Celtic Connections Great Scott - GCU Blogs

14 downloads 255 Views 8MB Size Report
in GCU's School of Health and Life Sciences. She has been at ... and now with a BSc Nursing Science.” ... use computer
ISSUE 1 2016

• SCOTTISH MAGAZINE AWARDS 2015 FINALIST •

News and and views views from from Glasgow GlasgowCaledonian CaledonianUniversity University

Great Scott

Honorary graduate Andy to hold exhibition at GCU New York Pages 4-5

Celtic Connections Major music event comes to campus

Pages 14-15

Contents

Welcome to The Caledonian Cultural engagement is an integral part of GCU’s make up and it’s no coincidence that this issue of The Caledonian has several features on this theme. We talk to honorary graduate and sculptor Andy Scott, who is preparing to exhibit a series of scale models at GCU New York – his first gallery show since his days at Glasgow School of Art in the late 1980s. The show, which runs for two months from June, will feature a version of his famous Kelpies. We also hear about how the University welcomed hundreds of passionate music fans to the inaugural Celtic Connections on Campus in January. The event attracted emerging musical talent drawn from universities, schools and colleges across Scotland – backed by the technical expertise of GCU’s Audio Technology and Audio Systems Engineering students – who performed to more than 500 music fans across four days. Another significant event for GCU was the hosting of the Global Game Jam 2016. The University’s Saltire Centre hosted 180 jammers and was placed 38th in the world in terms of number of registrations and third in the UK. The GCU jammers produced 30 games in just 48 hours. Elsewhere in this issue, we catch up with our inspiring people, who share their insights into how they bring GCU’s Strategy 2020 to life on a daily basis. We hear from Head of Visa Immigration Support and Advice Peter Yetton, Senior Lecturer in Civil and Structural Engineering Dr Binsheng ‘Ben’ Zhang, Podiatry Postgraduate Programme Lead Mandy Abbott, and Professor John McKendrick. We also look at the importance of Knowledge Transfer Partnerships to GCU’s three Academic Schools, find out about the work of Professor Cam Donaldson and the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health, explore the archives with honorary graduate Pat Nevin, and hear what’s been happening over at GCU New York’s Fair Fashion Center. THE CALEDONIAN

EDITORIAL TEAM [email protected]

ON THE COVER: GCU honorary graduate Andy Scott with his famous Kelpies sculptures. Photo: Fotogenic of Scotland.

2

4

Responding to the needs of the people

6

Changing perceptions

7

Challenging the industry

8

Putting her best foot forward for students

We talk to GCU honorary graduate Andy Scott, creator of the Kelpies. Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing Principal Niru Shamsun Nahar. Cara Smyth, Vice-President of GCU New York, on the Fair Fashion Center. Mandy Abbott, Podiatry Postgraduate Programme Lead, on her work with international athletes.

10 Globalwatch

A team of nursing students has been helping transform understanding of learning disabilities in Malawi.

12 We've potential to achieve great things

A chat with Peter Yetton, Head of Visa Immigration Support and Advice.

1 4 Music event makes right Connections Celtic Connections at GCU supports cultural engagement at the University. 16 A platform for creativity

A look at the academic merits of the Global Game Jam.

18 News Briefing

GCU's people receive recognition as the University continues to inspire through research and innovative programmes.

20 Building bridges into industry

Dr Binsheng ‘Ben’ Zhang believes national competitions give students valuable real-world construction experience.

22 Providing the solutions to real-world problems

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme turns 40.

24 Making the world a tiny bit better

We talk to alumnus, honorary graduate and football pundit Pat Nevin.

26 Life at the Lounge

Jackie Main, Director of Student Experience, shares the vision for the Campus Life Lounge.

27 Breaking the mould

Supermodel and GCU alumna Eunice Olumide at GCU London.

28 Helping to tackle societal challenges

Professor Cam Donaldson, the man behind the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health, explains how the centre has grown.

30 Setting out principles for a fairer Scotland

The Big Picture Bike-trial champion Aaron Duke performed impressive stunts as GCU received the Cycle Friendly Campus Award from Cycling Scotland – the first of its kind in Scotland. It was presented to Gerry Milne, GCU’s Vice-Principal Infrastructure, and GCU’s Sustainability Officer Paulo Cruz by Paul Wright, Cycling Scotland Development Officer, in recognition of the outstanding level of commitment the University has shown to encourage cycling to, from and around campus.

Professor John McKendrick on his research interests in poverty, children’s wellbeing and his personal views on social justice.

32 Access all areas

GCU’s medical ultrasound programme set is tailored to offer students accessible learning – at home and abroad.

34 Back Story

Professor Caroline Parker is Academic Lead for GCU’s Values project and in her spare time coaches at Castle Semple Rowing Club.

From left: Paulo Cruz, Keith Irving, Gerry Milne, Paul Wright, Aaron Duke.

P

ublished by: Communications and Public Affairs, Glasgow Caledonian University. Designed and printed by: Print Design Services, Glasgow Caledonian University. Photography by: Peter Devlin and Guy Hinks © Glasgow Caledonian University 2016, unless otherwise stated. Glasgow Caledonian University Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA Scotland, United Kingdom +44 (0)141 331 3000 www.gcu.ac.uk

3

HONORARY GRADUATE

HONORARY GRADUATE

Responding to the needs of the people GCU honorary graduate Andy Scott, creator of the Kelpies, speaks to Roisin-Alana Di Giacomo about his work, the city that made him, and his affinity with the Common Good.

H

is sculptures grace the Scottish urban landscape, marking commuters’ journeys and placing public art in the lives and hearts of local communities. Andy Scott, sculptor, artist and engineer, is the man behind some of the country’s most iconic landmarks; the Kelpies, the Heavy Horse, Arria in Cumbernauld, the Ibrox Disaster Memorial, Ravenscraig's Steelman, and Rise in Glasgow's Harbour. His sculptures, which take form in his workshop in Maryhill, stretch locally from Glasgow’s M8 to Falkirk, and internationally from Queensland, Australia, to New York. And it is at GCU’s campus in New York where Andy is preparing to stage a series of small clay maquettes. The artist has not staged a gallery show since his days at Glasgow School of Art in the late 1980s. “It was an opportunity I had to seize with both hands,” says Andy. “My show will revisit projects that I have worked on in the past and will allow me to work on more intricate clay models.” The event will show between 10-12 pieces cast in bronze, including a scaled version of his famous Kelpies works, running for two months at the SoHo campus from June. The installation of the £5m Kelpies in Grangemouth, the UK’s tallest equine sculptures made from 300 tonnes of steel, propelled Scott onto the international stage. The Helix, a reclaimed scrubland, now boasts the monumental and elegant horses’ heads as its centerpiece. It has attracted more than 1 million visitors since its opening in 2014 and has become one of Scotland's most photographed innovations. “Arria was the biggest free-standing sculpture until I did the Kelpies,” says Andy.

4

“It's not all about size, but it’s quite an achievement.” Andy is modest about the success of the Kelpies, which have earned him an international profile and, more importantly to him, admiration from the community. “It's the local people's adoption and embracing of them that I'm really proud of. They've brought a sense of place and a sense of pride. That, and the fact my dad was from Falkirk, means there is a personal poignancy to them.”



Glasgow made me and I can see that it feeds through my work. I'm a product of this city

I wasn't seeking those jobs; they sought me out. When people within the community raise the funds, it is a humbling experience,” he says. Woven into the sculptures, each tells its own story about the people, the places, the challenges and the triumphs of communities. The history of the landscape and its legacy are at the centre of his work and admittedly, Andy says, this alienated him from the galleries and agents. His work evolved in another direction, creating figurative work within communities, which were not previously associated with art and culture. “There is a political, historical context to certain pieces, but I'm not an artist who feels that it's my job to proclaim. I prefer to respond to the needs of the people and for the people. My job is to elevate the mundane, to make it nicer, and to place art where it isn't expected.” For a number of years, Andy, renowned for his popular sculpture of horses, tried to persuade commissions of other works. However, he says he's now quite the equine expert and is relaxed with it. “It's become a subject I am associated with. It’s just my thing, and I’ve given up struggling with it. I love it and, in the past couple of years, I have been getting more and more academic to the point that I have become quite obsessed.”

His works are inextricably linked to the city of Glasgow, which seems to pull him back no matter where his sculptures and commissions take him. “If you cut me, the River Clyde would come out, no doubt. There’s something about this city, and it’s not the weather; it’s the heritage, the heavy industries and the architecture. Glasgow made me and I can see that it feeds through my work. I'm a product of this city.” We meet before GCU’s Winter Graduation 2015, where he has replaced his traditional boilersuit with something much more formal in order to receive an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters. This is in recognition of his celebrated talent, creativity and specialism in steel structures. “Being awarded an honorary degree by GCU is an indication that you're doing the right thing, that somebody’s noticed and has recognised that somebody was behind it.” Standing by his side is his architect wife Hanneke, whom he credits with helping him through his journey and his success. He is keen to emphasise that the projects that have led him here today are a team effort and wouldn't have happened had it not been for the involvement of other specialists.

Scott is humbled to receive such an accolade and sees a symbiosis between his work and GCU's mission as The University for the Common Good. Both embrace inclusion and belonging and, in doing so, bring communities together. Patting his pocket (he prepared his speech that very morning), he admits he is better at sculpting than speaking. Later, he takes to the podium to tell graduates that "every day is a school day", to make the most of the educational opportunities that come their way, and to learn from others. He recounts how he was told once by a former teacher that he was a ‘dunderhead’, who would amount to nothing, and yet here he stands. “There are moments when you are pinching yourself and saying holy moly, this is what it's all about, and when those moments happen, it’s like, yes. I wouldn’t be doing anything else. It’s too late to start playing football for a living.” Andy Scott with his famous Kelpies. Photo: Juliet Howden and Herald and Times.

Born in Glasgow in 1964, Andy attended the Glasgow School of Art before he made a name for himself constructing the Heavy Horse on the M8, east of Glasgow, in 1997. The Horse, modelled on the Clydesdale workhorse, put public art into the lives of everyday commuters from the vantage point of their cars, rather than within the confines of a gallery. “My earliest communitybased commissions in Easterhouse, Blochairn and Cranhill sent me down a particular path.

5

GCU NEW YORK

Challenging the industry GCU New York's Fair Fashion Center has already helped one company save nearly $1 million.

G

Changing perceptions Lynn McGarry talks with Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing Principal Niru Shamsun Nahar.

B

angladesh’s Ministry of Health has recognised Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing (GCCN) as the country’s leading nursing college because of GCU’s leadership and advises anyone in Bangladesh who is starting a nursing college to visit. In her first year as Principal of GCCN, Niru Shamsun Nahar has overseen rapid development. The College, co-founded by GCU and the Grameen Trust, is now teaching a BSc Nursing programme – in partnership with Dhaka University – alongside the Diplomas in Nursing Science and Midwifery it has offered since opening in 2010. As the College’s third Principal, Niru follows in the footsteps of Founding Principal Professor Barbara Parfitt and Professor Frank

6

Crossan, who’d both previously been based in GCU's School of Health and Life Sciences. She has been at GCCN since its foundation, when she was appointed Vice-Principal.



In the past year, GCCN has become increasingly independent

“It’s a wonderful role and a great experience,” she says. “I’m really enjoying it. It’s a new nursing college, however, and there are many challenges to overcome, not least attitudes to nursing as a profession in Bangladesh. “For a long time, people haven’t wanted to take up nursing here and GCCN is changing that; first through our diplomas and now with a BSc Nursing Science.” At GCCN’s latest graduation ceremony in December, which celebrated the

academic success of 47 students, GCU Chancellor Professor Muhammad Yunus was in attendance, along with Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Pamela Gillies CBE FRSE and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor James Miller. “I have seen so many developments since my time here,” says Niru. “Traditionally, we take girls from rural areas so they don’t know how to use computers, their English is not really good and we change all of that. We are growing and developing all the time and, in the past year, GCCN has become increasingly independent. “We still, however, seek advice from GCU. The relationship between the University and the College is great. “GCCN is one of Bangladesh’s leading nursing colleges because of our relationship with GCU. “The government sends people to us as a model of what a nursing college should be. That’s been achieved in just a few years because of GCU.”

CU’s research centres are used to thinking outside the box – but GCU New York’s Fair Fashion Center is helping reinvent it. Launched by Chancellor Professor Muhammad Yunus in May to examine the business case for sustainability in the fashion industry, the centre has already inspired one of its partners to re-examine the materials, size and components of its shoe packaging, saving the company nearly one million dollars a year. It’s one of the centre’s innovative responses to transforming the $2.5 trillion fashion industry. The world’s second biggest consumer of water and second biggest polluter, it employs one in six people around the world, with women making up 80 per cent of the supply chain. “Systemic change in the fashion industry requires an approach that is aligned to its disciplines,” says Vice-President of GCU New York Cara Smyth. “Efforts at revaluing ecosystems and promoting economic and social wellbeing require market-based solutions, reconciled to the bottom line.” Collaborating with industry, the United Nations, and cross-sector thought leaders, the Fair Fashion Center is structured to aggregate and research the best and most scalable practices, source new opportunities for engagement, and research emerging tactics and technologies in supply-chain sustainability, social responsibility, ecology and environmental impact reduction. “While the industry’s enormous scale and global integration propel fashion to a top rank on any impact index, it is its nature of constant reinvention that also becomes its opportunity for rapid re-evaluation and transformation. To facilitate this process, the centre acts as a translator between the private and public sectors, turning sustainable development goals into actionable business practices.” The centre has identified eight “action areas”, including end-of-use,

efficiencies, finance, governance, marketing, packaging, transportation and social/labour – reflecting challenges and opportunities – and aggregates examples of best practice across the industry. “The centre disseminates efficient, actionable practices, delivered in modules that easily embed into a company’s existing structure,” says Cara. “Its first project focused on packaging in men’s dress shirts. Upon reviewing the number of components, countries of manufacture, costs, and consumer feedback, it was apparent that inefficiencies existed. The centre introduced opportunities to eliminate pieces and presented industrial design solutions to recreate packaging patterns. The changes resulted in ecological impact reductions across water, CO2, and forestry through efficiencies in sourcing, transportation and production, while improving margins.

for fashion professionals to look for organisations working in categories including climate, water, finance, governance, labour, materials, transportation, recycling, technology, awards and strategy. The site will become a real-time portal for case studies and eventual repository for the work of the centre. “GCU is thrilled about the centre because there is tremendous opportunity to challenge the industry,” says Cara. “Fashion has traditionally been left out of the social responsibility movement, despite its presence as a job creator and industry that spans demographics. There is an opportunity for this sector to work pre-competitively and build an effective network that offers its input and human capital to generate real change.”



There is tremendous opportunity to challenge the industry

“Those initial findings inspired a footwear company that partners with the centre to make improvements to their shoeboxes that are now saving it nearly a million dollars annually.” The centre has also researched actions for operating facilities more efficiently, calling upon cross-sector experts and reviewing proven practices, and has launched fairfashioncenter.org, a reference of associations, conferences, non-profit organisations, government agencies, and for-profit establishments with expertise in social and environmental initiatives. The searchable database makes it easy

7

OUR PEOPLE

OUR PEOPLE

Putting her best foot forward for students Mandy Abbott, Podiatry Postgraduate Programme Lead, talks to Clare Rajan about what she – and her students – are learning from her work with international athletes.

I

t may seem hard to believe that someone with life-threatening injuries to their feet could walk, never mind compete in a sport at international level. Yet, as a podiatrist for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles in 2015, Mandy Abbott encountered a young man attempting to do just that. A lecturer in podiatry at GCU, Mandy has been a Clinical Director for Fit Feet in Great Britain, part of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes programme, since 2005. The programme aims to identify health problems for athletes with an intellectual disability and advise them on healthy lifestyle choices. “His injuries were horrific,” Mandy recalls of the young athlete. “When he took off his shoes, we could see that he had huge ulcers on both feet, which were so bad, the bones were exposed.” Despite this, he had travelled a very long distance to the games in LA to compete in bowling. What is even more astonishing is that no one picked up on it. “He came with a team; he got on a plane with them, travelled to America, and nobody noticed,”

8

says Mandy, adding: “He was only brought in by his coach to be fitted for new trainers.” While extreme, it’s just one example of the types of cases Mandy has dealt with. A trained podiatrist with a specialist interest in biomechanics and sports injuries, Mandy has led Fit Feet at the Special Olympics National Games in Glasgow, Bath, Leicester and Brighton and been invited to volunteer at the World Games in Idaho and Athens.

As well as offering a health-screening service, Fit Feet facilitates the collection of data on health inequalities among athletes with intellectual disabilities and provides an

opportunity for healthcare professionals who volunteer at the games to gain experience of working with this population. It has also been a foundation of practical experience for students on the podiatry programme at GCU, some of whom have attended the games with Mandy. Last year, Mandy was invited by the International Games Committee to attend the World Games in LA, and students Martin McCafferty and Sharon McQuillan were successful in applying to accompany her. In the five days over which the games took place, Mandy and the students were involved in screening 4500 athletes. This involved measuring athletes’ foot size against their shoe size, looking for deformities, and fitting them with a new pair of shoes, provided courtesy of the Games’ sponsors. “It’s great for their CV,” says Mandy. “The students got to meet and work with international podiatrists and with athletes with an intellectual disability from 160 countries. Their eyes were opened to the poverty and deprivation, and to the healthcare system, in other countries. We worked with athletes who had deformities like you wouldn’t believe. In this country, they would just have surgery.” However, although this population in the UK is well looked after, and there are learning disability services within the NHS, Mandy points out that foot or lower limb disorders can often go unnoticed. Independent living is

Mandy was invited to be the podiatrist for the first ever European Games in Baku.

encouraged, with people washing and dressing themselves, meaning their feet are rarely seen by anyone else. Added to this, they may never complain about pain because they either have no concept of pain or don’t know how to explain what’s wrong with them.



The students got to meet and work with international podiatrists

“I have seen some people who have never cut their toenails,” Mandy explains. “Some have been wearing completely the wrong-sized shoes simply because they liked them, so they bought them. It’s also not uncommon for people who live in shared accommodation to pick up someone else's shoes and put them on.” Students have also had the opportunity to shadow Mandy on visits in her capacity as the official podiatrist for both Kilmarnock and Dundee United Football Clubs, and to learn from her involvement in other major sporting events. In 2014, she was invited to be the Clinical Lead for Podiatry at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, with responsibility for recruiting volunteers, setting standards of care and providing the service during – and in the weeks leading up to – the Games. And through this, she was invited by the International European Committee of the Olympic Games to be the podiatrist for the first ever European Games, in Baku, Azerbaijan, in June 2015. While only registered clinicians are allowed access to athletes at professional events, students are still able to benefit from Mandy’s experience. “I always make sure I pass on to students what I’ve learned while working in a multidisciplinary team in this unique environment. I highlight common injuries and how barriers to care, such as language, training regimes, footwear and surfaces, and anti-doping laws, can be overcome, for example. So the students get something out of it too.” 9

GLOBALWATCH

GLOBALWATCH

Kathryn Mulvanny helped her host family take corn from the cob in Bangladesh.

Dramatic impact

The 21st graduation ceremony at Caledonian College of Engineering.

Students help transform understanding of learning disabilities in Malawi, help fledgling businesses in Rangpur and celebrate graduations in Oman. Lynn McGarry reports.

T

he first group of BSc Nursing (Learning Disabilities) students to undertake an international placement as an accredited element of their programme have returned from Malawi. Michael Kemp, Eve Ferguson, Jennifer McDonald, Rachael Hainie and Corrinne Taylor worked alongside staff and students of the University of Malawi’s Kamuzu College of Nursing in clinics and schools, and at the SOS charity's Children’s Village. They carried out health checks and environmental assessments and delivered health education, identifying people who needed additional support. Corrinne, who stayed in Malawi for an additional five weeks, also worked in rural areas and at a psychiatric hospital, where many people with learning disabilities in Malawi live because their needs are recognised as mental-health issues.

10

“Understanding of learning disabilities in Malawi is extremely different and we experienced many challenges, but were able to make a positive impact in often extreme conditions by raising awareness,” Corrine says. “Many people told us, for example, that they had no idea that they could interact and build therapeutic relationships with people who have learning disabilities. We learned a lot and people were able to learn a lot from us, too, as we quickly realised that the greatest need was in raising awareness of learning disabilities. We felt we had so much impact which will grow and influence practice.” In one of the world’s poorest countries, people with disabilities are among the poorest of the poor. Only five per cent of people who have a disability and need occupational training and welfare services receive the care they need and just a

quarter of those who need medical treatment, or technical aids, counselling or education, have access to services. “We had underestimated how few resources and how little awareness of learning disabilities we would encounter, so we had to be creative in using our skills in the frontline and developed into a great team,” Michael says. “It was eye-opening to witness the dramatic impact we were able to make on the lives of people who are among the poorest in the world. “A rehabilitation clinic we visited could no longer offer free therapy so we would see mothers who had literally carried children miles for help being turned away. We had raised money to fund our trip and were able to use some of that to fund sessions for some of the most motivated people who couldn’t afford therapy. That money is still funding therapy and

it has been amazing to see the children’s confidence build.” The group is continuing its support. Michael recently took part in the Loch Ness Marathon to raise funds for the SOS Children’s Village and the team hopes to collect text books, equipment, toys and clothes for distribution across Malawi. Also on the international front, Glasgow School for Business and Society student Kathryn Mulvanny spent three months in Rangpur helping rural entrepreneurs develop fledgling businesses. Kathryn, who is studying Management Technology and Enterprise volunteered with international volunteering organisations International Citizen Service (ICS) and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) to develop craft businesses. “I was part of a team of UK and Bangladeshi volunteers working with two small businesses in villages in Rangpur,”

says Kathryn. “We were supporting marginalised women in start-ups and small businesses and helping them, in turn, pass on their knowledge to increase the employability of other women in their communities. “We worked with companies making soft furnishings and rucksacks, developing their products, surveying the market, marketing the products and helping them secure sales. We started from scratch, even adapting sewing machines to ensure they were compatible with the materials, so I was incredibly proud that the businesses were producing quality products and that one had secured a really big order by the end of my time in Bangladesh. “I lived with a local family and, in addition to working with the businesses, we were able to organise a series of action days which gave local people access to medical care and prescriptions, and introduced new waste-management methods. To coincide with International Youth Day, we organised an event to encourage young people to further their studies. Around 400 people attended and were able to hear from university lecturers and business women. It was so rewarding to use my experience

in marketing, IT, planning and organising and mentoring from my studies at GCU and from previous HNC and HND studies to help men and women grow their businesses. I learned so much, too, from learning to be grateful for the things we take for granted such as electricity and clean water, to developing my team-working skills. “It was a fantastic opportunity – the people of Bangladesh are so hospitable and I’d recommend working in communities around the world with an organisation such as ICS and VSO to anyone. I have high hopes that the businesses we helped will grow and secure sales and that the entrepreneurs will continue to develop their skills and confidence.” Meanwhile, GCU has been celebrating the success of students at its partner institutions in Bangladesh and Oman. Forty-seven students graduated at Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing with Diplomas in Nursing Science and Midwifery. Oman’s Caledonian College of Engineering celebrated its 21st ceremony with the graduations of 390 students, of which more than 340 are GCU graduates.

11

OUR PEOPLE

OUR PEOPLE

We've potential to achieve great things Inspired to fight social injustice, Head of Visa Immigration Support and Advice Peter Yetton is strongly behind GCU’s Common Good mission. Fiona Ramsay meets him to find out why.

“M

y greatest fear is that when I finally go onto my next adventure and pass away, that I would have amounted to nothing, inspired no-one or not made a difference to anyone’s life.” These are the words of Peter Yetton, GCU’s Head of Visa Immigration Support and Advice. His determination to help people through his work has led to Peter pursuing careers in the Royal Navy, criminal law and then asylum, immigration and human rights law, before finally settling at GCU. Aged just 44, his life so far has been extremely colourful, with a family history which has strongly contributed to his need to promote social justice. In the 1970s, his family moved to Zambia from the North East of England, with his father working in the copper mines and mother teaching in poor mining schools. The family then moved to South Africa, with Peter’s mother opening a college for black students during the 1980s, when the apartheid government was coming under increasing internal pressure and tensions were high. “My mother was a bit of a freedom fighter in her own way,” says Peter. “I feel proud that my family played a part in upholding something good and standing up for their rights in South Africa at that time. They were very brave indeed.” This brave stance led the family to leave the country prematurely, returning to the UK where Peter studied hospitality management, before gaining employment as a head chef in his early 20s. “It was before Jamie Oliver − not very glamorous and very long hours. It was challenging to say the least!” Hanging up the apron and cooking knives, Peter then joined the Royal Navy, 12

ending up in Northern Ireland in the run up to the Good Friday Agreement which signalled the end of the Troubles. However, damaging his back while on active service, Peter’s Navy career was cut short after nine years. At the age of 30, he went back to college to gain Highers to study law at university. “I felt it was a calling for me. I wanted to help people. I didn’t feel I had done much of that in the Forces. Though we were upholding specific laws and rights from the MoD perspective, when I came out of the Navy I started to question a lot of it.” His move into law was also the start of a new phase in his family life. His son, the first of two children, was born as he started studying for his law degree, at the same time working as a mortgage adviser at Standard Life. Peter chuckles: “They never twigged I was studying rather than working all the time!” Peter worked in a criminal law firm in the East End of Glasgow, which he found to be “rewarding but ultimately tragic and upsetting” as the same families were coming back again and again. “I would go to prepare a will in people’s flats and houses and they would have no floorboards. It is quite tragic looking at it from the perspective of being a solicitor living a relatively comfortable life.

"There are some kids who just need a bit of guidance, but without it they end up going to the next level of crime; some don’t stand a chance.” The flame of fighting social injustice and inequality planted in South Africa was now burning brightly, so Peter decided to specialise in human rights, immigration and asylum law. “I needed to be part of someone’s journey and have the ability to help them achieve some of the most fundamental things in life – freedom of speech, freedom to live without risk of being killed, freedom to love who they wish to. I achieved some great successes with some of the cases I dealt with, but also saw how fragile and precarious life can be at times, when the law is not with you.” Peter helped establish Remarkable Law Scotland, a business with fellow lawyer Raymond McLennon, to help small businesses to maintain a balance between commercial issues and people, through communication skills, team building and leadership – recognising the value of people. He also delivered pro bono legal work to various charities at this time. During his legal work, Peter found that students were often disadvantaged by a lack of support and advice about their individual immigration situation, and joined GCU as Compliance Officer in

2013. Universities and colleges were also losing their licences due to a lack of legal and compliance knowledge. Peter has now rebranded ‘Compliance’ to form the Visa Immigration Support and Advice team. He explains: “Within this sector it is common to find staff teaching on the front line who are simply not supported in some areas. Their international students could be facing civil wars in their home countries, or specific language barriers and financial



I’ve worked really hard to break down the perceived restrictive nature of immigration law

difficulties and the lecturers and staff didn’t have the skills or the tools to deal with those things properly. As teaching staff are invariably an inspiration to those that they teach, they tried to help the students, but the lack of expertise and legal knowledge would invariably leave the student exposed and with visa issues, which then impacts negatively on the student, staff member, college or university. Compliance and the law, therefore, need to be seen as a duty of care, as opposed to a mandatory procedure. “I’ve worked really hard to break down the paranoia and perceived restrictive nature of immigration law and Home Office rules, while also ensuring that all understand the law and what can happen if certain elements of it aren't adhered to." Peter finds working at GCU to be an extremely positive experience. “This University is quite unique because of its mind-set and that thread of the Common Good that runs through it. There are very few people I have met here who don’t believe in it. The amount of untapped skill sets within departments, in my experience, is second to none within GCU, which means that there is so much potential to achieve great things.”

Peter Yetton uses his expertise and legal knowledge to help guide students through visa and other issues.

13

CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT

CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT

Music event makes right Connections

Student Emma Wood put her audio technology skills into practice at the event.

Lynn McGarry finds out how Celtic Connections at GCU supports cultural engagement at the University while utilising the skills of our students.

G

CU has added a new string to its bow. The University welcomed hundreds of passionate music fans to the inaugural Celtic Connections on Campus − a fresh strand in the internationally renowned music festival − in January. Emerging musical talent drawn from universities, schools and colleges across Scotland – backed by the technical expertise of GCU’s Audio Technology and Audio Systems Engineering students – performed to more than 500 music fans across four days. The event was so successful, it is hoped it will become a fixture of the annual festival. In partnership with Celtic Music Radio, the lunchtime showcase was broadcast around the world. “It was an outstanding success,”

says Lecturer Patrick Quinn, who led the project. “We welcomed more than 500 people from all over the world over four days, and broadcast live to a global audience via Celtic Music Radio.



Putting our academic skills into practice was amazing and not as scary as I’d feared

“I am so pleased with the professionalism of our audio students, who loved the challenges and pressures of learning in a real-world, live environment.

Musical talent from institutions across Scotland entertained more than 500 music fans at GCU.

14

I was equally delighted with the high standard of performance from the up-and-coming artists. "The audience was very vocal in praising the concerts' sound and the high standard and range of the acts.” Fourteen students manned the mixing desks in the student bistro and at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, where they have been providing technical support to the festival for the past four years. “Working practically on live sound has been a great opportunity, especially as we are being broadcast on radio, too,” says student Emma Wood. “It was exciting and nerve wracking working in front of such a big audience, and switching from working with big bands to a single guitar player and back again. "I had never worked in front of so many people, and audiences themselves create challenges, such as clapping, that we had to react quickly to deal with. It was fantastic.” Student Richard Kennedy adds: “It was the first time I’d worked on anything as large as this and it was a great experience to work with a much bigger mixer and get to grips with so many wires! "I picked up so much and putting our academic skills into practice was amazing and not as scary as I’d feared – especially as we all supported each other.” The hugely varied performers – even the Postman Pat theme tune made it into the line-up – were delighted to be part of the informal, intimate strand. “We usually play in pubs all over Glasgow and had never played to such a big audience,” says Jamie Quinn, leader of Glasgow University Celtic Group. “We hope the audience had as much fun

as we did. The technical support was great. We didn’t notice it, so you know they did their job well – we don’t notice it when it has gone fantastically! Celtic Connections on Campus is a great new strand and a great platform for musicians.” Musician James Michael Rodgers, who showcased music from his soon-to-bereleased debut album, adds: “The technical support from GCU students was great. You know if a student is working with you they will be thinking about it a lot, and they will be supportive.” Music student Gwendolyn Deboer, from The Hague, had travelled to Glasgow for musical tuition and was thrilled to be able to hear the cream of emerging talent at GCU. “Celtic music is my music but we can’t study it in The Hague, so I was incredibly lucky to be in Glasgow for classes at just the right time. "I tried to see as much as I can. It’s been wonderful – particularly as these performers

were playing for fun, which is nice to hear. That’s part of the tradition of this kind of music and it is particularly nice to see young people enjoying Celtic music so much, where perhaps young people in other countries are only listening to pop music.”



It would be great to repeat Celtic Connections on Campus in 2017

Also in the audience for each of the concerts, Bill and Eileen Elliott, from New Hampshire, welcomed a new daytime concert slot. “It’s been fantastic, just wonderful to have music in the day,” says Bill. “This should be a permanent fixture. The quality of the musicians has been fantastic and the sound and production

first-rate, especially in such a lovely, informal atmosphere. The audience is here to listen. "We plan to come every year, we are addicted. Celtic Connections is the best Celtic music festival in the world and the 'on campus' concerts have been an unexpected treat.” Celtic Connections is the world’s largest Celtic music festival and this year featured 2100 artists at 300 events across 20 Glasgow venues. This was the fifth year GCU students have worked at the festival. Patrick adds: “It would be great to repeat Celtic Connections on Campus in 2017, maybe with a few more acts and maybe another day added to the schedule. "It would also be great if Celtic Connections on Campus could be used as a springboard to have more events on campus at other times during the year.”

15

GAME JAM

GAME JAM

A platform for creativity Chris Fitzgerald talks to Brian McDonald, Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer in Games Software Development, about the academic merits of creating games in 48 hours.

A

large crowd of both budding and seasoned game designers gather in GCU’s Saltire Centre, gazing expectantly at a video screen fixed to the wall. Like Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible, they’re waiting for a briefing that will completely dominate their next 48 hours. Then their oracle speaks, like some deity from the digital world. They’re asked to develop a game around the theme word of ‘ritual’− and they have just two days to do it. This is the Global Game Jam, the world's largest game-creation event, taking place at physical locations across continents. It has grown massively since its inception in 2009, when it began as an idea to encourage the process of game development, encapsulating programming, design, narration and artistic expression. GCU provides a Scottish base for this year’s event, as it has the previous seven years. Brian McDonald, Programme Leader

16

and Senior Lecturer in Games Software Development at the University, oversees the occasion. “The structure of a jam is usually that everyone gathers on Friday, late afternoon, watches a short video keynote with advice from leading game developers, then a secret theme is announced,” he says. “All sites worldwide are then challenged to make games based on that same theme, with games to be completed by Sunday afternoon. "With that said, the jam is more about collaboration than it is competition.” Many students and staff from GCU make up the 180-strong contingent of 'jammers', as do a mix of students from the University of West of Scotland and Glasgow School Art, along with industry professionals and keen amateurs. According to Brian, the Global Game Jam invites students to explore new

technology tools, try new roles in development and test their skills. “It’s one of the highlights of the gaming year,” he says. “The event is a celebration of the game-development process and highlights the amazing work that can be completed by talented and passionate people in such a small period of time. “For GCU students, this gives them an excellent opportunity to practice game creation in an environment that is geared towards making something interesting and fun. They will receive support from the other jammers who come from other universities or industry and, during the course of the jam, they will be able to receive guidance and feedback from industry mentors.” With non-stop programming and testing taking place over the 48-hour limit, the jammers apply a shift ethic to their work, with some beavering away at a

computer terminal in tandem with others shuffling off bleary eyed to find the nearest couch-cum-bed. But can a game made in just two days be polished and ready for market, or is that not the point? “Often games created at the jam are just experiments,” says Brian. “They are only meant to be played at that moment in time or with a specific bit of kit. That said, many of the games produced through the Global Game Jam have eventually made it on to an app store. Ultimately, though, the jam is a platform that lets participants test their ideas. Remember, this is a collaborative event, so jammers are constantly getting feedback from their peers, all of who are game players as well as designers. “Perhaps the format’s biggest endorsement lies in the fact that professional studios are now using game jams as a development practice.”

When the dust settles, it’s revealed that more than 36,000 locations in 93 countries have created 6800 games over the weekend. More locally, GCU’s horde of jammers has produced a total of 30 games. Among those is the wittily titled Don’t Stop Bereavin’, which focuses on the ritual of funerals. There are many others, too − puzzle game Curvish, for example, and WASDA Price, based around the festive shopping ritual that is Black Friday. “To a certain extent, from a technical point of view, it’s actually easier to make games now than it’s ever been,” says Brian. “The tools are readily available, easier to use and affordable. What it takes to make a good game, however, is dedication, effort and having something interesting to say from an artistic point of view. That’s why we end up with such diverse themes and game types.”

There were 180 people taking part at GCU's Game Jam, the third highest in the UK and 38th highest globally.

17

NEWS BRIEFING

specialist at Henry Street Settlement − focused on ways to cultivate job mobility and career advancement and to stimulate employer productivity through positive workforce environments.

We're making an impact

TOP TWO

ALUMNI GCU’s Alumnus of the Year award winner was Erica Charles, who graduated with an MSc Fashion Marketing in 2003, and is currently Chief Brand Ambassador for Mary’s Living and Giving Shop, the premium charity retail concept launched by retail expert Mary Portas with the Save the Children charity in 2009. The GCU London Alumnus of the Year Award was presented to Steffen Bornhoeft, who studied an MSc International Fashion Marketing, and is now Mintel Group’s Account Director Germany, Austria and Switzerland − just a year after taking up an internship role.

GCU's people receive recognition as the University continues to inspire through research and innovative programmes. UN ROLE FOR PROFESSOR YUNUS

of Marketing and Communications at Maastricht University, and the Dean for International Students at Wageningen University, both based in the Netherlands.

CULTURAL FELLOW

GCU UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon appointed GCU Chancellor Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus to the Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group for the promotion and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by world leaders.

WELCOME TO GCU

GCU The University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and Vice-Principal International Jeanine Gregersen-Hermans is now in post. Most recently Director of the Student Recruitment Directorate at the University of Hull, Jeanine was previously Director

18

ENERGY ADVICE

GRAMEEN CHAIR

GCU Grameen in the UK, the microlending initiative facilitated by GCU, appointed Willy Roe CBE as the new Chair of the Grameen Scotland Foundation. Inspired by the international Grameen Bank developed by GCU Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Grameen in the UK is the first micro-lending initiative of its type in Western Europe.

STREET LAW

GSBS GCU students took to Glasgow’s Buchanan Street to promote the University’s Law Clinic, the student-led and student-run initiative designed to give them practical experience while studying for their law degrees. The students engaged with over 700 members of the public, offering free legal assistance, setting up appointments for the clinic and handing out flyers.

CARBALLO MASTERCLASS GCU Cultural Fellow and honorary graduate Liz Lochhead was awarded The Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry for 2015. Ms Lochhead, who was Scots Makar – the national poet for Scotland – from 2011 until this year, has been recognised for her body of work. She is one of eight Caledonian Cultural Fellows selected to promote cultural engagement across the University.

EBE Dr Keith Baker, Researcher in Sustainable Urban Environments, working with CAG Consultants, a UK-wide sustainability, climate change and community engagement consultancy, is working to review energy-efficiency and fuel-poverty schemes for Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), the country’s largest independent advice network.

BUSINESS OF FASHION

DOBLE PARTNERSHIP

GCU NY In partnership with Dress for Success®, GCU New York hosted a panel discussion entitled ‘The Community of Fashion: Connecting Career Pathways to Job Mobility’, the third of a seven-part salon series in retail education. The panel − which featured John Seery, Vice President of the Fifth Avenue Club and Personal Service Experiences at Saks Fifth Avenue; Karen Newman, Senior Consultant for the United Nations Development Programme; and Mileisa Gomez, Education Advocate at Advocates for Children of New York and former career training program

RECORD BREAKERS HLS Nursing students at GCU officially set a new Guinness World Record for the most participants in a hand-sanitising relay, in partnership with Glasgow City of Science and Health Protection Scotland. The World Record was cracked on November 18, 2015, European Antibiotic Awareness Day, an annual

European public-health initiative to raise awareness about the threat to public health of antibiotic resistance and the importance of prudent antibiotic use. A total of 417 participants took part in the relay, as GCU researchers, lecturers and students gathered to raise awareness of hand hygiene as a means of preventing infections.

RESEARCH GCU and Doble Engineering Company are continuing their collaboration to develop innovative condition-monitoring products and services to detect faults and predict power failures for the electric supply industry. Over the next three years, Doble Engineering will fully fund two PhD studentships to work on a new project to apply innovative machine learning techniques to the classification of fault conditions with the purpose of practical implementation to real-time condition assessment of rotating machines operated online.

GCU LONDON Honorary graduate Dr Manuel Carballo presented a Masterclass at GCU London entitled: Mass migration: challenge or opportunity for Europe? The Masterclass examined the way in which the European Union is dealing with the recent mass arrival of refugees and migrants into Europe, and examined how responses to the issue could impact on international development and global health. He was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the University in 2014.

HEPATITIS ASSESSMENT

RESEARCH Researchers at GCU are conducting a Europe-wide assessment of hepatitis B, C and E monitoring and testing activities, and the need for new European guidance on testing to be produced by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Led by Dr Esther Aspinall, working with colleagues at Health Protection Scotland, the team is conducting a nine-month study examining existing policy and practice on hepatitis B and C testing in Europe, and surveillance activities for hepatitis E.

19

OUR PEOPLE

Building bridges into industry Chris Fitzgerald finds out why Dr Binsheng ‘Ben’ Zhang believes national competitions give students valuable real-world construction experience.

20

OUR PEOPLE

S

tudents winning competitions is nothing new, but those in GCU’s School of Engineering and Built Environment (EBE) have more than made their mark over the past year. On the back of a GCU team winning an international construction business contest, the Chartered Institute of Building Global Student Challenge in Hong Kong in 2015, EBE recorded another impressive brace at two other major industry competitions. Second-year students Yohannes Brhane, Lee Haywood and Seyed Sasan Seyf won first prize at last year’s IStructE Scottish University Model Competition, while a team of three part-time final-year students − Isla Buchanan, Michael McGovern and Pamela Robertson – finished second at the Structural Concrete Student Design Competition 2015. Both teams were led by Dr Binsheng Zhang, or Ben as he prefers, a Senior Lecturer in Civil and Structural Engineering. “Winning awards against Scottish and UK universities does indeed boost our students’ confidence, the reputation of GCU and the BSc Environmental Civil Engineering programme, but it isn’t the primary motivator,” he says. “I have always encouraged our students to attend national-level competitions to enhance their professional skills. Skills such as conceptual design, creative thinking, problem solving, communication, team work and time management are all learned this way − and they are all invaluable. “These competitions are organised by professional institutions and leading construction companies, and the tasks set for the competitions are directly from problems encountered in practical construction. For example, we use the brief from the Structural Concrete Student Design Competition as a group project for our fourth-year students, encouraging the best to submit their design to the contest itself. “Our students can build up and enhance their links to the construction industry through these activities.” Ben feels compelled to ensure GCU’s students not only graduate with a sound applied knowledge of industry, but also an understanding of the theory behind everything they put into practice. “It’s good that students learn how to do something and do it well,” he says. “But I think it’s just as important that students know why they do something and why that something

works. I’ll give you an example. I have delivered professional development courses on structural Eurocodes to design engineers at many different construction companies. These are codes which provide common design criteria and methods of meeting necessary industry requirements. “I’ve found that a lot of companies largely lack knowledge on the latest codes and many of them are still using out-of-date British Standards. At GCU, we teach our students the development history and design philosophy of Eurocodes.



Everything we are doing is closely aligned to the University’s Strategy 2020

“By doing this, we give our students the overarching picture. After our students finish their degrees, and go on to work in construction, they have a far better understanding of how to apply the Eurocodes at work.” In addition, Ben is keen that students are constantly using real-time examples in all of their learning. “Every year, we adopt a real local design project as the basis of course work for our second and third-year students and guide them to apply the skills they have learned. We then see how their work compares with the work that is taking place on the real project. Last year, we selected the University of Glasgow's Stevenson Hive

Building, while this year the project is the West Dunbartonshire Council Office Building. In addition, we teach our students to be familiar with commercial software to solve complex practical problems. This means our students should be able to deal directly with design work after they complete their study. “So, you see, everything we are doing is closely aligned to the University’s Strategy 2020. We are delivering excellence in learning combined with an outstanding student experience, which equips them with not just employability skills, but also the ability to make an impact within communities.” Ben has been at GCU since 2013 and has been actively involved in a multitude of areas including research, consultancy and CPD course delivery. After completing his PhD in 1987 at Tongji University in Shanghai, he worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, where he remained for 14 years. A spell working as a Structural Engineering Consultant followed, before he became a lecturer in Structural Engineering at Edinburgh Napier University for the next decade. “It took almost 10 years to complete my BEng, MSc and PhD in Civil and Structural Engineering,” Ben says. “I have spent most of my career since at Scottish universities. At the time I left, the research in China was far behind the UK. But, you know, in the past three decades, Shanghai, and China as a whole, has largely developed on all aspects, including research. In many areas, their research achievements are now on a par with us here in the UK. But I love Scotland. It’s my home.”

Second-year students Yohannes Brhane, Lee Haywood and Seyed Sasan Seyf, led by Ben Zhang, won first prize at last year’s IStructE Scottish University Model Competition.

21

INNOVATING FOR ECONOMIC IMPACT

We are providing the solutions to real-world problems The 40-year old Knowledge Transfer Partnerships programme helps businesses work with innovative researchers. Fiona Ramsay finds out more.

22

INNOVATING FOR ECONOMIC IMPACT

K

nowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) exemplify the transfer of knowledge, “which is what universities are all about,” says GCU’s Vice-Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Mike Mannion. “GCU is innovating for social and economic impact, and programmes such as KTP enable us to provide solutions to real-world problems through applied research.” Led by the UK’s innovation agency Innovate UK, KTP is one of Europe’s most successful programmes for helping businesses access the knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK’s universities. Through the scheme, businesses are awarded grant funding to help them access research expertise to spearhead new projects, increase their competitive advantage, and improve productivity and profitability. In return, academics can develop business-relevant teaching and research material and apply their knowledge and expertise to strategically important business problems. Since 1998, GCU has received over £5m in grant funding for 59 KTPs. With support from GCU’s Knowledge Transfer Manager Dr Janette Wark and the West of Scotland KTP Centre, the School of Engineering and Built Environment has conducted KTP projects with Shearwater Marine Services, Street League, SPT, ScotRail and Highland Colour Coaters, tackling design, surface engineering, subsea monitoring and energy challenges. Working with ScotRail, GCU’s Dr Babakalli Alkali and KTP Associate Vittorio Orsi reviewed the company’s maintenance systems on a particular train fleet − Class 158 − and in doors in particular. The KTP enabled the company to update key maintenance instructions and business processes. GCU has also been working with SPT to convert wastewater in its Subway tunnels into heat. KTP Associate Konstantinos Ninikas established that the water captured in the underground tunnel has a temperature of around 10-14°C, which is sufficient for extracting heat for use as a sustainable heat source.

SPT is now trialling energy-efficient heat-pump systems using water and air in the Subway. A KTP project was recently secured with global engineering firm Howden. Over 30 months, researchers will help Howden Process Compressors develop new methods of compressor control and troubleshooting techniques, with real data taken from machines in the field, giving the company a competitive advantage and cost savings through production efficiencies.



KTPs offer something for everyone, and are a great way of engaging

The impact of KTPs also contribute to GCU’s research portfolio. In GCU’s submission to the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), the University highlighted a KTP with specialist software company Ecebs Ltd, which provides smartcard solutions to a variety of organisations. Ecebs wanted to improve the security of smartcard data and broaden its offerings. To achieve this, the company worked with GCU to develop a biometricbased technique that provided a reliable and convenient user authentication process, leading to patent applications and giving the company a competitive advantage which led to its sale. Professor Mannion insists GCU’s KTP projects should not fall within the School of Engineering and Built Environment alone. “There are significant opportunities for KTPs within Glasgow School for Business and Society and the School of Health and Life Sciences. KTPs offer something for everyone, and they are a great way of engaging with business, the public and voluntary sectors.” GCU is now working with PAL Technologies Ltd and the University of Strathclyde on an innovative project to aid the recovery of stroke survivors and amputees. The AGILE (Ambulatory Guidance for Interactive

In order to develop a financially and environmentally effective method of harvesting heat from the water in its Subway tunnels, SPT embarked on a two-year KTP project with GCU. Professor Mike Mannion, right, wants all three of GCU'S Academic Schools to embrace KTP projects.

Locomotion Enhancement) project will involve the development of patient-centred training tools, for use at home and in the community, to improve walking abilities. GCU will contribute valuable expertise on sensors, orthotics and human movement, as well as state-of-the-art human performance laboratories. It is expected that the new technology will appeal to international markets. "With approximately 50,000 and 20 million individuals in the UK and US respectively, currently living with amputation, mainly lower limb, it is fantastic news that this new device will offer those with reduced walking ability a hitherto missing personalised prescription for improved wellbeing,” says GCU Research Fellow Dr Scott Telfer. Glasgow-based PAL Technologies CEO Douglas Maxwell adds: "Our current activPALTM devices require to be worn for a period of time with data subsequently being downloaded and analysed, but the new device will incorporate wireless technology and real-time feedback. "Involvement in this 30-month project will allow us not only to offer an improved product to our existing core market of clinical researchers, but also to build on the relationship we already have with a major prosthetic manufacturer, and engage more fully in the rehabilitation sector. “Our expectation is that the new technology will enable us to launch a further range of products, initially in the UK and US markets, expanding our workforce as required to meet demand for the new device.”

23

HONORARY GRADUATE

HONORARY GRADUATE

Making the world a tiny bit better Craig G Telfer talks to alumnus, honorary graduate and football pundit Pat Nevin about his time at GCU, his political motivations and life after playing.

I

t’s taken him more than three decades, but Pat Nevin has finally graduated from GCU. The former footballer and broadcaster was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at last year’s winter graduation ceremony, 32 years after he left a commerce programme at Glasgow Polytechnic, one of the University’s founding institutions, to pursue a career in full-time football. “My mum always thought that leaving my education early was a big mistake,” said Pat after accepting his degree. “She thought getting a degree was much more important than kicking a ball around for Chelsea. “Also, as one of six kids from Easterhouse in the East End of Glasgow,

I would be the only one not to get a degree and not have a day like today. So this is very special.” Since leaving his studies in the early 1980s, Pat has gone on to enjoy an interesting career. He spent 20 years as a footballer, starring for Chelsea, Everton and Kilmarnock among others and winning 28 caps with Scotland. After retiring from playing in 2000, he took up the role of Chief Executive at Motherwell FC before moving into the media; he is now a highly regarded pundit, as well as a respected club DJ. After being released by Celtic at the age of 17, Pat chose to undertake a degree in commerce at Glasgow Polytechnic. “I was very logical about it,” he asserts. “I wanted to be able to keep up with all my hobbies

Pat Nevin received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters at last year’s winter graduation ceremony.

24

and I wanted to study something I could get a job in. Commerce covered so many areas and left my options open – it was exactly right for me.” Like many students at the time, Pat was heavily involved in activism and regularly took part in rallies and demonstrations. Twelve months ago, he returned to GCU for the first time since 1983, followed by cameras for BBC’s The One Show’s Life Lectures series, and spent an afternoon with the University’s archivist Carole McCallum sifting through various badges and leaflets. A photograph of a demonstration on campus caught his eye. “That could have been me in there,” he says. “I wasn’t politically active for a party,” he explains. “I was involved with campaigns – anti-racism, anti-Nazi league, that kind of stuff. It was as little as debating, wearing a badge or going to a rally. It was a very culturally active place.” Pat was heavily involved in the antiapartheid movement and he is particularly fascinated by the number of items related to the late Nelson Mandela, a GCU honorary graduate. “Nelson’s name was always involved,” he says. “He was our fight. Carole opened my eyes to some things about him I had no idea of.” While Pat threw himself into his studies and activism, Pat was offered terms with Clyde FC. “I told Craig Brown [the manager] I was studying and that football wasn’t really my thing, but he just got it. He’d been in education himself and knew where I was coming from. “He told me it was part time, that’d I’d be training two nights a week and playing

a game on the Saturday, and that I’d get paid for it. I said, ‘Where do I sign?!’” Pat is keen to point out how seriously he took his football. “I was really dedicated to it. I used to go for 10-mile runs after the game on a Saturday. I was a fanatical trainer. It might seem like I was lazy but that wasn’t the case.” He didn’t tell any of his friends he was a footballer, however. “I didn’t think it was cool – being cool was going to see an indie band!” I ask Pat how he managed to balance his studies with his football. “Piece of cake,” he smiles. “I didn’t fail any exams when I was here. I scraped through a few of them but it wasn’t football that got in the way – the reason I didn’t get

A-grades was because I was part of the generation where we just did enough to pass. I knew I could cruise a bit. “You can’t get away with that today. If you’re working through a decent degree, you have to put the effort in.” Pat’s good form at Clyde had alerted Chelsea but he had little interest in playing on a full-time basis. “I wanted to continue my studies,” he says. “I thought I’d go to Chelsea and take a two-year sabbatical then come back and sit my exams. But after I did my pre-season, I thought I’d just stick with Chelsea for the time being. I never went back.” While he was a new signing at Chelsea, Pat openly condemned racist abuse towards players from the club’s support. This led to him playing a key role in the birth of

the anti-racism in football campaign. He continues to play a lead role in fighting discrimination through organisations such as Show Racism The Red Card. It was this work, and that against sectarianism, that led GCU to award Pat with his honorary degree. Looking back over his career, his success both in and out of football, Pat is modest about his achievements. “I just kicked a ball around and got paid for it and had fun,” he says. “I work in the media because I like doing it. “But they’re just jobs – what’s important is friends and family. That’s where satisfaction comes from. And, if you can, trying to make the world a tiny wee bit better. “And getting the songs I want on Spotify,” he grins. “That’s the main thing.”

25

HEART OF THE CAMPUS

Life at the Lounge One of the key elements of the Heart of the Campus project is the new home for Student Services on the first floor of the George Moore building. Here, Jackie Main, Director of Student Experience, shares the vision for the Campus Life Lounge. Can you explain the new space for Student Services and its purpose? We wanted to create a space right in the heart of the campus where students can find everything they need to support their wider experience. It’s important that it’s a space that really delivers what students want and somewhere they’ll want to spend time. It will allow professional support staff to engage with students in surroundings they feel comfortable in and not just traditional consulting room environments. The term, ‘Campus Life’, outlines our vision – the space is being referred to as the Campus Life Lounge and the staff who will support the area and student enquiries, the Campus Life Team. It was always important that the project itself wasn’t just about a physical relocation of services, but a genuinely revised approach to service design and delivery. Why co-locate services? Students were always at the centre of our thinking in the design of the space and, above all, we wanted to ensure our services are as accessible to as many students as possible. The ‘one-stop-shop’ concept helps deliver this. Crucially, co-location makes it much easier for services to work with each other. For students, I hope it will mean they’ll use services or find out things they would not otherwise have known about or gone out of their way to access. What services and facilities will be available to students? The Campus Life Lounge will include careers, funding, welfare, events and activities for home and international students and visa and immigration support. Our Positive Living and Disability service will be located close by and students can make appointments to see a counsellor or advisor at the Campus Lounge enquiry desk

26

The Campus Life Lounge will host a range of activities and events for students throughout the year.

which will act as the gateway to services. Our Campus Life advisors will provide support, information and guidance on other services and resources that are available to students across the campus. The Campus Life Lounge will host a range of activities for students with pop-up information events throughout the year. A coffee cart will give students another reason to visit the space and to stop and take time out to use the facilities and to familiarise themselves with the support and information that’s available, and there will also be ample self-service enquiry and information points. How will students benefit? Our aim is to make it easier for students to access the support, information and guidance they need and to make it much simpler for them to navigate their way through what is available. The key benefit is to have everything in one location which is a really pleasant place to visit. What can staff expect from their new working environment? It’s essential that it’s a positive and fit-for-purpose place to work. It will be a very bright, colourful,

open space with fantastic views onto the newly landscaped campus. Working in close proximity to other services will also make it easier for colleagues to interact and share ideas and will facilitate student referrals across services.

Breaking the mould Eunice Olumide visits GCU London to talk about diversity within the fashion industry.

S

upermodel and GCU alumna Eunice Olumide visited GCU London recently with an inspiring tale to tell. Her career as a fashion model began at the age of 15, when she was spotted by Select, but chose to eventually sign to Model Team Scotland, an agency on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street. Since then, she has been signed to Ford, Viva, Mega and AMQ, and was twice nominated for Model of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards. In 2013, she was awarded Best Contribution to Fashion and Media at the SAF Awards Scotland, in line with the academic route she took with GCU. Eunice graduated from the University studying BA (Hons) Communication and Mass Media. “I had a very positive experience as a student,” she says. “I found the staff in particular to be very supportive, and enjoyed the cultural diversity on campus. It was definitely the best place to study due

to the practical focus of my course.” However, it was diversity within the fashion industry that proved to be the main focus of Eunice’s GCU London conversation,



I had a very positive experience as a student and enjoyed the cultural diversity

where she told students and staff that designers are still reluctant to use models from a broad range of cultures. Eunice, together with the evening’s host, Senior Lecturer in Luxury Brand Management Matteo Montecchi, also discussed the role of 'digital' in the fashion industry and the way some brands are “protecting themselves from user-generated content in an image-conscious industry”. “Eunice’s contribution was illuminating

and inspirational,“ says Matteo. “She carried out a clever and in-depth analysis of current issues affecting the wider fashion system and gave British School of Fashion students highly relevant recommendations on how to achieve their career aspirations.“ Eunice has worked all over the world with top designers such as Vivienne Westwood and has walked runways for Mulberry and Henry Holland. She has also turned her hand to acting, and is set to appear in the upcoming films Star Wars Rogue One and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. She lends her support to numerous charities close to her heart including Children’s Hospice Association Scotland, The Well Foundation and Love Music Hate Racism, and is a passionate environmental campaigner for Zero Waste Scotland. In 2013, she became an ambassador for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, alongside Kate Moss, Twiggy, Sharon Osbourne and others.

27

RESEARCH

RESEARCH

Helping to tackle societal challenges Fiona Ramsay meets Professor Cam Donaldson, the man behind the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health, to find out how the centre has grown six years after its launch.

M

ore than two years before social entrepreneur and microcredit pioneer Professor Muhammad Yunus was installed as Chancellor, the links between social business and health were being cultivated by GCU. The University appointed Professor Cam Donaldson, one of the world’s foremost health economists, to lead its new Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health in 2010. Cam was charged with bringing together a team of researchers to further develop GCU’s reputation for allied health research and to evaluate the impact of social business creation on the lives and health of disadvantaged communities in Glasgow and beyond. Arriving from the Institute of Health and

Society at Newcastle University, Cam says he was attracted to GCU by the ability of a dynamic, modern university to make real advances in tackling stubborn and longstanding health problems in disadvantaged communities. “My own discipline of health economics and medical science in general were really successful, but the elephant in the room is the growing disparities in health,” he says. “There is an inherent contradiction there and I am less convinced about the ability of Russell Group universities to make inroads into that.” Six years on and the Yunus Centre has grown from three to 35 people and has attracted multi-million pound research grants. Funded with a £210,000 grant from the Chief Scientist Office, Cam, along with colleagues Olga Biosca, Anwulika Umeh

The Yunus Centre is researching the potential for microcredit to act as a health creator and generator of wellbeing.

28

and Rachel Baker, is researching the potential for small loans, known as microcredit, to act as a health creator and generator of wellbeing. This brings a new ‘determinants of health’ perspective to the microcredit research field. Cam’s team also secured nearly £2million from the Medical Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council to study the impact of social enterprise on the health and wellbeing of people and communities. “The biggest achievement is to have created research capacity among a young and talented group of people that wasn’t there before,” he says. “If you look at the broader social business sector, that is a very important contribution − to have that substantial research grouping to partner with for studies. That a university like us can attract such significant ‘blue chip’ research funding as well is fantastic.” The Yunus Centre also benefits from the support of Professor Yunus himself. Along with regular visits to the centre’s researchers and students, Cam also continues the engagement with Professor Yunus at events including the Global Social Business Summit and associated Social Business Academia Conference and the annual Social Business Day in Dhaka. Cam studied for an MSc in Health Economics at the University of York before moving into health economics research positions. “I think I was good at economics because my mum was a comptometer [a key-driven mechanical calculator] operator and was good with numbers. “I believed in economics and wanted to apply it in a public-sector area. My favourite lecturer, when I was an undergraduate at

The University of Nottingham, said ‘you should try this health stuff!’ So that is what I did.” He came home to Glasgow for the move to GCU, having been born in Springburn and brought up in Bishopbriggs. Cam’s family moved to Manchester when he was a teenager, and he is still a season ticket holder for Manchester City Football Club. “My dad was football daft, and took me to games all over Glasgow and Lanarkshire, so I never attached myself to any one team up here. When the family moved to Manchester, Denis Law was finishing his playing career at Manchester City. Well, that was it for me, but my choice caused much pain over the next 30 years!” Cam is now looking towards the Research Excellence Framework 2020, following a strong performance in health research in REF 2014. “For REF 2020, we have to ensure outputs come from the University investment and from the research funding. Looking beyond REF 2020 is our main challenge, and that’s really about our sustainability. I think we do that by relying on fewer individuals to be successful, as people have ups and downs with grant success. We need a core of half a dozen people who are applying for grants from different

sources. Good recent examples of that are Rachel Baker, who is now an MRC PI, and the success with European funding of Simone Baglioni.” Dr Simone Baglioni, Reader in Politics, secured funding from the €80bn Horizon



That GCU can attract such significant ‘blue chip’ research funding is fantastic

2020 research and innovation framework programme for a three-year €2.5m project analysing the impact of the international economic crisis on groups which are most affected by socio-economic policy, such as immigrants, the unemployed or disabled. Cam views the research-centre model as one that can be sustained by GCU. “I think the University should have the ability to do this another three or four times in unique, niche areas, that the conservative Russell Group universities don’t have the ability or the patience to do because they are locked into a research treadmill driven by the REF, as opposed to being truly innovative and allowing REF outcomes to follow on from that.” He views the new Strategy 2020 and focus on the University for the Common Good as “substantial, timely and great for the University”. “I think, beyond the University, it also really resonates with people. We have shown you can build research and prestige alongside such a vision. What we need to do now is get people to coalesce their research around more of those societal challenges posed by the Strategy.”

29

OUR PEOPLE

Setting out principles for a fairer Scotland Fiona Ramsay talks to Professor John McKendrick about his research interests in poverty, children’s wellbeing and his personal views on social justice.

P

rofessor John McKendrick is firmly of the view that an organisation, or a community, only works with everyone doing their bit, feeling valued for doing so, and appreciating the contributions that others are making. Such an outlook fits well with GCU’s Common Good mission and, having worked at the University for over 17 years, he really believes in this ethos. “It’s what we’ve always been about,” he says. “I am very comfortable with our mission, so GCU has always been, and continues to be, the right place for me.” The University’s new Strategy 2020 also sits well with John. “It seemed to validate the work that I do.” It is perhaps no surprise that his research interests in poverty and the role of environment on children’s

and l t o n Sc 2014 i y t er Pov

4 201 and cotl in S erty Pov

y

OUR PEOPLE

ce den beyond pen nde m and i e Th endu r refe

ond , alism

’s land rly , icula part liticians o nd p

ode

30



I love teaching, I tolerate the administration, and I am passionate about my research

“We were part of the consortium and it was a fixed-term Research Fellow post, which appealed to me,” he says. “But, if truth be told, I missed GCU. I am not an academic who just wants to do research. "I love teaching, I tolerate the administration, and I am passionate about my research. That’s the und ill kgro w Bac raphsthat balance I need.” – – < info/g dated p be uJohn wants the research he does to have a real-world impact. “My orientation tends to be more applied. While I am an academic and enjoy contributing to conceptual and theoretical debates, ey, I am a firm believer that oon y M erry er Kell t k, G dric and Pe the knowledge we n e cK tt

o M l Sc nH Joh kie, Gil by: ic d D e n Edit Joh Barc

wellbeing also strongly support his personal views on social justice. Based in the Department of Social Sciences, Media and Journalism in Glasgow School for Business and Society, John had a secondment of two years to the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research on Families and Relationships a few years’ ago, but was keen to return to GCU where he could balance research and teaching responsibilities.

generate should have a useful life or purpose beyond the academic and that motivates me. "I spend a lot of time giving advice to councils and organisations such as Barnardo’s and they are keen to listen.” Outside of work, John also has plenty of knowledge to share as a Category 1 Scottish FA Referee, father of three, grandfather of one, and Chair of the St. Andrew’s Orienteering Club (Glasgow). John completed a BA and a PhD in geography at Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities, before moving to the University of Manchester for four years. His work at GCU has always involved working with diverse groups. “I still see myself as a human geographer but I am not teaching this discipline. Initially, my teaching involved demonstrating the value of geographical perspectives to social science students; now I’m more concerned to showcase the importance to our business degree students of appreciating the wider context within which their professional practice will take place. “It’s very much consistent with GCU’s concern to promote global citizenship.” John has worked closely with Gill Scott, Emeritus Professor, who led the now defunct Scottish Poverty Information Unit at GCU, to publish a series of Poverty in Scotland books. The publication is a collaboration between the Child Poverty Action Group, the Open University, GCU and the Poverty Alliance. John explains: “The series started a long time ago when there was a dearth of information about poverty and conditions in Scotland.

“In time, these books have developed to place the issue of poverty at the heart of political debate, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Jackie Baillie MSP speaking at the launch of the last edition.” The last edition was published before the 2014 referendum, setting out principles for a fairer Scotland, whatever the outcome. The next will be pre-Scottish election 2016. John says that although there is much concern about the impact of welfare reform on the most vulnerable and the adverse impact of reduced resources for councils, there are also grounds for optimism in that the referendum reinvigorated a national

debate about what had to be done to realise a “socially just Scotland”. Another area of interest for John is children’s play and the role of environments on children, which may be challenged by poverty and lack of opportunity. This work has seen him invited to speak in March to the Scottish Government’s play strategy group (led by Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell), on behalf of Play Scotland.



There is no one out there that doesn’t want children to have nice places to play

A current topic of focus is the future of Glasgow’s Children’s Wood, which is subject to a battle between developers and the community groups which use the space. John says: “There is no one out there that doesn’t want children to have nice places to play. "But we need to start making decisions that protect community spaces.” John says there is hope that infrastructure investment from the City Deal, an agreement between the UK Government, Scottish Government and the eight Glasgow and Clyde Valley councils, might lead to significant revitalisation with a positive impact on urban environments. However, he warns: “There is a risk that the benefits are not shared as widely as they could be, and that the investment works to the favour of some, but not for the majority. "That is a particular issue in Glasgow, which has far more than its fair share of poverty and deprivation. "Although ours is an exciting and vibrant city, there are also a lot of hidden problems. "Making Glasgow work better for its most disadvantaged is a common weal that GCU researchers and graduates should work toward achieving in the years’ ahead.” 31

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Elaine Gardiner (left) and Diane Dickson say GCU’s state-of-the-art ultrasound technology allows them to create real-world scenarios for students.

Access all areas

WHO? We are Wendy Smith (left), a Lecturer in Podiatry/Simulation Co-ordinator in the School of Health and Life Sciences, and Gayle Mackie (right), working as a Clinical Simulation Technician, supporting staff and students in the School’s Inter-professional Simulation Centre. We are both passionate about the use of simulation in learning and teaching to enhance the student experience.

GCU’s medical ultrasound programme set is tailored to offer students accessible learning – at home and abroad. Programme Lead Diane Dickson tells Chris Fitzgerald why.

I

n October last year, GCU rolled out its Postgraduate Certificate Medical Ultrasound (International) programme to the United Arab Emirates. The 12-month programme is being delivered by GCU to students at Lifeway Specialized Center, a specialist training hub in Sharjah, the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah. Medical Ultrasound Programme Lead Diane Dickson, and Elaine Gardiner, Lecturer in Diagnostic Imaging, are delivering the course in three intensive units, focusing on obstetric medical ultrasound, professional issues and physics and technology. The programme takes a ‘hands-on’ approach, which has allowed students to scan, under supervision, patients who would be otherwise unable to access ultrasound examinations. In addition, the programme supports early-practice skills using state-of-the-art ultrasound simulation equipment. “Healthcare in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is very different to the UK, with no NHS and reduced regulation,” says Diane. “It has been fascinating to explore this from the point of view of internationalising our own curriculum. “In the UAE, ultrasound has traditionally been carried out by doctors, but is now being rolled out across health professions such as midwifery and radiography. “There has, however, been no formalised training and some people have been carrying out medical ultrasound examinations without the theory or supervised skills training to underpin their practice. Our programme provides this training to an international standard.” The programme set also contributes significantly to GCU’s teaching priorities of the Common Good curriculum by designing routes of learning to support the expansion of medical ultrasound services not just abroad, but at home. According to Diane, highly

32

trained ultrasound health professionals are essential to deliver key health strategies here in Scotland, such as NHSScotland 2020 Workforce Vision, Better Cancer Care – Action Plan and national screening programmes. However, recent expansion of ultrasound techniques into less traditional groups and fields has required further development within education and training. At GCU, the ultrasound team quickly responded to this need by reducing barriers to practitioners seeking training across Scotland and further afield. Block teaching has been introduced in a bid to minimise travel to campus for those

in remote and rural areas, while a negotiated ‘defined area of ultrasound practice’ module at Masters-level has been put in place to support those practicing in less traditional fields. “We also deliver accessible digital learning,” says Diane. “This helps to supplement learning between the face-to-face teaching blocks. “These segments consist of quizzes and the sharing of electronic portfolios to remotely support ongoing clinical practice. “On campus, we have been fortunate to secure recent investment for the programme and have wonderful facilities. We have state-of-the-art ultrasound

View from here

technology, such as virtual Scan Trainers, which allow us to create real-world problem-solving activities via ultrasound simulation. We are even able take these to the UAE. These facilities engage students to develop and rehearse practical skills in campus-based sessions.” While accessibility is key, the overall aim of the medical ultrasound programme is to deliver high-quality education to support a wide range of healthcare practitioners in delivering safe clinical practice. “Ultrasound is fast becoming the diagnostic tool of choice due to its relative inexpensive nature, safety profile and multiple applications in healthcare,”

Diane explains. “Therefore, to ensure we deliver widely accessible and fit-for-purpose medical ultrasound training, within a robust quality and governance framework, we have an expert core team, harnessing skills across a number of specialist areas including general medical, vascular, obstetric, screening and research.” Diane has been with GCU for just over three years as a lecturer in Diagnostic Imaging, moving from a Clinical Ultrasound role in Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS. She has been in post as Medical Ultrasound Programme Lead since January 2015 and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

WHAT? The accurate description and recording of conditions that a patient presents with is essential in health care. This year we won the 'Best Poster' award by staff attending the annual Learning and Teaching Celebration, based on our project to create a 3D, life-size set of conditions (wounds, lesions etc) for podiatry students to study and document. This session was designed to promote deeper and broader learning. The key purpose was to use moulage [applying mock injuries for the purpose of training] to design models which students could touch, measure and discuss in the safe environment of the simulated clinic. Students positively evaluated the experience and reported an increase in competence and confidence to apply in practice. NOW WHAT? We are aiming to run a workshop at the Higher Education Academy conference to demonstrate our techniques and applications of moulage. Winning the poster prize has demonstrated that colleagues across GCU are interested in using these techniques to enhance their own simulation scenarios.

33

BACK STORY

Rowing gives Caroline flight without wings

Glasgow Caledonian University

1st Scottish university to open campuses in London and New York

Leader in

Who are you and what’s your day job? Professor Caroline Parker, Academic Lead, GCU Values project.

What’s your Back Story I fell in love with the idea of rowing in my late 40s. My son took up the sport at Castle Semple Rowing Club and I was eventually encouraged to have a go myself, despite being totally unfit and a bit shorter than the stereotypical rower. Once on the water, there was no looking back. I started rowing regularly, first for recreation, then competition and finally fundraising. I’ve completed the 50k Lincoln to Boston rowing marathon three times now, the last time in a single scull raising enough money to buy an adaptive boat for the club. My early experience encouraged me to become a Level 2 coach and work with a colleague on building the adult novice

34

section of the club. I became Club President in 2009 and worked with other enthusiastic committee members to widen access to rowing and develop and invest in our volunteer body. I’m very proud of the fact we now have the highest number of Level 2 rowing coaches in Scotland (12), we’ve started to develop our para-rowing section and this year received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service for our efforts.

N

o

Why do you do it? It makes me smile. Being out on the loch in a single scull on a calm day is the closest thing to flying without wings. It’s beautiful, it’s meditative and you’re always learning.

Does it help you in your daily life at home and at work? Rowing and coaching are great ways to let go of stress. Doing either activity well leaves no room for anything else. It’s less helpful with home life, as the cleaning, gardening and DIY tasks can take a bit of a back seat at times.

What has been your greatest achievement in your hobby? Hard question. Whatever else I’ve done, the one thing I treasure most is being able to call myself an athlete at the age of 56. To anyone who was sporty in their youth, this probably wouldn’t qualify, but, to me, it’s been the toughest and most satisfying achievement of all.

What has been your favourite/ funniest moment? Finding myself upside down under the water because I was too busy chatting to a friend and forgot to close one of the gates that hold the oar in place. It happened so quickly. One moment I was upright in the warm summer sun as I pushed off into the loch, the next I was looking at the surface from underneath. It was right next to the pontoon in full view of the rest of the club, so I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the joke.

alumni discount

1

World class

facilities

for

research power





employment rate

20% guaranteed

widening access Professor Caroline Parker (rear) is Academic Lead for GCU’s Values project and in her spare time coaches at Castle Semple Rowing Club.

95% graduate

in Scotland for a modern university

Offering a range of specialist courses, many the first and only

of their kind

1st platinum Ecocampus & cycle friendly campus in Scotland

Sources: REF 2014, DHLE 2014, Ecocampus, 2015 & Cycling Scotland 2016

University for the Common Good

GCU London

GCU New York

Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA

40 Fashion Street, London E1 6PX

64 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012, USA

www.gcu.ac.uk

www.gculondon.ac.uk

www.gcunewyork.com

Glasgow Caledonian University is a registered Scottish charity, number SCO21474. Glasgow Caledonian University Foundation is the operating name for the charitable fundraising activities of Glasgow Caledonian University.