Queen Margaret University
File:Queen Margaret University logo.jpg | |
Former names | Queen Margaret University College, Queen Margaret College |
---|---|
Type | Public |
Established | 2007 - granted University Status 1875 - The Edinburgh School of Cookery |
Chancellor | Prue Leith |
Principal | Petra Wend |
Students | 5,130 (2019/20)[1] |
Undergraduates | 3,510 (2019/20)[1] |
Postgraduates | 1,615 (2019/20)[1] |
Other students | 20 further education[2] |
Location | , 55°55′53″N 3°04′23″W / 55.93139°N 3.07306°W |
Website | www |
Queen Margaret University (formerly Queen Margaret University College and Queen Margaret College) is a public university located in Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland. It is named after Saint Margaret, wife of King Malcolm III of Scotland. Its predecessor, Queen Margaret University College, was awarded full university status becoming Queen Margaret University in January 2007.
History
The college was founded in 1875, as The Edinburgh School of Cookery and Domestic Economy, by Christian Guthrie Wright and Louisa Stevenson,[3] both members of the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association. The School was founded as a women-only institution, with twin aims of improving women's access to higher education and improving the diets of working class families.[3] Teaching was initially delivered via lectures at the Royal Museum, supplemented by a programme of public lectures and demonstrations delivered nationwide, but in 1877 the School established a base at Shandwick Place, in Haymarket.
The school moved in 1891 to Atholl Crescent, expanding its courses and offering residential places to students. In 1909, the School was designated a Central Institution and brought under the public control of the Scottish Education Department. The first Principal appointed was Ethel De la Cour.[4] De la Cour retired in 1930, and in the same year the School became the Edinburgh College of Domestic Science.[5]
In 1961, the College acquired its Corstorphine campus, purchasing a portion of the Clermiston estate from developers. The campus was first occupied by the College in 1970, opened by Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester who was Patron of the institution until her death in 2004.[3] In 1972, the name Queen Margaret College was adopted to dissociate the College from the narrow field of domestic science.[3] Thereafter, the College broadened its range of courses, especially in the dramatic arts and paramedical healthcare fields. The following institutions have since been absorbed by Queen Margaret College:[3]
- The Edinburgh College of Speech and Drama (established 1929, joined 1971)
- The Edinburgh School of Speech Therapy (established 1946, joined 1975)
- The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh School of Physiotherapy (established 1940, joined 1978)
- The Astley Ainslie Hospital Occupational Therapy Training Centre (established 1937, joined 1979)
- The Edinburgh Foot Clinic and School of Chiropody (established 1924, joined 1984)
- The Edinburgh School of Radiography (established 1936, joined 1992)
- The Edinburgh University Settlement School of Art Therapy (established 1992, joined 1997)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/81/Queen_Margaret_University_main_building.jpg/220px-Queen_Margaret_University_main_building.jpg)
In 1992, the Privy Council granted Queen Margaret College powers to award its own taught degrees, and in 1998, the College was granted full degree powers, which enabled it to award its own research and higher degrees.[5] As a result, in 1999 the College took the name Queen Margaret University College. After the University College attained the final criteria of acquiring a minimum of 5000 students (something that could not be gained earlier as the campuses could not accommodate this number of students), the institution was awarded full university status, becoming Queen Margaret University in January 2007.[6]
In 2012, QMU became the first university in Scotland to have a Business Gateway [7] on campus.
Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond announced in May 2010 that QMU was to be the official host of the archives for Homecoming Scotland 2009. The Homecoming Scotland Archive [8] will provide the University with a unique opportunity to collect, catalogue and preserve materials associated with Scottish Homecoming 2009 for the benefit of people in both Scotland and across the world.
Campuses
Former campuses
Before moving to a new campus in Musselburgh, Queen Margaret University had been based in campuses in Corstorphine (to the West of Edinburgh), in Leith, and at the Gateway Theatre – Scotland's International Drama Centre – (a former television studio previously owned by Scottish Television) on Elm Row, Leith Walk.[citation needed]
Musselburgh campus
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Queen_Margaret_University_student_accommodation.jpg/220px-Queen_Margaret_University_student_accommodation.jpg)
In 2007-2008, the university brought together students from its three campuses in Edinburgh by moving to a new purpose-built campus in Musselburgh. Costing £100 million, the new campus covers 35 acres (14 hectares) and holds educational buildings, a students union, a small gym and halls of residence of more than 800 rooms.[citation needed]
QMU has been "touted as the country's greenest University campus".[9] The campus was designed by Dyer Architects to exceed current environmental standards and sets a new benchmark in sustainable design. The entire development transformed a 35-acre (14-hectare) site from low-grade farmland into landscaped parkland.[citation needed]
In June 2015, Queen Margaret University announced it would hold public consultations for plans to build a new innovation park and shopping hub on open land around the Musselburgh campus. Site proposals are being developed by CAM-SCI, a Cambridge-based economic consultancy, which has developed science parks across the UK.[10]
Learning Resource Centre
The Learning Resource Centre (LRC) comprises approximately 4,500 square metres (0.45 hectares) of the main academic building. Located at the heart of the campus, it provides library, IT and AV services to students, staff and visitors of the university. The LRC consists of a facility for both directed and self-directed study, based on an integrated library and information service provision. The LRC has 1,000 study spaces organised as a mixture of silent and group study areas, bookable group study rooms, training rooms, assistive technology, student learning support and a postgraduate study room.[citation needed]
Education Resource Centre
The Education Resource Centre provides audio-visual services to the university. This includes the provision of AV equipment in classrooms and lecture theatres as well as more specialised services such as graphics, photography, video-conferencing and TV studio facilities.[citation needed]
Organisation
School of Arts and Social Sciences
Following restructuring in early 2010, the Schools of Social Sciences, Media and Communication, Business, Enterprise and Management, and Drama and Creative Industries were merged. The present Dean is Professor Brigid Daniel. The School offers courses in 'Business, Enterprise and Management'; 'Governance, Justice and Public Management'; 'Hospitality and Gastronomy'; Creativity and Culture'; and 'Public Relations' .[11]
QMU is part of the Scottish Drama Training Network [12] which was set up by the Scottish Funding Council in 2010 to foster cohesion across stage and screen professional practice, education and training. Through the Network, QMU in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University delivers the BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen.[13]
The School is the only institution in Scotland that is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations to deliver the postgraduate CIPR Diploma in Public Relations.[14] The School's Bachelor of Science (BSc) courses in psychology; MSc in Health Psychology are accredited by the British Psychological Society.[15]
BA (Hons) in Media graduate, Agata Jagodzinska, was awarded for Best Writer at the BAFTA in Scotland New Talent Awards 2012.[16]
School of Health Sciences
The School of Health Sciences offers courses in dietetics, nutrition and biological sciences; nursing; speech and language therapy, audiology, occupational therapy and art therapy; physiotherapy; podiatry; radiography; art psychotherapy, dance movement psychotherapy and music therapy.[17]
The subject area of Speech and Hearing Sciences won the Queen's Anniversary Prize for research into the clinical applications of speech technology in 2002 carried out in the Speech Science Research Centre.[18]
Governance
In October 2016, celebrity chef Prue Leith became Chancellor, succeeding Sir Tom Farmer.[19]
Petra Wend joined Queen Margaret University as Principal and Vice-Chancellor in September 2009.[20] She originally read Italian and French Language and Literature, and Education at the University of Münster in Germany and gained a PhD in Italian Language and Literature at University of Leeds. Following a series of positions at UK universities, she joined Oxford Brookes University as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Deputy Chief Executive in 2005.
Academic profile
Rankings and reputation
National rankings | |
---|---|
Complete (2025)[21] | 75 |
Guardian (2024)[22] | 84 |
Times / Sunday Times (2024)[23] | 97= |
In June 2012 the management team at Queen Margaret University was presented with the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Team Award.[24]
QMU won the e-Government National Award 2010 [25] in the category for sustainable, ‘green IT’ or ‘carbon-efficient’ services. In autumn 2010 it picked up gold at the Scottish Green Awards,[26] and in 2009 it won an award [27] for a waste management project, as well as a Green Apple Award.[28]
Research
The university has three flagships: health and rehabilitation; creativity and culture; and sustainable business.[29]
Queen Margaret University has four[clarification needed] research centres:
- Clinical Audiology, Speech and Language Research Centre (CASL)
- Institute for International Health and Development (IIHD)
- International Centre for the Study of Planned Events (ICSPE)
- Centre for Dialogue
The university operates an open access repository of the research output of the university, called eResearch, with the intention of making the work of researchers open and available to the public via the web.[citation needed]
Queen Margaret University researchers in food and drink in partnerships with Advanced Microwave Technologies Ltd (AMT), won two major awards for innovation and partnership in 2012 for their collaboration to explore the application of microwave technologies to the food and drink sector.[30]
Notable alumni
- Katrina Bryan (Nina and the Neurons & Taggart)'
- Mark Cox (actor) (BBC Still Game) and (BBC Chewin the fat)
- Tam Dean Burn (actor)
- Angel Coulby (Merlin) Dancing on the Edge BBC series
- Michelle Duncan (Doctor Who & Lost in Austen)
- Kellyanne Farquhar (Monarch of the Glen)
- Vicky Hall (Teachers)
- Craig Hill (comedian & actor)
- Ashley Jensen (Extras and Ugly Betty)
- James Mackenzie (Raven and Taggart)
- Allison McKenzie (River City, Taggart & Rebus)
- Kevin McKidd (Dog Soldiers, Rome, Trainspotting and Grey's Anatomy)
- Janine Mellor (Casualty)
- Helen Modern (Respectable)
- Simone Lahbib (Bad Girls, Wire in the Blood)
Media
- Douglas Anderson, television presenter
- Matt Baker (television presenter, Blue Peter and The One Show)
- Edith Bowman (BBC Radio 1 presenter)
- Sally Gray (television presenter)
- Mark Hirst, (Reporter, STV News at Six)
Military
- Commodore Inga Kennedy, Head of the Royal Navy Medical Service
Music
- Susan Boyle, Grammy-nominated and World Music Award-winning singer
- Simon Neil, Singer and guitarist of Biffy Clyro
Sports
- Jamie Wilson, Rugby Union Player
Politics and Public Administration
- Shirley-Anne Somerville, politician
- Michael Matheson, Member of the Scottish Parliament and Justice Secretary
- Seif Rashidi, politician
References
- ^ a b c "Where do HE students study?". Higher Education Statistics Agency. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06". Higher Education Statistics Agency online statistics. Archived from the original on 15 May 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2007.
- ^ a b c d e "History: From Edinburgh School of Cookery to Queen Margaret University". Queen Margaret University. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ Tom Begg, ‘Cour, Ethel Maud De la (1869–1957)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, OUP, 2004 accessed 11 April 2007
- ^ a b "Consultation on Award of University Title to Queen Margaret University College". Scottish Executive. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
- ^ QM relocates Archived 31 August 2005 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Business Gateway to be based at Queen Margaret University". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Homecoming Scotland Archive to be hosted by Queen Margaret University". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Press release: Royal opening for UK's 'greenest' university". Queen Margaret University. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "QMU pushes plan for Musselburgh business park". East Lothian News. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "School of Arts, Social Sciences and Management". Queen Margaret University. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Scottish Drama Training Network". Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "The CIPR Diploma in Public Relations". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
- ^ "Undergraduate Psychology Courses: Queen Margaret University". British Psychological Society. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
- ^ "QMU graduate wins BAFTA". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Health Sciences". Queen Margaret University. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Speech Science Research Centre: Queen Margaret University". QMU. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Celebrity chef becomes Queen Margaret University chancellor". BBC News. 6 October 2016.
- ^ "Professor Petra Wend". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Complete University Guide 2025". The Complete University Guide. 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Guardian University Guide 2024". The Guardian. 9 September 2023.
- ^ "Good University Guide 2024". The Times. 15 September 2023.
- ^ "Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Team Award". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "QMU wons eGovernment National Award". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "QMU picks up gold at green awards". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Award proves recycling is not a lot of rubbish". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Queen Margaret University awarded 'Green Apple'". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Queen Margaret University Postgraduate Prospectus 2013 = 2012-14-11". QMU. Archived from the original on 26 January 2007.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Microwave experts revolutionise global food processing". Archived from the original on 26 January 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
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External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)