Herald Education Awards recognise university and college achievements
QMU won the Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member award for the work of Evelyn Weir, who has been a leading figure in podiatry for 30 years and Senior Lecturer in Podiatry, Clinical Lead for Podiatry, and Collaborative Academic Link for two podiatry programmes with QMU's Greek partner institution.
Colleagues highlighted Evelyn's volunteer efforts to help homeless people and singled her out as the staff member who goes 'above and beyond' to support care-experienced students.
'Evelyn provides the extra care, encouragement and financial guidance necessary to ensure students have a transformative university experience – ensuring they reach their potential, during their degree and beyond.'
QMU also won in the Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community category for their Wooden Spoon Frame Running Hub. Frame running uses purpose-built three-wheeled frames to allow individuals with limited or no independent walking ability the freedom of independent movement.
QMU's hub is the first of its kind in Scotland and perhaps the first in the world.
New College Lanarkshire (NCL) impressed this year's judges with the breadth of its submissions: NCL was shortlisted in eight categories and won for Outstanding Contribution from a College Student (Chloe Sandilands), Widening Access achievement in partnership with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), and NCL Deputy Principal Ann Baxter took home the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Judges were impressed by Chloe's work at the college to extend support and a welcoming hand to her fellow students. After beginning her college career while she was homeless, Chloe became a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion and student wellbeing.
Chloe also capitalised on the ability to enrol in NCL's Undergraduate School, Scotland's first undergraduate school located on a college campus developed in partnership with UWS.
The Undergraduate School won the 2025 Widening Access Award, demonstrating an ability to create useful new routes to degrees for communities that are typically below the Scottish average for degree achievement.
Chloe was joined in the category by co-winner Jorja Boyd from City of Glasgow College. College staff said that Jorja struggled to receive full support during her school career due to her autism.
Despite limited opportunities for qualifications, Jorja applied to the college's free support learning programme in bakery in 2019. This proved a crucial stepping stone, as Jorja went on to SCQF levels 4, 5, 6, and 7 and pursued her HNC in Legal Services.
Read more:
She advocates for students with additional support needs (ASN), particularly through biweekly basketball sessions for ASN youths.
Meanwhile, Ann Baxter was recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her 30 years in the college sector. Before starting in education, Ms Baxter worked as a nurse and Matron in Northern Ireland, serving as a frontline healthcare worker at the height of The Troubles.
After moving to Scotland and beginning work in the college, she battled sexism and under-resourcing to create a variety of new programmes meant to connect students with employment opportunities.
Other awards on the night included colleges and universities scooping honours for technological innovations, community service projects, inclusion, and top-shelf marketing campaigns.
One of the standouts for the judges was Glasgow Clyde College's 'Swiftie Masterclass,' which won for Marketing/PR Campaign of the Year. With Taylor Swift's Eras tour coming to Scotland in Summer 2024, the college decided that it would provide an opportunity to create an 'authentic and meaningful' campaign that would capitalise on the natural buzz surrounding the pop sensation's arrival.
The result was a free, one-off 90-minute masterclass, which targeted parents and plus-ones who would be attending the concert but may not be on the same level of fandom as their fellow ticketholders.
From background information on songs and lyrics to essential concert choreography and attire, a Taylor Swift expert walked attendees through everything they would need to know to fit in and make the most of the night.
The college received over 200 pieces of media coverage for its project, generating millions of views globally.
Less glitter but no less impactful for students, the University of St Andrews' Common Extension Request System took home the Innovative Use of Technology Award Sponsored by Jisc for creating a system to streamline student extension requests and ensure fairness and efficiency in the process.
The project makes it easier for students to access the support they are entitled to and gives the university better tracking abilities to create and implement more useful policies.
Jason Miles-Campbell, Director of Scotland and Northern Ireland for award sponsor Jisc, said: "Congratulations to all the winners at The Herald Education Awards for 2025, and, in particular, to the University of St Andrews.
'The winning project streamlines requests for coursework deadline extensions, improving the student experience, and allowing staff to spend more time on student support rather than bureaucracy. The innovative introduction of a relatively simple system has addressed what is often a long-standing issue, to everyone's benefit."
Full list of winners at The Herald Education Awards 2025:
Enhancing Student Learning Award – Sponsored by QAA
City of Glasgow College – Inclusive Cross College Sports Development Project
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award – Sponsored by Theorise
University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School – Pause Together: Work, Live Thrive: Kirsteen Daly and Professor Kathleen Riach
Innovative Use of Technology Award – Sponsored by Jisc
University of St Andrews – Common Extension Request System
Marketing/PR Campaign of the Year
Glasgow Clyde College – Swiftie Masterclass
Outstanding Business Engagement in Colleges
Glasgow Kelvin College on behalf of Glasgow City Regional Colleges – College Local Innovation Centres (CLIC)
Outstanding Business Engagement in Universities
Heriot-Watt University – GRID – Global Research Innovation Discovery
Outstanding Contribution from a College Student (Joint winners)
City of Glasgow College – Jorja Boyd
New College Lanarkshire – Chloe Sandilands
Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member
Queen Margaret University – Evelyn Weir
Outstanding Contribution from a University Student
University of St Andrews – Emma Hughes
Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community
Queen Margaret University – Wooden Spoon Frame Running Hub
Partnership Award – Sponsored by QAA
North East Scotland College on behalf of the National Energy Skills Accelerator (NESA) – Building Skills for a Just Energy Transition
Partnership with Schools Award
Edinburgh College – Modern Language Department
Research Project of the Year
University of Stirling – Permanently Progressing Building Secure Futures for Children - Winner
Heriot-Watt University – Deaf Women's Access to Support after Experiencing Domestic Violence - Commendation
Supporting Student Wellbeing Award – Sponsored by Studiosity
University of Strathclyde – Early Intervention Team
Widening Access Award
New College Lanarkshire/University of the West of Scotland – The Undergraduate School
Further Education Institute of the Year
New College Lanarkshire
Higher Education Institute of the Year
Queen Margaret University
Lifetime Achievement Award
New College Lanarkshire – Ann Baxter
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
'I put a wash on and went to bed - then woke up a millionaire'
Margaret, 60, and John Campbell, 73, were on the Greek island of Rhodes when Margaret received an email from The National Lottery saying they had won a prize on the EuroMillions A couple from Liverpool were had returned home from celebrating their ruby wedding anniversary in Rhodes when they discovered they had become millionaires. Margaret, 60, and John Campbell, 73, had been enjoying the Greek sunshine when Margaret received an email from The National Lottery informing them of a win on the EuroMillions last month. Before jetting off for a week of relaxation and sunbathing, Margaret had purchased their usual EuroMillions Lucky Dip. However, as players cannot access The National Lottery app from abroad, she assumed the prize was "£2.80, like it always is" and continued to enjoy their sunny getaway. Upon returning home at 4am, Margaret's first thought wasn't to check her winnings, but rather to do some laundry and get some sleep. It was only later that morning when she woke up that she finally logged into her lottery account. Margaret shared: "I looked on the app and I'd only matched one number and it took me a few seconds to realise it was the Millionaire Maker code. I said to John, 'I think I've won a million pounds,' and he immediately said it must be a scam. I kept looking and thinking 'this says I've won.' "I called one of our two sons to say I'd won. When he arrived, I ran out of the door shouting 'I have, I've won.' He told me to get indoors before everyone found out." Margaret contacted The Allwyn, the operator of the National Lottery, and had the ticket details checked, reports the Liverpool Echo. She recalled: "The lady on the phone told me to get a pen and a piece of paper. She said write this down - one, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero. That's what you've won, £1million. I was literally shaking, my hands were shaking." Even after their ticket was validated, the couple found it hard to believe they'd actually won. Margaret confessed: "I said I'd believe it when it was finally in my bank account. The other day I went for a shower and when I came out there was the notification from the bank, a £1million deposit. It's unbelievable." Margaret and John plan to use their winnings to "look after themselves and their family". They intend to use the money to help pay off house and car loans and ensure their two grown-up sons are secure. They've also booked another holiday for August and are planning to buy a new car. John thinks their win might have something to do with their dog, Kash, who sadly passed away shortly before they jetted off to Rhodes. John reflected: "He was a lovely dog and only six years old. Sadly, he wasn't well and couldn't be helped. We keep saying that is it Kash is looking down on us and bringing us cash with this big win." Margaret bagged the prize by matching the raffle code on the EuroMillions UK Millionaire Maker. Each ticket is assigned a unique code which is entered into a raffle, with a top prize of £1M. Margaret's winning ticket matched the raffle code MQDD 67764 in the draw on Tuesday, June 24.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Massive Biblical battle unearthed as previously unexplored 'Area X' begins to give up its secrets
Previously unexplored 'Area X' unearths new evidence that Josiah, the last great king of Judah, fell at the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II thousands of years ago Archaeologists have unearthed "incredible" artefacts that suggest a Biblical king was vanquished by a formidable Egyptian army millennia ago. The team of researchers has found remarkable evidence pointing to the defeat of a renowned Biblical monarch by an extensive Egyptian force, as indicated by remnants of Egyptian pottery in the Levant region. Recent findings support the theory that Josiah, Judah's last significant king, met his demise at the hands of Pharaoh Necho II. The fateful battle took place in Megiddo in 609 BCE, casting a shadow over the future of the kingdom of Judah and setting the stage for Armageddon – the prophesied location of the apocalypse in Christian belief. It wasn't until March this year that tangible archaeological proof came to light, with the discovery of a unique collection of ceramics in present-day Israel. Excavations in the ancient city of Megiddo revealed pottery associated with Necho's forces. Among the finds were substantial quantities of Egyptian and Greek pottery, as detailed by Professor Israel Finkelstein from Haifa University, who has led the Megiddo excavations for years, alongside Dr Assaf Kleiman from Ben-Gurion University, reports the Mirror US. In two papers published in January and February in the Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, Kleiman, Finkelstein, and their colleagues discuss their discoveries. They propose that the debris is indicative of Necho's Egyptian troops' presence, potentially including Greek mercenaries as part of the contingent. Around the 10th-9th century BCE, Megiddo was part of the Kingdom of Israel, though there's ongoing debate about whether Megiddo and other territories were earlier part of the so-called David and Solomon and whether the united Israelite monarchy described by the Bible ever truly existed. What we do know is that for at least two centuries, Megiddo was a significant hub. Around 732 BCE, Megiddo was captured and the Israelite capital of Samaria fell shortly after. Renamed Magiddu, it became the capital of a new Assyrian province in the Levant. Years after the fall of the northern kingdom, Assyria faced pressure from emerging powers in Mesopotamia and Iran, namely the Babylonians and the Medes. Around 630 BCE, the Assyrians abandoned Megiddo. In 609 BCE, under Necho's leadership, Egypt marched into the Levant to aid the failing city. In Jerusalem, Josiah had been on the throne for 31 years before he was defeated by Necho at Megiddo. The Book of Kings leaves it unclear why Necho killed Josiah. The Book of Chronicles suggests that Josiah had tried to block Necho's advance and that the ensuing battle was a disastrous affair during which the Judahite king was killed. The bulk of ancient Megiddo was excavated during the 1920s by a University of Chicago expedition, which dug up and carted away most of the upper strata to reach the earlier versions of the settlement beneath. However, one section in the northwest corner of the site, dubbed 'Area X', remained largely undisturbed. It was in this spot that Finklestein's team discovered a stone-paved courtyard area. According to the ceramic evidence, the structure dates back to the mid-seventh century BCE. The discoveries included fragments from local pottery vessels, including traditional cooking pots, alongside serving dishes showing Mesopotamian influence. "Scholars believed Megiddo completely changed socially, that the ratio of the local population was very low or non-existent, but we show it must have been higher than what was previously believed," Kleiman says. "There must have been a significant component of Levantine population in Megiddo at the time, and we see this, for example, in the cooking pots, which are very important cultural and social indicators. The pots we found tell us the population at the site cooked like their parents and grandparents, in the same local traditions." The most significant discovery was the abundance of Egyptian pottery in Area X. "When we opened the boxes of finds from the dig at my lab in Ben-Gurion University, I told my students to put the Egyptian pottery on the tables, and table after table got filled," Kleiman revealed. "The number of Egyptian vessels is double or even triple the amount found in the entire Levant for that period. This is not decorated fine tableware, so it's very hard to argue that someone at Megiddo, a deportee or a surviving Israelite, all of a sudden acquired a taste for sub-par Egyptian pottery and decided to import it into his house."
Spectator
7 days ago
- Spectator
Where did ‘husband' come from?
'Am I housebound?' asked my husband as I was discussing with him the complicated history of the name for his role in life. 'No, darling,' I said. 'You're the one in the house who just is or lives there.' Only later did I tell him that the word bond, behind the -band of husband, sank in worth with the years, following the same path as boor, churl and peasant. Whereas I as a housewife enjoy a comparatively transparent label, any husband's title is obscure. It is simply a house-bond, but the first element of husband, hus-, no longer seems like house, and the -bond element is often mistaken for a form of bond, a separate word to do with binding. The bond in husband derives from words in Norse languages with related meanings 'to live, dwell, to cultivate, to build'. Old English had a connected word, buan, 'to dwell', and these all came from the ancient Indo-European word that gave us be, as well as the Latin fui and the Greek stem phu- (hence physics). The history of the English word be finds cousins in Persian, Russian and Irish. Anyway, before the Norman Conquest, bonda in English meant a freeman, like a ceorl (churl), below a noble thane but above a servile worker. After the Normans came, the churl sank from freeman to a tenant bound to a lord, and bonde in Middle English became equivalent to a villein or serf, and then to a slave. It was at this stage that the word became confused with bond as in bondage. In husband, the fossilised -band was insulated from these developments in meaning. Husbandry meant at first management of a household, an obsolete sense, of which we retain only husbanding of resources. Husbandry was the task of a husbandman, cultivating the soil. The husband as master of the house came to mean the correlative of a housewife, to whom he'd be married. Strangely some men in the Middle Ages, such as Richard Husewif (1192), had the word as a surname; perhaps it was taken as a role independent of sex. My husband certainly couldn't be mistaken for one.
