MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF QUEEN MARGARET UNIVERSITY Issue 88 | MARCH 2021 Celebrating 50 years of drama QMU rises to the A Craiglang catch-up & 75 years of speech challenges of the pandemic with Tam and Isa 04-05 06-07 08-09 10-11 12 – 13 14 – 15 NEWS PANDEMIC PANDEMIC COVID-19 OUTDOOR MADE AT QMU IN BRIEF RESPONSE RESPONSE RESEARCH LEARNING HERE IS NO denying that the last year has been one of the most challenging periods in the history of Queen Margaret University. Like all universities, we Thave had to move quickly to adapt our teaching methods - students now benefit from our blended learning approach which involves a mix of face-to-face teaching and online QMU features in World How QMU is making a Empty Kitchens, Full People's experience Taking the classroom Celebrating class of University Rankings Hearts learning. We have also had to reshape how we offer student difference of COVID into the forest 2020 World's first master's Tutoring initiative helps Introducing rising star support, run our commercial operations and undertake in mad studies Healthcare students pupils catch up with Loneliness amongst our research. Every part of the University’s operations has support the NHS learning refugee community Ghemisola Ikumelo Principal’s been impacted by the pandemic, yet we continue to deliver Welcome - preparing students for the world of work, supporting our 16 17 18 - 19 20-21 communities, driving forward important research, and ENTREPRENEURS GRADUATES’ HEALTH AND HEALTH AND focusing our activity on making a real difference to the CONTENTS ASSOCIATION REHABILITATION REHABILITATION world around us. I am deeply impressed at the resilience, and the passion CONTACT: and determination of QMU staff, students and graduates Development and Alumni Team who contribute in a positive way to society. This edition E: [email protected] of the magazine pays tribute to each and every member www.qmu.ac.uk/alumni-and-friends of the University’s community who has used their skills, Marketing and Communications Team Creative hub SHIFTs President's update Equipping forensic Virtual reality gives knowledge and time to help our communities in coping [email protected] E: online nurse examiners paramedics a reality with and recovering from the pandemic. The first part of this www.qmu.ac.uk magazine shares some of these stories. Our feature focusing to help in rape and check Queen Margaret University, Wine app quenches sexual assault cases on our response to the pandemic helps to demonstrate the Edinburgh, EH21 6UU. thirst important place that QMU inhabits, not only in the community, T: 0131 474 0000 but in UK higher education and indeed the world at large. COVER PHOTOGRAPH: 22-23 24-25 26 27 In this most challenging of years, we are delighted to HEALTH AND HEALTH AND 75 YEARS 50 YEARS Copyright BBC REHABILITATION REHABILITATION OF SPEECH bring some much needed positivity. Our magazine not only Studios Scotland OF DRAMA focuses on the great work of our students, graduates and staff, it celebrates our history, acknowledges our present, DESIGN: and looks with confidence towards our future. We take this Marketing & opportunity to share some significant milestones with you. Communications Team This edition celebrates two anniversaries – 50 years of drama and 75 years of speech sciences. We have a proud history PRINT: of education in these specialist areas, and are pleased that This publication is printed on Oxygen Advancing dementia Lydia Osteoporosis Interview with Celebrating 50 years Offset leadership Project Professor Janet Beck of drama & performing some of our graduates and staff have agreed to share their arts experiences and career stories with us. Sexual expression in RaceRunning Interview with Danielle people with dementia Jam, CBeebies Like me, I know you’ll love hearing from our alumni, including Hollywood actor Kevin McKidd, and Jane McCarry and Mark Cox, AKA Isa and Tam, stars of the immensely popular TV STAY CONNECTED - Keep up to 28-29 30-31 32-33 34-36 sitcom ‘Still Game’. We are also proud to celebrate the date with QMU's news, events, 50 YEARS 50 YEARS 50 YEARS CELEBRATING success of rising star and BAFTA winner Gbemisola Ikumelo, initiatives and successes by OF DRAMA OF DRAMA OF DRAMA PHILANTHROPY who is fast becoming one of the leading comedy performers engaging with us on social of her generation. media. I hope you enjoy reading this celebratory edition as much as I have, and find inspiration from some of our news facebook.com/ stories, features and interviews. If you are a graduate, please QueenMargaretUniversity continue to connect with the University through our alumni Kevin McKidd – Q&A with actor From QMU to Power of philanthropy office at E: [email protected] and if you are a member @QMUniversity The long road to Michael Nardone Craiglang Supporting students of the public or are already connected with the University, twitter.com/QMUniversity Hollywood facing financial please consider talking to our Development team on hardship E: [email protected] about different ways you can QMUniversity support our work. youtube.com/QMUniversity Some of the articles featured in this magazine are available online at: With very best wishes instagram.com/ www.qmu.ac.uk/magazine qmuni/ Sir Paul Grice FRSE, FAcSS 2 QMYOU / Principal's Welcome QMYOU / Contents 3 Award-winning mental health book distributed across Scotland NEWS THE RECOVERY LETTERS’, a collection of writings from people who have recovered, or are in the process of recovering from depression, was included as part ‘of a mental health kit issued across Scotland. The kits were distributed by Time to Tackle, a football-based support initiative. Edited by Dr Olivia Sagan, QMU’s Head of Psychology, IN BRIEF Sociology and Education, and James Withey, the book is an anthology of letters from people of all ages and from all walks of life who have struggled with depression and have set out on the road to recovery through the cathartic power of writing. QMU recognised in world university The Recovery Letters was chosen as a World Book Night rankings title in 2018 and is on the Reading Agency’s list for mental Short course for third sector linked to health reading. Cosmopolitan magazine also named it one of OR THE FIRST TIME, Queen Margaret University features ‘12 Mental Health Books Everyone Should Read’. publication of public sociology book in the QS World University Rankings, ranked in the top The idea for the project resulted from Withey’s battle with MU HAS INTRODUCED a Postgraduate Certificate 70% of universities in the world. depression after he was unable to find any personal accounts of (PgCert) in public sociology aimed at workers, FNow in their 17th year, the QS World University Rankings are the recovery and management of the condition while in residence volunteers and activists in the third sector, at considered the world’s most consulted source of comparative in a psychiatric hospital, as well as Dr Sagan’s longitudinal Qthe same time as publishing an acclaimed new book on ❒ information about university performance. research with mentally ill adults learning how to write. public sociology. With contributions from academics, Dr Sagan said: “We hope that the personal accounts included graduates and students from QMU and other World’s first master’s in mad studies within the collection provide a sense of comfort and support for universities, and third sector organisations, ‘Public HE WORLD’S FIRST master’s degree in mad studies is those who are living with mental ill-health during the particularly Sociology as Educational Practice’ is deemed to be a ❒ now being offered by the University. Primarily a course challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic.” ‘must-read’ for sociologists, educationalists, students, for graduates with lived experience of mental health and community and social movement activists. It also Tissues, the new MSc Mad Studies has been hailed as the most Swapping the classroom for woodland provides a core text for QMU’s postgraduate certificate exciting piece of curriculum development in the last 20 years! adventures programme. Mad studies is a recognised academic discipline that explores The PgCert Public Sociology provides an opportunity for IGHTING OUTDOOR FIRES, building bug houses the knowledge and actions that have grown from the global mad those involved in community action and social movements to and baking bread over a campfire have resulted in movement. It cuts across the fields of social sciences, healthcare learn relevant social analysis. It explores how social analysis New course to advance practice in the care students moving out of their traditional classrooms and humanities and expresses a radical new voice in academia about contributes to a range of professional, community action home sector Lon campus and into an inspiring woodland setting in and social movement practices and encourages students to madness. Musselburgh. Dr Elaine Ballantyne, Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at NEW COURSE which will help to improve care and reflect systematically on the relationship between practice QMU, explained: “This is an important development that recognises advance professional practice within the care home Thanks to a new partnership with the National Trust for and theory in their current and future work in the community, mad studies as an academic discipline, and the important contribution sector has been launched by QMU’s Division of Scotland, students on QMU’s Initial Teacher Education courses voluntary and public sector. The course draws extensively that the mad community can make to the generation of knowledge Nursing.A are enjoying the chance to develop outdoor skills in an open-air on the experience of QMU and other academics, which is learning zone in the stunning grounds of Newhailes House published in Public Sociology as Educational Practice.