Nexus September 2017

Nexusonline

SEPTEMBER 2017 CONNECTING THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY

D e s i g n e d b y : T h 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

Graduate Level Apprenticeships

Austrian Pharmacy Association

Nippon Foundation Graduation

Japenese Nippon Foundation

Gray's Exhibition

Offshore Europe

Streetsport SFA Award

Interprofessional Learning Fund

NIB

Events

UKCS Skills Study

Mountbatten

2017 National Student Survey

Fife Transport Study

A WORD FROM THE PRINCIPAL In a challenging external environment, universities need to ensure that they remain robust and sustainable. This means in particular that they must make every effort to maximise revenues and ensure that their activities are profitable wherever possible. But while these are vital ingredients of strategy, they are not the strategy itself. No university can have as its key aim the objective of generating surplus funds.

Therefore, at regular intervals, any really excellent university needs to undertake a review of its ethos and its values. Doing this can of course quickly become an exercise in listing clichĂŠs, and so it is important to assess whether one can identify a set of key principles that express something fundamental about what we are, why we are worth supporting, and why what we do matters both to our own university population of staff and students and to the wider society.

Having recently completed the work on our new strategic framework, it is now important that we underpin this with a set of values to which this university community can subscribe with enthusiasm, and which express something important about RGU and its ethos. This is a debate in which I hope all people associated with the university – students, staff, alumni – will participate. It matters.

Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski

GRADUATE LEVEL

apprenticeships

Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski and Shirley Smith of EnerMech

NHS Grampian and EnerMech have become the latest organisations to sign up to RGU’s pioneering Graduate Level Apprenticeships (GLAs).

The work-based learning degrees, the first available in Scotland, were set up with funding support from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to address the national digital skills shortage. RGU’s School of Computing Science and Digital Media is running two GLAs, a BSc (Hons) IT Management for Business and a BSc (Hons) Software Development for Business.

Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski and Douglas Andrew of NHS Grampian

NHS Grampian has signed up for four places and EnerMech for one place on the IT Management for Business course which begins next month. They join a number of other businesses and organisations, including local authorities, which have already signed up for the programme.

GLAs enable participants to earn a degree while working and they are delivered in partnership with employers over the course of four years. Much of the learning takes place in the workplace with active involvement from the employers who sign a Collaboration Agreement with RGU to define how each partner will support the apprentice during the course.

Professor John Harper, Deputy Principal at RGU, said: “We are delighted that NHS Grampian and EnerMech have come on board in support of the GLA initiative which represents a major milestone for the university and for work-based learning opportunities in Scotland.

“GLAs represent an innovation across teaching and learning, built around a structure which formally recognises the value of time in the workplace as part of a learning environment.”

Shirley Smith, HR Director at

EnerMech said: “We see the introduction of the graduate apprenticeship scheme as a great way to improve the skills base of our existing personnel. It also gives us the opportunity to hire people straight from school and have them working in the business learning all aspects while studying to achieve a degree.

“We currently employ engineers who have varying levels of qualifications and experience. Having access to this gives us the ability to develop our people and retain greater skills in the business for the future.”

Douglas Andrew, Learning & Development Manager, NHS Grampian said: “This is a fantastic opportunity which is now available to employees to be able to continue their personal development at an academic level whilst continuing to work in their workplace.”

Japanese Nippon Foundation sign letter of intent with Robert Gordon University RGU and the Nippon Foundation of Japan have signed a Letter of Intent under which they will collaborate in areas of strategic significance in ocean innovation.

The agreement, which was announced earlier this month, will see the Nippon Foundation and the university continue to develop their relationship, which began with the delivery of the first summer school for Japanese students in 2016.

The Nippon Foundation is an independent, non-profit, grantmaking organization founded in 1962 and has carried out various activities in more than 100 countries to date.

The Nippon Foundation Ocean Innovation Consortium was launched in Japan in 2016 encompassing university, industry and public agency partners with the aim of developing people for different aspects of offshore development.

Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski with Dr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation

The offshore sector in Japan is expected to grow to 50 trillion yen (£370 billion) by 2030, and the Consortium aims to increase the number of offshore engineers to 10,000 by that time, representing a five-fold increase from the current 2,000-plus.

It is hoped that the relationship with RGU can support the training of skilled personnel for this market.

Among the Japanese delegation at the signing was Dr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, The Nippon Foundation; Mr Koji Tsuruoka, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; and, Mr Masanori Yoshida, Head of the Office of Marine Development Capacity Building, The Nippon Foundation.

Dr Sasakawa said: “As I stepped onto the RGU campus, I felt the vibe that RGU is a future-looking university and at the same time is very active and engaged in trying to lead on that future.

“I would like to especially look to RGU to take the lead role so that RGU and the Nippon Foundation hand in hand cooperate not only in educating students but also strengthening and deepening our partnership with industry.”

Commenting on the Letter of Intent and the strengthening of the relationship with the Nippon Foundation, Donella Beaton RGU’s Director of Business Development, said: “RGU has built up a very good working relationship with the Nippon Foundation over the past few years and I am delighted to see this recorded and developed through the signing of the Letter of Intent”.

Principal of RGU, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, added: “International links are very important for universities and I am very pleased that RGU will be able to contribute to the training of personnel for Japan’s offshore sector”.

Japanese students graduate from summer school at RGU A group of students from seven different universities across Japan recently completed a four week summer school at RGU. The Nippon Foundation Ocean Innovation Consortium Summer School 2017 provided the students with the opportunity to learn about marine engineering, oil and gas and offshore renewables.

The group also spent five days at the subsea training and trials facility, The Underwater Centre, in Fort William as well as taking part in a packed cultural itinerary including a trip to Edinburgh and a visit to the Lonach Games.

The students also got the opportunity to attend the biennial Offshore Europe conference at the city’s Exhibition Centre where they had the chance to meet and network with industry professionals from across the world.

The summer programme, which was the second to be delivered by RGU, concluded with the students presenting the projects they had worked on over the four week period to an industry and academic panel followed by a graduation ceremony to celebrate their achievements.

Head of the Office of Marine Development Capacity Building at the Nippon Foundation, Masanori Yoshida, said: “Thanks to kind support and assistance by all staff of RGU, students can successfully finish all courses in the summer school. I really hope that they will utilize their valuable experiences here in their future careers as offshore engineers” RGU Principal, Ferdinand Von Prondzynski, who presided at the graduation ceremony and met with the students, added: “I would like to congratulate the students for all they accomplished during their time with us at RGU. They presented us with interesting and thought provoking projects which demonstrated their depth of knowledge and continued commitment to learning. I hope they found their time at RGU to be a valuable and worthwhile experience which will be an asset to them in the future.”

In addition to the summer school, the university has been strengthening its ties with Japan and has signed a letter of intent with the Nippon Foundation under which they will collaborate in areas of strategic significance in ocean innovation.

Teams of school pupils had the chance to use miniature ROVs and go head to head in a competition at the RGU stand as part of this year’s Energise Your Future event at Offshore Europe.

The fun competition, which took place on Friday, September 8, saw the teams battling it out with their underwater robots to recover as many objects as possible in their allotted time, with the winning team taking home the prize.

s l i p u o p l g o o h Sc ad e h to d a he Vs e O R h or t h i w fs f O at ope Eur

Teams had to work together as they navigated the water tank in an environmental clean-up simulation, searching for coloured tokens representing hazardous materials and relying on their teammates for encouragement and guidance. They also discussed tactics at the start of challenge and decided on whether opposing groups should help one another.

Opito’s ‘Energise Your Future’ events bring together local school pupils and the oil and gas industry to inspire the next generation.

The ROV challenge helps demonstrate how the industry and engineering sectors depend on planning, teamwork and communication to achieve results and also aims to show that competitors sometimes have to work together to be mutually successful.

As coordinators of the annual MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) Scotland ROV Challenge

for secondary schools across Scotland, RGU has extensive experience in promoting the educational aspects of ROV design and operation. This Offshore Europe challenge is based on one of the tasks from this year’s International MATE ROV Competition.

Graeme Dunbar, senior lecturer at RGU’s School of Engineering, who ran the ROV challenge at Offshore Europe said: “RGU is proud to be part of the International MATE programme and we hope this fun challenge will inspire more schools to take part.

“It is an exciting initiative for secondary schools which encourages teams to ‘think as yourselves as entrepreneurs’.

It develops not just the STEM skills but teamwork and communication. It helps prepare participants for the world of work and for further study.

“The lucky winners of the regional contests get to go on to the international final to meet and compete with over 1000 other young people from 60 or more teams from around the world in what is sure to be a lifechanging opportunity.

“We have to thank BP, Subsea UK and ROVOP for their generous sponsorship, without which the MATE Scotland ROV challenge couldn’t take place. With the competition gaining popularity in schools, we are keen to attract further support going forward.”

OPITO and RGU Oil & Gas Institute launch UKCS skills study A major new labour market analysis of the oil and gas industry is being undertaken to determine the conditions of the sector and to shape a new skills strategy for the continued success of the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

member John McDonald said: “My discussions with industry stakeholders and within the Energy Jobs Taskforce identified a clear need for a project which would help us to define a skills strategy for oil and gas.

Led by safety, standards and workforce development organisation, OPITO, the project will be carried out by RGU’s Oil and Gas Institute.

The intelligence will be used to deliver a plan that identifies and supports the skills requirements for the industry over the next two decades to ensure the workforce of today and tomorrow has the necessary expertise to fulfil the potential of the North Sea.

“The industry has undergone a number of significant changes over the past few years, including the increased use of new technology and data driven processes in order to keep the sector viable in these challenging times. This means that the skills required by the workforce are changing.

According to the latest figures available from Oil & Gas UK, in 2016 over 330,000 jobs supported oil and gas production in the region, of which around 186,000 were direct posts. The new high level assessment will forecast the expected job roles required to service the industry by 2035 by using technology and industry trends to evaluate how some of the positions will change.

Representatives from operating companies and supply chain firms from across UK businesses will take part in the data gathering exercise. The review will assess the current number of jobs directly supporting the sector in the UK, identify common roles and categorise these into broad job families.

OPITO chief executive and Energy Jobs Taskforce

“Knowing what the key influences are for the future market and how these will affect skills and training requirements is essential to ensure the longevity of the North Sea sector.”

Director of the RGU Oil & Gas Institute, Professor Paul de Leeuw, said: “We have completed different types of skills reviews for a number of countries and we now look forward to working with OPITO to deliver this important project for the UK. “The project is aimed at helping the industry to successfully develop a skilled, well-trained workforce to meet the needs of the next generation of activity in the UKCS. “It is anticipated that some of the report’s high level findings will be delivered in time to support the oil and gas industry’s sector deal submission later this year.”

Professor Paul de Leeuw

RGU saw its levels of student satisfaction rise above the UK average, with the release of the 2017 National Student Survey (NSS) results.

RGU students’ overall satisfaction with their university experience has increased to 86%, exceeding both the Scottish and UK averages, which sit at 85% and 84% respectively.

The university saw a number of excellent results at subject level, ranking top in Scotland for areas including Architecture; Fine Art; Management Studies; Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology; Tourism, Transport and Travel; and Electronic and Electrical Engineering.

Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, RGU’s Principal, welcomed the university’s good performance in the latest national survey.

He said: “RGU continues to perform strongly and our students enjoy a high quality of university experience. These most recent NSS results demonstrate the quality of RGU’s courses and are the result of much hard work by colleagues across the university.

“This news comes after RGU was awarded a Gold ranking in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). That announcement placed RGU among the UK elite for quality teaching and learning and demonstrated our staff’s dedication to excellent education and student support, a strong student experience and a commitment to widening access to the university.”

The NSS is a nationally recognised annual survey of final year undergraduates in the UK, administered by Ipsos MORI, an independent market research agency. It invites participants to reflect on the entirety of their learning experience, including academic support, learning resources, management, personal development and satisfaction.

This year’s survey introduced three new question categories – learning opportunities; learning community; and student voice – in each of which RGU ranked above the Scottish average.

These results reflect RGU’s systematic approach to engaging students as partners in the development of the learning experience, its strategic investment in outstanding physical resources which are used by students to enhance learning and progression, as well as exceptional levels of satisfaction with academic support.

Kerry Harrison, RGU’s Student President for Education and Welfare said: “I’m really proud to work in partnership with a university achieving such high student satisfaction scores.

“It really demonstrates how the student union and university support each other to ensure the best student experience possible.”

RGU celebrates strong performance in the 2017 National Student Survey

RGU to provide unique education for Austrian pharmacists RGU and the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences are building on the university’s overseas links and international reputation as it forms a strategic partnership with a leading Austrian pharmacy association.

The university has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Apotheker Fortbildungs Akademie (AFA), the postgraduate education arm of the Austrian Association of Employed Pharmacists (VAAÖ).

The agreement will see the two organisations work on a collaborative project, with AFA arranging for all of their registered pharmacists to study towards an MSc Clinical Pharmacy Practice at RGU, while the university provides a supporting workshop structure in Austria.

These workshops will be uniquely tailored to the Austrian pharmacy sector and will be delivered by German speaking RGU staff, as well as qualified Austrian clinical pharmacists.

Dr Anita Weidmann, senior lecturer at RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, worked with European colleagues to develop the arrangement, which is the first of its kind within Austria.

She said: “I am delighted that RGU will collaborating with AFA and on this educational programme and improving the standards of clinical pharmacy in Austria.

“Clinical pharmacy is a fastgrowing specialist sector in the country and I believe that it speaks volumes about RGU’s ever-growing reputation for world class pharmacy education that AFA chose to partner with us.

“International relations are very important for universities and my colleagues and I look forward to strengthening our relationships within Austria, which will benefit RGU academically while we support the development of Austrian pharmacists.”

Established in 2011 by the Austrian Association of Employed Pharmacists and the Austrian Association of Hospital Pharmacists, AFA is the national body that represents all pharmacists in employment in Austria and supports their continuous professional development.

The first cohort of Austrian pharmacists to study at RGU though this agreement will begin in January 2018.

Anita Weidmann

Gray’s exhibition sparks up conversation An exhibition featuring work which ranged from flotsam washed up on local beaches and urban detritus, to sculptures about the Highland Boundary Fault, a major geological feature running across Scotland, was hosted at Gray’s School of Art earlier this month.

Bruce Swanson’s interim Masters exhibit was based on the project he has been working on during his degree, which is an exploration of the Highland Boundary Fault, a major geological feature running across Scotland from Helensburgh in the South West to Stonehaven in the North East.

“I've been exploring this with different groups of people via a series of expeditions at sites on the fault and so far I've currently completed eight of these, with more planned.

“The work in the exhibition has been inspired by my discoveries on two of these expeditions - one to the White and Brown Caterthuns just south of Edzell, and the other to the River North Esk and the gorge walk that cuts the Highland Boundary Fault just north of Edzell.

“I've visited these two sites and made sketches, photographs, voice recordings and video recordings, which have contributed to the 2D and 3D work on display. The main themes of the work are to do with place, time and difference - in this case the striking geological and landscape changes that occur at the boundary.“I've really enjoyed the Contextualised Practice Masters course so far, I'm a part time mature student and the opportunity to come back to university and study has been tremendous, opening up new and unexpected perspectives and ways of working.”

The Art & Design Masters Degree Show showcased the work of current graduating Masters students and those progressing into their second year, and ran at the art school from Monday, August 28 to September 7.

Among the students who exhibited their work was Oonagh Devoy, whose work was inspired by the coastline and the battle between man and sea.

The exhibition featured work from 10 full and part-time students who are studying the Masters Degree in Contextualised Practice course offered by Gray’s.

“The flotsam and jetsam washed upon our shores is litter to some but treasure to me,” she said.

The course has seen the students either develop their work within a studio setting or work collaboratively within organisations and communities.

“Sea worn dunnage, carcasses stripped of their flesh, oxidised farm machinery cogs: treasure that can be found washed daily upon our shores.

Each time I visit the beach I collect this treasure, enthused and excited by what others consider to be rubbish. This rubbish being my palette to produce my mixed media works.

Course leader, Dr Jon Pengelly, said: “This year’s exhibition represented a fascinating and wide range of works that communicated a series of thematic experiences and journeys which have had a significant and formative impact on these students’ current work and future ambitions.

“The work of each of the students on the Masters course, shows high levels of dedication, creativity and professionalism, in both their research, and creative practice, which is quite often produced and developed by necessity between jobs, or in the spaces personally negotiated around students everyday lives.

All the students clearly demonstrated a very high level of commitment and ambition which is shown in the quality of the work they have produced.

“The work of artists such as Kurt Schwitters, Ben Nicholson and Braque are my inspiration. My love of colour, texture and unnoticed treasures is what moves me to create.”

Streetsport collects Scottish Football Association award RGU’s Streetsport initiative, which delivers free doorstep activities and programmes across Aberdeen, has won the Scottish Football Association’s (SFA) North region’s ‘Best Community for All’ award.

The Streetsport programme picked up the prize at the SFA’s Grassroots Awards, which recognises people and groups who make a difference to grassroots football in their local communities.

It comes just weeks after the Denis Law Legacy Trust and RGU, which both support the initiative, were given the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and follows the recent opening of Scotland’s first Cruyff Court in the Granite City by footballing legend, Denis Law. Graham Thom, chairman of the Denis Law Legacy Trust, said that thanks to its growing band of volunteers, the organisation – designed to encourage young people into an active life and help cut anti-social behaviour in a range of Aberdeen communities – was

going from strength to strength.

“We appreciate the recognition from the SFA with this award which emphasises that we must be ticking the right boxes. By creating positive opportunities for everyone within our society, we are reflecting the grass root strengths of the game we all love.”

The man behind the project, Mark Williams, Streetsport’s Chief Operating Officer, underlined the work by volunteers who work every night of the week to provide sports opportunities for those who need and want them.

“They are the backbone of Streetsport,” he said.

“This and all the other awards we’ve won simply highlights their efforts and expertise. RGU has helped support the Trust and Streetsport to get where it is today and the support from the numerous departments across RGU is a shining example of what this university can achieve when working as one.

“Our main aim is to support and empower young people to be confident, capable, independent and responsible citizens within their own communities and over the last few years we have made tremendous headway.”

“The Streetsport programme is excelling just now and is leading the way in innovative community engagement. Contributions from RGU staff all across the university such as Human Resource, Finance and many others are playing their part to help make positive differences in young people’s lives.”

Denis Law, the former Manchester United and Scotland striker and the first Scottish player to win the Ballon d’Or European Footballer of the Year award in 1964, endorses and supports the Streetsport programme which will now go forward to the SFA’s national awards next month.

The programme’s award win also merited a recent motion in the Scottish Parliament.

Streetsport’s Mark Williams with the award at Pittodrie

The Professor Maehle Interprofessional Learning Fund will play a vital role in supporting our aims at RGU

Teamwork at the heart of new learning fund

A new fund has been set up to develop teamwork skills between health and social care students at RGU. Interprofessional Learning (IPL) brings students together to learn with, from and about one another, to improve collaborative practice and quality of care. Learning from one another, with a person-centred focus, is essential for creating a smooth patient journey.

The Professor Maehle Interprofessional Learning Fund has been created to support innovative initiatives in this area of learning, which are outside of the core university funding.

The first project that the fund will aid is an exchange that will see first or second year students study at Heidelberg University in Germany, where Interprofessional Learning is the basis of all health and social care courses and is at the core of the curriculum.

Laura Chalmers

The lucky students will be chosen through a competitive process and will receive full support for their academic and cultural experience in Germany.

Laura Chalmers, from RGU’s School of Health Sciences, said: “Interprofessionaliam has never been more relevant to an evolving health and social care agenda. We believe that widening exposure and learning in this area will not only benefit the students, but also patients and service users.

“The Professor Maehle Interprofessional Learning Fund will play a vital role in supporting our aims at RGU and have a profound effect on the individuals who take part in the initiatives, while providing important lessons they can share with their fellow students.”

To donate to the fund, you can head to: www.rgu.ac.uk/giving, choose the Single Gift option and add “Professor Maehle Interprofessional Learning Award” as your designation.

Big Apple beckons for RGU grad Emily

RGU graduate Emily Smith is looking forward to an exciting year ahead as she flies off to New York after being accepted for a place on the Mountbatten Institute’s work-based learning programme.

Emily, from Glasgow, graduated in July with a BA (Hons) in International Business Management. She will now spend a year working as a Digital Marketing Associate for Manhattan-based Broadridge Financial Solutions while pursuing a post graduate qualification.

“I still can’t believe I’ve been accepted,” said Emily. “Even after getting the call confirming my

place nothing has sunk in yet and I don’t think it will until I get off the plane. “ The Mountbatten Institute is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to develop the careers of young professionals through training and internships in New York and London. Internees are given a full-time work placement and follow a programme of academic study. One of the criteria for selection is for the student to have carried out the equivalent of 12 months full-time professional work relevant to the programme.

“My work experience started after my study abroad in Paris at the end of my second year,” said Emily. “I realised I had a passion for marketing and this led to me getting work

Emily Smith graduating with her BA (Hons) International Business Management

experience with the PR and international marketing team at Arcadia’s Topshop HQ in London – I loved it!

have been selected without their help and the support of Erica Cargill, my lecturer at RGU they are massively to thank.”

“The following year I took part in RGU’s Connect to Business initiative which had been set up to support students looking for work experience during the O&G downturn. Through that I got marketing-related placements with Befriend a Child and Backstrong Adventures in Aberdeen. I then got work experience with Equator, a digital marking agency in Glasgow.

Erica, Senior Lecturer in Management, said: “Emily has shown such commitment to both her studies and to making the most of every experience available to her during her time at RGU that she has prepared herself perfectly for an exciting career – and where more exciting to kick start this career than New York? I am so delighted that all Emily’s hard work has paid off and look forward to hearing where this fantastic experience will lead her to in the future.”

“I didn’t get to read them, but I think they must have given me great references as I wouldn’t

RGU researchers to help

keep Fife moving Researchers from RGU have been commissioned to carry out a study into the transport-related problems faced by jobseekers in Fife.

The research team, from the School of Creative and Cultural Business, will be working in partnership with West Fife Enterprise and the Fife Employability and Training Consortium on the study, which is entitled Keep Fife Moving.

Through a series of interviews and discussion groups, the researchers will investigate the workplace travel difficulties that Fife residents face, particularly those living in rural communities and in the more disadvantaged areas of Central Fife. The research team will also gather opinions on potential solutions to these problems, such as low-cost or free driving lessons for jobseekers, car pooling and lift sharing arrangements, or some form of community-led ‘dial-a-bus’ scheme.

The study, which will continue until November, is being financed by the European Social Fund and the Scottish Government under the Social Innovation Fund.

The research team is led by David Gray, Professor of Transport Policy at RGU, who specialises in researching transport issues in rural communities. Other members of the team are Graeme Baxter, Lyndsay Bloice, Andy Grinnall and Hayley Lockerbie.

“Lack of access to appropriate and affordable transport plays a key role in driving social exclusion and isolation,” said Professor Gray. “The Keep Fife Moving project will aim to address this by finding ways to support jobseekers from Fife’s rural and most deprived communities in gaining access to more suitable travel options.”

news Chelsea is recipient of 2017 AAB accounting award

Day of celebration for RGU midwives

An RGU graduate has followed up her first class honours degree by being named the Robert Gordon University Best Final Year Student in Accounting and Finance.

The Midwifery team from the School of Nursing and Midwifery held a day of events and games this month for their final year students heading into employment.

Chelsea Robertson was recently selected as the winner by Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP, one of the UK’s leading independent firms of chartered accountants and business advisors, who are sponsors of the RGU award.

Around 40 students were treated with the final day celebration, as staff congratulated them for their hard work and success at RGU, while wishing them luck with their future careers.

This was Chelsea’s second award in quick succession, as she was also awarded the Charles Schott ICAS prize, having achieved top marks for the Financial Accounting and Tax modules during her final year at university.

Chelsea Robertson (centre) with Professor Elizabeth Gammie and John Black

John Black, partner at AAB, said: “We have sponsored this annual award since its introduction in 1997 and continue to be very impressed with the high standard of candidates graduating from this degree course.

Chelsea is certainly no exception.”

The games included a photo hunt around the Health and Social Care building and a competition where staff judged which student had the cutest baby photo.

The students also shared their own personal philosophy of midwifery, bringing in an object to demonstrate how they felt.

Dr Mary Ross-Davie, Director for Scotland from the Royal College of Midwives, was on hand for the day and spoke with the students about what to expect as they graduate and become fully-qualified midwives.

Liz Treasure, Senior Midwifery Lecturer at RGU, said: “I know I speak not only for the team but the entire School when I say that we wish each and every one of our graduating midwives the best of luck as they head into employment.”

Organised by the Careers & Employability Centre, the fair helps new and returning students to find opportunities for part-time work and offers businesses the opportunity to meet with and attract employees.

The Careers & Employability Centre team will also be present to offer advice and guidance. They aim to help students realise their future career aims following graduation, as well as help them to find part-time work to support their finances and gain valuable work experience whilst studying.

Will Ritchie, Team Leader, said: “Not only does part-time work supplement student finances while they learn, it can be a critical element in their wider career journey allowing them to evidence their developing transferable skills such as team work, communication and active problem-solving amongst many others.

Professor Ian Murray and Chris Littlejohn

RGU has appointed Chris Littlejohn, interim Deputy Director of Public Health and Head of Health Improvement with NHS Grampian, as a Visiting Reader to the School of Nursing and Midwifery and the School of Health Sciences.

In his current position at NHS Grampian, Chris has been keen to highlight the importance of public health thinking for the undergraduate training of nurses, midwives and allied health professions, as well as its importance to postgraduate programmes.

RGU part-time jobs fair focuses on student employmentopportunities More than 30 businesses from across the region will exhibit at RGU’s part-time jobs fair on Thursday, September 28.

NHS Grampian Deputy Director appointed as Visiting Reader

“The event directly connects talented and motivated students with local employers from a range of sectors, offering real opportunities designed to fit around a full-time commitment to study.”

Speaking on his new appointment, he said: “I am honoured to have been appointed to this position, which further adds to the warm sense of welcome I have received from academic colleagues across the university.

The fair will run from 10.30am to 2.30pm in the Sir Ian Wood Building.

“I have already found many areas of common interest in work with the School of Nursing and Midwifery

and the School of Health Sciences, and I look forward to exploring further opportunities for joint research, teaching and preparation for practice between our two organisations.”

Professor Ian Murray, Head of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, said: “We are pleased to welcome Chris to RGU and look forward to a long and successful working relationship. His experience and passion for public health will undoubtedly prove to be a benefit for all of our student nurses and midwives.

“The university has a long history of working closely with our NHS partners to ensure our students receive the very best education and industry-ready training, in addition to collaborating on projects that address the health needs of the local community in Grampian and further afield.”

a look at rgu events sep to OCT

UCAS Events Various locations across the UK RGU w ill be touring the country attending various UCAS events to meet w ith prospective students and discuss courses.

sep to OCT

V isit to Canada Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and Ottawa Suzanne Sim, International Officer for Middle East and The Americas, is visiting Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and Ottawa in September and October to meet w ith students interested in learning more about studying at Robert Gordon University..

27 SEP

CityL ab ‘Where the City is the Classroom’ Belmont Street, Aberdeen The beginning of a series of collaborative w orkshops betw een RGU, the University of Aberdeen and Aberdeen City Council to develop student-led solutions to transform and innovate Aberdeen for a positive social impact.

29 to 30 sep

2 OCT

11 OCT

V isit to UAE Dubai and Abu Dhabi Craig Evans, Regional Manager for the Middle East, is visiting the IDP Exhibition in UAE in September to meet w ith students interested in learning more about studying at Robert Gordon University.

V isit to Oman Muscat Craig Evans, Regional Manager for the Middle East, is visiting the IDP Exhibition in Oman in October to meet w ith students interested in learning more about studying at Robert Gordon University.

Open Day Garthdee Campus Prospective students w ill be given the opportunity to go on a campus tour, talk to course lecturers, explore support services and ask current students about what they can expect from life as at RGU. Postgraduate Open Evening

2 NOV

Sir Ian Wood Building and Aberdeen Business School RGU w ill hold a Postgraduate Open Evening for prospective students to find out more about the university’s w ide portfolio of taught programmes.

2 NOV

V isit Afternoon Garthdee Campus Prospective students w ill be given the opportunity to go on a campus tour, talk to course lecturers, explore support services and ask current students about what they can expect from life as at RGU.