Old Boy is New Boy in Edinburgh Institute

In October, I returned to Edinburgh Napier as Director of the EI more than three decades after I left it as one of the first ‘crop’ of journalism graduates.

Back then, you could get a pint of Tartan Special and a soggy spring roll in the Student’s Union at Sighthill and still have change out of 50p to play the juke box.  And, back then, 80% of the funding of Scotland’s higher education came from the public sector.  Today, it’s 60%, and falling. 

Evidently, universities embracing commercial partnership, knowledge transfer and international markets will become the leading institutions in the new landscape.  Edinburgh Napier is well positioned to play a prominent role.

Our relationship with the business community is critical in this endeavour, not merely for its contribution to our bottom line, but more importantly as partners in releasing the potential of intellectual property and improving the employability of our graduates.

Our Business School has earned a reputation for talking to the business community in its own language.  And the Edinburgh Institute for implementing practice-based learning solutions which can be measured in improved business performance.  That’s quite a strong hand to play when costs and margins are being squeezed in the private and public sectors alike.

We have to be more agile, however.  As markets, consumers and businesses adapt in the modern world, so must we review the relevance and competitiveness of our offer.  Therefore, the EI is reviewing its mission and purpose, and will be publishing an ambitious three year strategy and action plan in the first quarter of the new year.

I’d like to consult widely on our strategy, so look out for an invitation to an EI presentation to Business School staff, where we’d welcome your contribution.  Thank you all for making me feel so welcome and involved during my early weeks here.  It was a little daunting for me, moving from a ‘small business’ environment to an academic institution.  You’ve made my transiton relatively stress-free and I’m enjoying the challenge.

Graham Birse