have an important role to play as approachable experts in drugs and medicines and it is important that they receive the best possible preparation. “With the help of our expert staff and fantastic teaching facilities, we work hard to ensure our degree is of the highest standard and I’m pleased that we’ve been recognised in the latest QS rankings.” Professor Donald Cairns, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences
RGU to launch new English language course for international students
RGU will extend its tradition of facilitating learning and widening access to higher education this year, with the launch of an additional tier to the Pre-Sessional English Programme (PSP). The PSP is run by the university’s Department for the Enhancement of Learning, Teaching and Access (DELTA) and it is aimed at students who have achieved the academic requirements to enter an undergraduate or masters programme, but have not met the English language requirements for their chosen course. To study in the UK, international students must reach a certain score on a Secure English Language Test (SELT) - a test that measures their language proficiency from non-user up to expert. RGU established the PSP in 2002 and has since helped hundreds of
international students improve their language skills and progress onto a wide range of courses across the university.
other PSP programmes has been very positive, as it provided them with the relevant information and skills for academic study.
Traditionally, postgraduate students had the option of studying for six or 12 weeks prior to a September entry date, depending on their current levels of English.
“Many of our students have told us that it was an invaluable experience for them and it was much more practical and fun than the English courses they would undertake in their home countries. Our aim is for students to have the same quality experience attending the 18 week programme.
This summer, for the first time, students will also have the option to study for 18 weeks, in order to reach their courses’ language requirements. Undergraduate students also have the chance to study for six or 12 weeks. Whatever the level and the length of study, the PSP aims to provide a bridge between students’ previous study and their lives at RGU. Liv Jonassen, who has developed the 18 week PSP at DELTA, said: “The feedback from students who have previously completed the
“The PSP also has a social aspect, which enables students to see various places of interest in the region and gives them a chance to socialise outside the course. The intensive nature of the programme has seen students form close bonds and friendships that last throughout their time at university and beyond.” Find out more about RGU’s PreSessional English Programme
Architecture students look to foster sense of community around Haudagain development
Architecture students at RGU have been tasked with developing ideas to promote a sense of neighbourhood in two Aberdeen communities surrounding the new Haudagain Roundabout development.
They will be expected to come up with at least five ideas which will help to promote a sense of neighbourhood and encourage social interaction.
As part of the project, led by urban design and architecture lecturer Dr Quazi Mahtab Zaman, the third year students will focus on Logie Avenue and Manor Drive while investigating the regeneration of healthy space by landscape design.
Dr Zaman said: “Haudagain Roundabout development and its new de-routing will create an opportunity for the students to investigate the implications this may have in terms of new urban conditions, such as, new neighbourhood, public realm, connectivity to the rest of the neighbourhood, economic and recreational land uses.
The students, who have been split into different groups, have conducted site visits and will produce urban audits of each area alongside a photographic survey before starting to develop regeneration ideas.
“The roundabout has a long history of traffic congestion, with visible deficiencies in land scape, responsive places for children and elderly, easy access to retail and other necessary amenities.
“Our year three Architecture students will be investigating these deficiencies and propose a new urban design vision that includes social, economic and physical spaces to enhance the liveability and health and wellbeing of the community in new land to be adjusted by the dual carriage bypass. “This is a unique opportunity for the students of architecture to work closely with the Aberdeen City Council by looking at a real scenario of how parts and parcel of Aberdeen could be redesigned to make it sustainable in the long run.” The project is being run in partnership with Aberdeen City Council. An aerial of the new Haudagain Roundabout development
The Elsick House student project team
RGU researchers present findings on EU Transparency Directives
Researchers from Aberdeen Business School have presented their findings following an investigation into new European Union (EU) directives aimed at improving the transparency of payments made to governments by companies engaged in extracting natural resources. Professor Louise Crawford and Martyn Gordon from Aberdeen Business School worked with colleagues from Sheffield and Westminster universities and University College London (UCL) to explore the development and early operation of the UK’s transposition into legislation of parts of the EU’s Accounting and Transparency Directives, which require large extractive and logging companies to report the payments they make to governments on a country-bycountry basis. The Directives aim to “provide civil society in resource-rich countries
with the information needed to hold governments to account for any income made through the exploitation of natural resources.” The research team spent six months carrying out interviews and analysing the country-by-country disclosures of more than 50 UKlisted oil, gas and mining companies which operate around the world. The conclusions, which include a number of policy recommendations, were presented at a special Publish What You Pay (PWYP) workshop hosted by the University of Sheffield and attended by representatives of civil society organisations from many EU countries. Professor Crawford, who co-led the research team said: “This is a very exciting project producing evidence-based recommendations to industry, civil society and the government about UK transparency reporting in the extractive
industries. The outcome of this research will inform contemporary debates on accountability and transparency in the extractives sector. “Providing information to civil society in countries rich in natural resources is important for making clearer the socio-economic impact of extractive activities upon these countries.”
This is a very exciting project producing evidence-based recommendations
The report recommendations will be used to inform responses to the UK government’s review of the legislation, scheduled for completion later this year, and the subsequent EU review scheduled for completion by July 2018. The research was co-led by Professor Jim Haslam, University of Sheffield and Professor Louise Crawford, RGU, with Martyn Gordon, RGU, Dr Eleni Chatzigevri, University of Westminster and Lynsie Chew, UCL.
Professor Louise Crawford from Aberdeen Business School
Talented young scientists compete at RGU
Secondary school pupils from across the North recently gathered at RGU to compete in the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Schools’ Analyst competition. RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, partnering with the University of Aberdeen, hosted the competition’s North Scotland heats, which were open to all AS level or Higher level chemistry pupils. More than 20 pupils from eight schools worked hard to solve a number of analytical puzzles, to see who would advance to the national finals later this year.
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Kemnay Academy won the competition, showing exceptional skills and earning the chance to represent the North of Scotland at the national finals, which will be held at the University of Sussex this summer. The runner-up teams were Speyside High School and High School of Dundee. The 12 teams were required to undertake various practical
analytical exercises and were judged on their skill, as well as team work, understanding, safety and accuracy within the laboratory. Dr Graeme Kay, teaching group leader at RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, has worked with colleagues to organise the event for a number of years. He said: “We were delighted to host the North Scotland heats again this year. It was great to see how engaged and interested all of the pupils were about each of the tasks. “On behalf of the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, I would like to congratulate Kemnay Academy and wish them the best of luck at the finals down south. We are sure they will do the North of Scotland proud.” The RSC, the world’s leading chemistry community, has a proud heritage of investing in educating future generations of scientists for over 175 years. It has been running the Schools’ Analyst competition since 1982.
RGU students combine old with new in upcycling project A group of fashion and textiles students at Gray’s School of Art have combined the latest 3D scanning technology with traditional dressmaking in a project which involved upcycling second hand garments to create a new piece of clothing.
“With the help from the team at MAKE, the students quickly got to grips with the technology and will now have wonderful, portable versions of their designs – which brings a whole new element to the process.”
The students were taking part in the second semester ‘Shirt Project’, which tasked them with deconstructing two shirts and reconstructing them into one wearable garment.
Campbell McVinnie, one of the students taking part, added: “For this project we were to combine two shirts together to make a new garment, using traditional methods of sewing techniques such as pleats & gathers, and applying a theme to our traditional method of research.
As part of an exhibition of their work, the students took a trip to RGU’s MAKE studio in the city centre, where they used the latest 3D scanning software to upload their designs which were then 3D printed – providing the students with mini replicas of their work.
“The exciting technological opportunities that MAKE enable us to take advantage of has been very valuable to our learning process. Scanning and producing 3D models of our garments was the first experience we have had with 3D printing technology.
Elaine Gowans, Lecturer in Fashion Textiles, said: “The aim of the project was to challenge the students’ creative capabilities when working within boundaries and limited resources.
“The results illustrate the revolutionary qualities in which this type of technological advancement brings to design. Learning new techniques such as this is always helpful for development with the design process and I look forward to using this new method of work in the future.”
“We decided to give the students the chance to combine the very traditional methods of dressmaking with the latest technology and it has worked extremely well.
The Upcycled Shirt Project results
Around the world with RGU Student Festival Arabian Affair, an afternoon of activities at Grosvenor Casino including dance performances, henna tattooing, tarot card readings, crafts and an Arabianthemed buffet. Saturday evening will have two events, Murder at the Masquerade, a Venetian night to die for with murder, intrigue and backstabbing fuelled by a two course meal at the Copthorne Hotel and a Night at the Moulin Rouge at Exodus with dancers, performers, themed drink and food all in a setting echoing the infamous red mill.
Organisers of the 2017 Aberdeen Student Festival
The second annual Aberdeen Student Festival, organised by Events Management students at RGU, will take place over the weekend of April 21-23. The students have lined up seven internationally-themed cultural events at venues in the city, which will showcase local talent – and raise funds for two charities Erskine and Diabetes (UK). Organisers of the 2017 festival will be hoping to follow on from the success of last year’s inaugural festival which won Student Event of
the Year 2016 at the Scottish Event Awards and an E-Award for Student Festival Excellence at the EventIt Awards. Rachael Ironside, lecturer in Events Management at RGU’s School of Creative and Cultural, said organising the festival employs all of the practical skills which students develop during their course. “Aberdeen has an increasingly rich festival programme which grows year on year. This is an important addition to that calendar and our students have shown great initiative
in developing a student festival which will follow on from the success of last year’s event while putting together a programme of completely new events. “The events are open to everyone and I hope people will give the festival their support and enjoy the activities on offer while supporting two great charities which do so much to support the local community.” Starting things off on Friday evening, festival-goers will have a choice of two events. Inspired
by the famous Liverpool venue, the Cavern Club at Underdog will celebrate British music culture and discover some local up and coming talent with some great prizes up for grabs during the evening. Or you can limbo the night away at a Wiki Wiki Luau at Exodus Nightclub. Celebrate all things Hawaiian with competitive team games including a quiz, tropical bowling, a flip flop toss and a Hula off. Saturday’s events begin with an
On Sunday the festival will take you to South America and its Latin culture of food, music and dance during Salsa Sunday at the Copthorne Hotel. Enjoy the show or grab a partner and take a dance session led by a Latino instructor. Closing the festival will be a celebration of what Aberdeen has to offer. Delve into the Deen and experience local culture and arts with local musicians and artists, a pop up gallery, drinks and some locally flavoured appetisers. Find out more about the festival programme
Pharmacy student honoured with prestigious trophy
A RGU student is celebrating success after being named Pharmacist of the Future at this year’s Scottish Pharmacist Awards. Charlotte Rigden, a fourth year Pharmacy student, received the accolade at the award ceremony in Edinburgh. She was shortlisted in recognition of her tireless work as President of RGU’s Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Patient Safety Society. Charlotte has been a key member of the society for a number of years, including working as Treasurer and Vice-President in recent years. It is also not her first time in the spotlight, having been shortlisted for the Student Leadership Award at last year’s Scottish Pharmacy Awards and receiving high commendation at the ceremony. Charlotte said: “I’m really honoured to have won the Pharmacist of the Future award and I think all of the finalists’ achievements speak for themselves. “My passion has always been patient safety and I’m really proud of what I have managed to achieve at RGU and with the IHI Patient Safety Chapter. The four years I have studied
at RGU have been the best of my life and every day I am grateful that I made the decision to come here and study. “Not only have I learned so much about being a pharmacist, but I have been helped to develop as a leader, a team member and an advocate for every single patient. RGU should be proud of their continuing commitment to helping students develop into professionals who can make pharmacy the best it can be.” Charlotte was not the only RGU student nominated at the awards ceremony, as fellow Pharmacy students Monica Kate Hewitt and Eleftheria-Artemis Giatra were also shortlisted for Pharmacist of the Future. Dr Ruth Edwards, Pharmacy Course Leader at RGU, said: “All of us in the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences were delighted when our students were nominated and we are immensely proud of Charlotte for her victory. “This is the 4th year in a row that an RGU student has won this award, which is open to all pharmacy students across Scotland. I think it reflects how engaged our students are with the wider profession and their enthusiasm for taking on leadership roles that improve care for patients. Our students are one of the reasons our school is ranked as the top in the country.”
Professor Donald Cairns, RGU’s Head of School for Pharmacy and Life Sciences, and Charlotte Rigden
Aberdeen Youth Games returning for biggest games yet
The 2017 Aberdeen Youth Games programme launched at RGU last month and promises to be the biggest one yet. For the first time since its initial launch, every primary school in Aberdeen City will be getting involved in the programme, which is delivered in partnership by RGU, Sport Aberdeen and North East Scotland College (NEScol). The launch event saw 200 pupils from Kaimhill Primary School participate in a morning of coaching delivered by RGU’s BSc (Hons) Applied Sport and Exercise Science students.
Bryan McCan
n, lecturer in
RGU and Sport Aberdeen recently signed a contract of agreement committing to working event more closely together to deliver the Aberdeen Youth Games, with the second year Applied Sport and Exercise Science placement being at the heart of this.
Science at RGU said: “The contract of agreement demonstrates the importance that both organisations place on not only delivery of the Aberdeen Youth Games but also the benefits that effective partnership working can have for the local community.
Also part of the agreement is the establishment of a unique and innovative assessment procedure. Active Schools Coordinators will assess the second year students on placement and students will be offered contracts as paid coaches should they pass the module.
“Our students being able to gain employment following successful completion of the module is a unique and exciting prospect.
Sport and Ex
In relation to the benefits of this arrangement for students, Bryan McCann, lecturer in Sport and Exercise
ercise Scienc
e with Kaimhi
“This will provide the local community with a new cohort of community coaches, but also provide the students with invaluable paid employment which is relevant to their career aspirations.” Launched in November 2013, the Aberdeen Youth
ll Primary Sc
hool
Games has engaged thousands of pupils at 42 primary schools and 11 secondary schools across the city who have participated in a number of sporting, health and cultural activities. The project culminates in May each year with a 'Festival of Sport' at Aberdeen Sports Village which this year is hoping to see more than 1,500 pupils try a number of different skills based sporting activities. This year the event will take place on Friday 26th May 2017 and will focus on team sports such as rugby, basketball and hockey. Olympic gold medallist Dr Katherine Grainger CBE and Chairman of The Wood Foundation, Sir Ian Wood CBE, have been ambassadors for the Aberdeen Youth Games since its launch.
RGU:Union grants its first Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
RGU's Students Union has awarded its first Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) since attaining the license to run the programme earlier this year. Third year Law and Management student, Rebecca Donn, began the award through Girls Brigade Scotland before completing her Silver award with the help of RGU:Union. Speaking of her achievement, Rebecca said: “The union has given me a lot of support and guidance to help me complete the Silver DofE award. “Completing the relevant sections online made the process convenient and easy to do. This has given me the confidence to progress further with the DofE and look towards achieving my gold Award at RGU: Union.”
RGU is one of only a handful of universities in Scotland who run the award, which involves students undertaking a series of activities including volunteering, skills development, fitness training and planning, and undertaking an expedition. Activities aim to develop skills to prepare young individuals for the work place, as well as enhancing confidence, resilience and team working. Ross Leven, Student DofE Coordinator at RGU:Union commented: “Getting the first student through their award was always going to be the hardest part of setting up the award. “This is the beginning of exciting times for the DofE Award at RGU. Already, over 30 students have expressed an interest in the scheme
and we are currently focusing on getting at least eight of them through the expedition section over the next few months. “Now that Rebecca has shown that with a bit of hard work the award is achievable, I believe we will see an increase in the number of students wanting to take part over the next few years.” Not only can students continue previously started awards with RGU:Union like Rebecca, but they can also start the programme from the beginning. It is found students who participate in the scheme find it a highly valuable experience and a recent survey of employers found that a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the most highly valued experience when selecting employees.
Edward Pollock, President (Communication and Democracy) at RGU:Union, said: “It’s great to see RGU students already completing the award and being recognised for their work. “Students who participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme have had great learning and development opportunities, which set them above others when looking for jobs and succeeding in their careers. “I hope other students will see the benefit of getting involved and will also take the initiative to sign up and be a part of this excellent opportunity.” Students can find out more about the award and sign up by visiting www.rguunion.co.uk/DofE or email DofE@rguunion.co.uk
Edward Pollock, Student President for Communication and Democracy
Global experts to gather for RGU’s I3 Conference
...we will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of I3 conferences
A worldwide gathering of experts in the fields of Information and Library Science will share their expertise with delegates at the I3 Conference hosted by RGU. The conference, which is being organised by the Information Management Group at RGU’s School of Creative and Cultural Business, is a biennial event which is regarded as one of the leading conferences in its field. The 2017 conference attracted papers on internationally significant research by academics from more than 20 countries and it will include presentations and round table discussions from around the world, as well as a host of leading keynote presentations. Registration is now open for the event which takes place from June 27-30 and early bird booking is available until April, 17.
World Famous Designer Wayne Hemingway to Launch Look Again 2017
It is preceded by a one-day Doctoral Colloquium iDocQ on June 26 which is open to any doctoral students in Information Science or related technologies. Attendance to iDocQ is free for doctoral students attending Scottish universities. Dr Elizabeth Tait, Information Management Subject Leader at RGU said: “iDocQ is always a lively and popular event and the focus this year on digital social methods and representation will be valuable for doctoral students.” I3 (Information: Interactions and Impact) provides a forum for exchanging research findings, identifying key questions and issues for future research and the effectiveness of interaction between people and information. The programme of events for 2017 also includes a civic reception and a conference dinner and ceilidh at the Chester Hotel. Conference Director Professor Peter Reid said: “This year’s conference is particularly special for us as we will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of I3 conferences and the 50th anniversary of the founding of our librarianship courses. We are delighted to be welcoming such a distinguished group of academics to share this occasion with us.” Further information is available at www.rgu. ac.uk/research/conferences/i-2017 or by emailing i3information@rgu.ac.uk
Organisers of one of Scotland’s leading visual art and design festivals, Look Again Festival, have revealed that design icon Wayne Hemingway MBE, is coming to Aberdeen to launch the event. The five-day festival - which runs from Thursday April 27 to Monday May 1 – is delivered through a partnership between RGU and independent art agency SMART. It celebrates the very best in visual art and design and showcases projects by internationally recognised creatives. This year a campus programme will also run the week before the festival begins at RGU. As part of 2017 being the Scottish year of history, heritage and archaeology, many artists have delved into the city’s archives to create work which reflects the North-east’s culture – past and present. Wayne Hemingway, who co-founded fashion label Red or Dead, and now runs multi-disciplinary design agency
HemingwayDesign, will make the most of his time north of the border and is expected to visit a number of the public artworks sited across the city. Festival director, Sally Reaper said: “Building on an inspirational talk to Aberdeen Festivals by Jude Kelly, Director of Southbank Centre last year, Look Again is delighted to bring another major cultural leader to Aberdeen. “Wayne is an expert and an innovator, and a real catalyst; he makes stuff happen. At Look Again we have the same ethos - we want to see change in the city - more creativity and cultural activity, so people see the city through fresh eyes. Access to Wayne will help connect people, challenge them, and inspire this kind of change.” In addition to the city centre programme, which takes place between 27 April and 1 May 2017, an extensive campus showcase will be held at the Garthdee Campus between 20 April and 24 April 2017. It will be the largest campus exhibition the university has held.
RGU campus to come alive with Look Again @ Garthdee
Look Again Festival this year kicks off with a programme of events, installations and performances at RGU which aim to bring the Garthdee campus alive. In a warm-up for the main festival, which runs from April 27 – May 1 at various locations around the city, ‘Look Again @ Garthdee’ launches on Thursday April 20. Now in its third year, the festival aims to challenge the way the public see the Granite City, encouraging its audience to ‘become a tourist in your own city’. One of the highlights of the Garthdee festival is collaborative duo, Pester and Rossi, who will descend on campus with their ‘INFLATO - OPTICAL IMAGE INTENSIFIER’ - a series of largescale inflatable and wearable sculptures, inspired by some of the curious measuring and optical instruments from the early pharmacy, engineering and
domestic science schools.
such as Pester and Rossi.
They will be joined at the festival by Stephanie Smith and Eddie Stewart who, working with Gray’s School of Art painting collection, will curate an exhibition which re-interprets the tradition of the nude in a potentially provocative installation.
“The campus will be ready to welcome students, staff and the local community in an atmosphere of celebration, which will help us to look at our city in a new and different light.”
Professor Chris O’Neil, Head of Gray’s School of Art, says: “Look Again at Garthdee is going to be really exciting. It will add colour, drama and vibrancy to the campus as part of what is already a great festival. “The festival is a very unique partnership between the university and SMART. RGU’s investment in such a publicly accessible arts festival is unprecedented for a Scottish art school and our involvement allows us to take art directly to people. “We will be showcasing the best of talent we have to offer here in the North-east, and drawing in huge names from around the country
Other key highlights of Look Again @ Garthdee include: • Go Green Cycle Through Campus • HATCH Zine Workshop – with RGU students Lewis Copeland and Lewis Fraser • Jon Nicholson – Photography masterclass • Mental Health Movie Monthly presents: My Neighbour Totoro • STACK T-shirt printing workshop
INFLATO - OPTICAL IMAGE INTENSIFIER by Pester and Rossi
Digital students to be celebrated at RGU
An event at RGU will provide an exciting showcase of work by students in the School of Computing Science and Digital Media next week. The exhibition, called Future Developed, will take place on Wednesday 19 April and will run in the Sir Ian Wood Building. Future Developed is the School of Computing’s end of year event where all students are given the opportunity to show off their projects which they have been working on throughout the year. These range from applications made by first-year students in their introductory modules, all the way through to honours and masters projects that are the culmination of a student’s time at RGU. Kirsty Noble, a student whose work has been selected to feature in the showcase, commented: “Future Developed is great as you are able to meet some great contacts from various fields and
businesses, but you are also able to share your work and promote your personal portfolio. “My web application is interesting because it is not something that has been covered greatly in the market so far. “The idea is that lifeguards can connect to the website from home and revise through games or videos. As a lifeguard, you receive a textbook and if you have to revise that textbook frequently it can be tedious, therefore this web app should hopefully be way more engaging and improve the lifeguard's retention of information.
on top of board games is a prime example of the high quality research that RGU students are capable of producing. “We are very proud of all of our students and are delighted to have this opportunity to display and celebrate their amazing work. “We have a diverse range of topics that people have created projects around, with this ranging from graphics and animations, through to human computer interaction and UX, and then even some things that may involve robots, flying drones, and brain sensing headbands – there really is something for everyone!”
“Games can include a quiz, matching definitions, and interactive flowcharts among others. Hopefully with some extra development it will be able to show a user’s progress as well.”
The event is used partly to thank students for their hard work throughout the year but is also a great opportunity to network between students, academics and industry.
Dr Michael Crabb, a senior lecturer at RGU’s School of Computing and Digital Media, added: “Kirsty’s work projecting
Find out more and register for the event.
Digital media student Kirsty Noble
news in brief Public get ‘hands on’ at British Science Week at RGU RGU hosted a series of events and workshops as part of an annual celebration of science. RGU hosted the British Science Week launch event last month, when scientists from Oxford University delivered an interactive tour of the science behind atomsmashers. The award-winning show was packed with demonstrations,
RGU’s School of Engineering held a public workshop in the Sir Ian Wood Building, giving people the opportunity to become a scientist for the day with an exciting hands on experience in RGU’s state of the art facilities. The university also hosted ‘RS Live’, a 35-tonne mobile experience which, through a series of interactive display zones highlighting all the
Working closely with the Duchess of Fife, whose family own the estate, the students worked hard to develop a variety of creative proposals.
Public pick the winning design for new venue by RGU students The north-east public have picked their favourite design for a new wedding and corporate venue which have been on display at Bon Accord Centre as part of an exhibition by RGU architecture students. Nearly 700 votes were cast, with Magdalena Wloczka’s design to transform the grounds of Elsick House in Aberdeenshire proving the most popular. The year two Architectural Design students were tasked with developing plans for a bespoke ballroom venue in the walled garden of Elsick Estate, capable of hosting up to 200 people.
everyone and capture the interest of future engineers.
explosions and real particle beams.
Winning student Magdalena, who is currently taking part in an Erasmus exchange in Amsterdam, said: “It is such a rewarding moment to have my work appreciated and let it speak for itself after all the hard work I’ve put into it.” The winner was announced at a special VIP event, where members of the public who had engaged with the exhibition were invited along to see the winning proposal and meet with the Duke and Duchess and the students. The Duchess of Fife added: “The fact that over 600 people engaged with their plans and voted shows how well it was displayed and how relevant their models were. They have brought forward many brilliant elements that we will incorporate into our new garden ballroom that we are creating at Elsick.”
The School then open its doors to local schools, where pupils got the chance to learn about materials science and engineering at a series of workshops – including ‘Race Car materials’ and a trip to RGU’s DART simulator.
engineering disciplines, brought engineering and technology to
Dr. James Njuguna from the School of Engineering said: “We were delighted to take part in British
RGU students collaborate on energy industry project
and gas while achieving the highest return on investment possible.
Students from the School of Computing Science and Digital Media and Aberdeen Business School have joined forces to take on the two-day PetroChallenge event in conjunction with industry partner, NExT (A Schlumberger Company), which specialises in oil and gas training.
Ines Arana, senior lecturer at the School of Computing Science and Digital Media, commented: “This was a fantastic opportunity for students from two different schools within RGU to come together and work in collaboration.”
PetroChallenge is an educational event for students, with the purpose of developing their knowledge of the oil and gas industry and their interest in pursuing professional careers in the sector. The group of 38 students from a variety of RGU’s suite of Masters courses in Oil and Gas split into smaller teams and competed in the pursuit of hydrocarbons in a fictitious offshore field. Each team became established their own oil and gas company and throughout the competition moved through various challenges to explore, develop and produce oil
The challenge ended with prizes awarded to the team which maximised their company value and the team which earned the title as the most credible company throughout. Ayodele Asekomeh, senior lecturer and Postgraduate Programme Leader, Aberdeen Business School: “The training highlighted for our students the implications of interdisciplinary project choices and decisions by replicating reallife quantitative risk and return considerations and subjective and/ or qualitative factors that impact on the credibility and negotiations of upstream operators and stakeholders.”
Science Week once again and to have the opportunity to get the public involved in the wide range of exciting work which goes on at RGU.” The team from RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences (PALS) also delivered a number of hands-on workshops at the Sir Ian Wood Building, investigating blood traces at a crime scene, as well as the science behind pizza making.
RGU graduate celebrates Trainee Management Programme success
especially as someone with no previous management experience.
A RGU graduate has secured a management role with the Chester Hotel after successfully completing its Trainee Management Programme.
“I would recommend this programme to anyone looking to build a career in the industry – I can't thank The Chester Hotel team enough for nurturing my skills, supporting me and guiding me on my way to being, one day, a general manager."
Joanne Black, enrolled in the programme after completing a degree in Hospitality Management, and is the first trainee to graduate from the luxury hotel’s management scheme, which aims to develop future general managers of the hotel industry. Since completing the programme, Joanne has been offered the role as Conference and Banqueting Manager at The Chester Hotel. Joanne Black, Trainee Management Programme graduate, says: "The Chester Hotel's Trainee Management Programme has not only provided me with the skills needed to be successful in a management position, but it has developed my confidence,
Andrew Martin, Director of the Scottish Centre of Tourism at RGU, says: "Joanne's journey with The Chester Hotel came out of academic work devised in collaboration with The Chester Hotel. It's so rewarding for us to see great former students, like Joanne, progressing with one of our premier hotels. "This is a superb outcome from an integrated curriculum, a collaborative working relationship, and Joanne's ability. We are proud of Joanne, and proud of our relationship with The Chester Hotel."
a look at rgu events 19 apr
20-24 apr
27 apr
29 apr
Future Developed - Annual Degree Student Showcase Sir Ian Wood Building Future Developed is an annual event, showcasing the cream of the crop of Computing Science and Digital Media student's w ork, from personal projects to coursew ork components they are proud of.
Look Again at Garthdee Garthdee Campus Look again festival kicks off w ith a program of events installations and performences at the Garthdee campus.
Young Enterprise Grampian F inal 2017 Sir Ian Wood Building The six finalists in the annual Young Enterprise Grampian programme w ill battle it out to represent the region in the forthcoming Scottish finals.
Visit to Ghana Accra Jamie Hastings, Regional Manager for Africa, is visiting Ghana in April where he w ill meet w ith prospective students to discuss the various courses and scholarships on offer for September 2017 and beyond.
1-3 MAY
Visit to Nigeria Abuja and L agos Jamie Hastings, Regional Manager for Africa, is visiting Nigeria in May where he w ill meet w ith prospective students to discuss the various courses and scholarships on offer for September 2017 and beyond.
3 MAY
Experiences of A ssessment and Feedback Sir Ian Wood Building The 4th Annual Learning and Teaching Conference w ill consist of keynote lectures, presentations, interactive w orkshops, posters and a panel discussion based on a theme of A ssessment and Feedback, which is a key institutional priority this session.
4 MAY
Postgraduate Open Evening Sir Ian Wood Building RGU will showcase its w ide range of postgraduate study options at its May open evening.
5 MAY
Shaping the Future: being the best we can be Sir Ian Wood Building Shaping our Future is a conference for final year social w ork students and newly qualified social workers where there w ill be an opportunity to netw ork, think, talk, listen and learn together.
18-19 may
Architecture Portfolio Development Workshop Navitas Hong Kong RGU and ICRGU w ill hold the 2017 Portfolio Development Workshop designed specifically for students w ishing to embark upon an Architecture degree as they look to develop a portfolio for university admission.
19 may
Joanna Briggs Collaboration European Symposium Garthdee campus The Joanna Briggs Collaboration European Symposium w ill bring together clinicians and academics to discuss the latest advances in evidence synthesis, transfer and implementation to promote evidence-based practice in a range of healthcare settings.
24 may
Professorial Lecture: Let Food Be Thy Medicine...:Did Hippocrates Get It Right? Sir Ian Wood Building Professor Susan Duthie from the School of Pharmacy and L ife Sciences w ill discuss how diet acts mechanistically to prevent human diseases, the concepts of personalised nutrition and the implications of ‘optimum nutrition’ for the prevention of cancer.