Sean Michael Wilson, working as a Manga writer in Japanpage 12

GCUshines at ScottishFashionAwardsPrincipal andstudents recognised for achievements page 6

Magnusson Awardswinnerspage 17

Andrew ison Cloud9page 20

CaledonianplusThe magazine for graduates and friends of Glasgow Caledonian University Autumn 2011

www.gcu.ac.uk/alumni

“Finally it became what it is now, Glasgow Caledonian University, unless they decide to change it again to just a symbol with subtitle ‘The University Formerly Known As.’”

Contents04 News in Brief

An introduction from the editor and a quick look at what is happening in and around the University.

Fashion AwardGCU Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pamela Gillies, has been named Scottish Fashion Innovator of the Year at the glittering Scottish Fashion Awards 2011.

Chris HoustonCould you give up a comfortable job in the City to

work in war-torn countries and experience extreme

violence, torture and degradation every day? Risk

Management graduate Chris Houston (1999) did

just that to become a Logistician with Médecins

Sans Frontières in Papua New Guinea and Nigeria.

Médecins Sans Frontières is an international humanitarian emergency

medical organisation, sometimes known by the English translation

“Doctors without Borders”. Chris completed a nine month contract in

Papua New Guinea in 2009, an educational roadshow around Canada

in 2010 and a year-long contract in Nigeria in the Nigeria Emergency

Response Unit.

“The first thing that made me think about giving up my life in the City

was the Asian Tsunami of 2004,” he said. “I didn’t like thinking ‘if only

there was something we could do.’ I was given time off work and

assisted with fundraising for a humanitarian trip there. I came back

from two weeks in Sri Lanka and joined the British Red Cross as a part-

time volunteer. From that point on, despite spending four more years in

risk management, the idea of doing humanitarian work full-time became

something I wanted to do more and more.

“I have this theory in life that one day I’ll be old and looking back on the

decisions I made. I want to look back and be happy with my choices. I

couldn’t see myself looking back thinking I had lived my life to the full if I

had stuck with being a consultant in London.”

Médecins Sans Frontières is neutral, impartial and doesn’t get

associated with politics or religious beliefs; the focus is on providing

care based on medical need. They go to places where there are unmet

needs as a result of conflict, natural disasters, or to populations that

have been neglected, or to respond to diseases that are often ignored.

Chris elaborates: “In Nigeria, we respond to medical emergencies such

as meningitis and measles, and provide care to people displaced in

emergencies such as flooding. My role covers transport, stock, supply,

IT, security, administration, finance, HR, fixing whatever is broken and

getting hold of whatever is needed by our medics.”

Dealing with such serious situations and experiencing life in developing

countries has changed Chris’ outlook in so many ways. He said: “It’s

difficult to adjust back into a ‘normal’ western society and it can be

hard to hear the more mundane problems people face without seeming

like I’m a different person than I was before I went away.

Sometimes, when I see what makes the news at home, I want to

scream at people ‘open your eyes, see what is happening in the world!’

But I don’t - instead I write my blog.”

Chris’ blog is packed full of harrowing stories and also heart-warming tales

from his time in both Nigeria and Papua New Guinea. Opposite are some

extracts.

“A drunk guard attacked our team.

Two are injured and the vehicle is

damaged. MSF take the security of the

staff seriously and charter a plane to

evacuate them until things calm down

– things can escalate quickly in Papua

New Guinea.

The next day the incident makes the

front page of the national newspaper.”

(March 2009)

“Our team has dealt with cholera in three of the four

states we work in. The cholera happened during

the flooding, so that presented us with a double

emergency. We managed to contain the outbreak and

prevent it spreading to the rest of the state. I thanked

the staff who had treated about 400 patients, half

would have died otherwise.

We’ll never know how big a disaster that might have

been, but we avoided it. Doing so is maybe one of the

achievements I am most proud of here.” (April 2011)

If you would like to read more, you can

find Chris’ blog at: msf.ca/blogs/ChrisH

“I was unlucky enough to have two different types of malaria at the

same time, including the most dangerous Falciparum strain.

I spent four nights in hospital (I thought it was three until I checked the

records to write this blog), drifting in and out of consciousness. The

malaria, or the cure, I’m not sure, plays tricks on your mind. One night,

sure I was going to die, I wrote my will in my head.

On the last day I had the energy to take in my surroundings. I imagined

the typical MSF malaria patient experience in Nigeria. Then I imagined

the typical non-MSF patient experience - quite different.

About 250 million people get malaria every year and about two million

of them die from it. I had survived the world’s biggest killer and it’s

made me very happy to be alive. I guess I had been taking

that for granted.” (October 2010)

“I have this theory in life that one day I’ll be old and looking back on the decisions I made. I want to look back and be happy with my choices”.

Title

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Your alumnimagazine is goingdigi-cal(+)

All of your favourites have become digital over the years - watches, cameras, televisions - and now it is the turn of Caledonian Plus.

From winter 2011, every winter issue will be exclusively digital and rich in multimedia content.

You will no longer receive a printed winter edition of Caledonian Plus. In order to receive the digital version, we must have your email address. Let us know your email address at: www.gcu.ac.uk/alumni/keepintouch/e-newsletter/

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Tales from ‘The Tech’This year sees the 40th anniversary of Glasgow College of Technology. We start the celebrations by reminiscing about the legendary live performances in the Students’ Union.

Students’Association NewsDonations from alumni and the GCU Annual Fund have helped the Students’ Association be named NUS Scotland’s ‘University Students’ Association of the Year.’

The Legends Have ItThe annual graduates v students sporting event took place in March, find out the scores and other sporting news.

Chris HoustonCould you give up a comfortable job in the City to work in war-torn countries and experience extreme violence, torture and degradation every day? Alumnus Chris Houston did just that and tells us his story.

Sean Michael WilsonNow working in Japan as a manga writer, alumnus Sean Michael Wilson has created an exclusive comic strip for Caledonian Plus about his time at Glasgow College of Technology.

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12 Grameen Caledonian College of NursingGrameen Caledonian College of Nursing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, receives a Royal visit and wins a prestigious award.

Breaking New GroundGCU is part of a multi-million pound international collaboration developing new technology to enable safer and more efficient oil recovery from deeper water and harsher environments than ever before.

Making a DifferenceFind out more about various scholarships available and the difference they are making to the lives of the students who receive them and the wider community. • MA TV Fiction Writing p.16• Magnus Magnusson Awards p.17• Khalid Abdulrahim Construction Scholarship p.18

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Principal’s welcomeThis is a challenging time for higher education around the world, but your University is focussed on building on our strengths and delivering benefits for society.

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Financially sound, we can move forward with confidence to continue to provide the highest quality educational experience, offering our graduates from all walks of life the opportunity to become global citizens and leaders with a bright future.

Our world class research in the key areas of health and social justice, the environment and engineering will continue to focus on delivering outcomes for the communities we serve. We know, however, that we can achieve so much more in these areas through partnerships with business, public and voluntary providers.

Our vision is to ensure a future as a globally networked university, a vision that holds at its heart a commitment to the common good. As alumni, many of you are already helping us achieve our ambitions and we deeply appreciate your support.

Professor Pamela GilliesBSc PGCE MEd MMedSci PhD FRSA FFPH AcSS Hon

FRCPS(Glasg) Principal and Vice-Chancellor

“As alumni, many of you are already helping us

achieve our ambitions.”

Produced by:Development & Alumni Relations, Glasgow Caledonian University

Designed by:Print Design Services, Glasgow Caledonian University

Cover photograph:Les Johnstone

Glasgow Caledonian University is a registered Scottish charity, Number SC021474.

© Glasgow Caledonian University 2011.

Development NewsDetails of recent gifts and funding received for University projects and departments.

Andrew MasonAndrew Mason, CEO of Cloud9 Personal Aviation, talks about his life since ‘The Tech’ and what it is like to be back on campus to give students advice.

Picture PinboardThey say “a picture is worth a thousand words” – this new feature allows you to send in photographs of your time as a student, of reunion events or anything you wish to share with others, and have it featured in the magazine.

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“You don’t need to be 18 with a killer idea, you might not get your moment until later in life.”

to film stars going transatlantic - anything that requires a private jet.” Clients have included actor Kevin Costner, musician Iggy Pop and golfer Paul Lawrie, who Cloud9 also sponsored last year. Having achieved success in his business life, Andrew felt that he was at a stage where he wanted to give something back to the University who helped him get started: “I was keen to become involved as an alumnus

because of my business experience and I felt that, having set up my own companies, I might be in a position to help. Last year I did a lecture for the MBA students then I followed that up this year with a full day of lectures and interviews. I think it’s helpful to share experiences of attempting to be an entrepreneur to students who are learning about business. They have a huge amount of theory to take on board and what I try to tell them is it’s not all about success. Entrepreneurialism is not a defined art. You don’t need to be 18 with a killer idea, you might not get your moment until later in life and the important thing is to remain credible,

be honest and true to yourself. The feedback has been exceptional, far greater than I

thought. I’ve seen various ranges of boredom when lecturing over the years from dozing to catatonic but the response has always been super at GCU.”

Entrepreneurialism is not a defined art. You don’t need to be 18 with a killer idea.If any alumni reading this article would like advice on setting up business, Andrew has the following words of wisdom: “Anywhere is quite difficult to set up a new business because we live in difficult times. In Scotland,

it’s not easy but at the same time it is not impossible because we’ve got some very good learning and lots of people for advice. We have a very good entrepreneurial exchange, the Chambers of Commerce and there are numerous people you can talk to. I think that planning as much as possible

is important but at the end of it be true to yourself. If you remain in control of what you can achieve and what you are like as a person then I think you can do great things.”If you’d like to find out more about Cloud9, the website can be found at: www.cloud9-jets.com/

Would you like to be featured in the next issue of Caledonian Plus? If you have an interesting story to tell about your life since graduation, please get in touch by emailing: alumni@gcu.ac.uk or phoning 0141 331 8769.

Sipping a cup of coffee, Andrew Mason looks content with how things have turned out for him, but during his time studying at Glasgow College of Technology he never expected to be where he is today.He laughs: “My father was a quantity surveyor so I think that had a bearing on me choosing it as a degree course. I wasn’t particularly brilliant at quantities to be fair but I loved my time here. I had a great four years, it was good fun and it’s very different now to how it

was then, particularly with the size of campus and facilities.

“After graduating, I went into private practice because you have to do an apprenticeship for two years, which I served in Glasgow.” Until this point, Andrew’s career is following a traditional path after graduation, but he continues: “One day I got a call for some work for a film star who was buying property

in Scotland. That opened my eyes to private clients, particularly high net clients, so before I knew where I was I had started up my own company Mason, Dryden, Murray, a property consultancy for the rich and famous, high net worth individuals, or for people who just don’t have the time.

“I worked on the basis that it was easy to buy a house and easy to sell a house but the bit in the middle was what everybody needed assistance with. I organised everything. A client could purchase a house 6,000 miles away and all they would have to do is turn up

with their clothes when it was time to move in as everything would be done.”Through his work at Mason, Dryden, Murray, Andrew met a client who is now his business partner. He said: “I looked after football manager Graeme Souness’ properties for a long time and we became friends. Eventually we devised the concept of flying private jets, primarily for footballers, and that was where Cloud9 came from. Graeme and I devised Cloud9 with a management team in place and investors etc and that was about four years ago. Since then I spent the first couple of years working on the business development side of things and the last two years I’ve spent as CEO and trying to develop the business.”It was from there the glitz and glamour started. Andrew admits: “We’ve been fortunate in working with a lot of sports people

already and we’ve become quite well known in the music industry and that can be a whole range of clients from bands touring

Andrew ison Cloud9 It is a rare sunny day in Glasgow and alumnus Andrew Mason is on

campus to speak to students about entrepreneurship. He is certainly

a good candidate to give advice to students. After graduating with a degree in Quantity Surveying, Andrew went on to set up two companies, the most recent of which being personal aviation firm, Cloud9.

From the EditorHello and welcome to the new-look Caledonian Plus. This issue sees us celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Glasgow College of Technology and there is also a new photo page at the back where, for future issues, I’d like you to share your stories relating to your time at GCU or any of its founding institutions.

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This issue has a new look, but the winter issue will also have a new format. We’re going digital and the winter 2011 edition will only be available online. I’m sure you will appreciate the economic and environmental benefits in us doing this. The digital magazine will also be interactive, allowing you to watch videos, listen to audio, click links and read the articles as normal. Therefore, if you want to receive it, you must ensure we have an email address for you.

To all the recent graduates and to those with whom we had lost touch, I hope you enjoy the magazine and the future communications you receive.

If you have anything you’d like to see featured in the magazine, please get in touch. Feedback is appreciated too, at: alumni@gcu.ac.uk

All the best with the remainder of 2011 and look out for the digital magazine in the new year.

Kind regards,Adelle HopkinsAlumni Relations OfficerE: adelle.hopkins@gcu.ac.ukT: 0141 331 8769

Online academy breaks down barriers in professional learningGCU has unveiled an innovative new learning platform that will enable professionals to enhance their skills and develop their careers at a time and a place that suits them. CPD Online is an accessible online academy which allows professionals to build on their Continuing Professional Development from anywhere in the world, 365 days a year. The 24/7 online learning academy offers video courses with downloadable supporting materials, and will also provide audio podcasts, allowing professionals to learn on the move.

Eighteen courses are being offered in a range of subjects, including health and safety, planning construction projects, NEC3 and RICS New Rules of Measurement, aimed at professionals across sectors including construction, law, engineering, education and the public sector. More courses will be added in future.

The online academy was developed as a response to the evolving needs of business, offering professionals practical, flexible, training courses without having to take time out of their careers.

Audrey Meikle, Business Development Manager for the School of the Built and Natural Environment, developed the concept for Glasgow Caledonian University. She said: “Employers looking to strengthen the skillsets of staff often can’t afford to lose the time and resources involved in sending them on CPD courses. The online academy allows course delegates the flexibility to update their professional development in their preferred time, wherever their location.”

The online courses will not replace traditional classroom learning and courses taught on campus, which will still be offered. The courses are competitively priced and range from £25 +VAT for a briefing to £60 + VAT at present for a two-hour CPD course.

To find out more about the courses on offer, please visit the CPD Online website: www.cpdonline.org.uk.

“ The online academy allows course delegates the flexibility to update their professional development in their preferred time, wherever their location.”

News in Brief...“This issue has a new look, but the winter issue will also have a new format. We’re going digital and the winter 2011 edition will only be available online.”

Online academy breaks down barriers in

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40th anniversary of Glasgow College of TechnologyThis year sees the 40th anniversary of the opening of Glasgow College of Technology. To celebrate, there will be various events taking place until 2013, the 40th anniversary of the first graduating cohort.

Keep an eye on your emails and on the GCU alumni website and social media for any events. If you are a ‘Tech’ graduate and planning any celebrations over this time period, be sure to let us know and we’ll publicise it for you.

This issue of Caledonian Plus is also a mini celebration of ‘The Tech’ with various articles full of reminiscences from alumni.

You can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/caledonianalumni and on LinkedIn by searching for ‘GCU Alumni’ in the groups section. Alternatively, you can email alumni@gcu.ac.uk with any information or queries.

Top marks for staff at Student Led Teaching AwardsAfter an overwhelming response from students, the winners of the 2011 GCUSA Student-Led Teaching Awards were announced in May, alongside the winner of the first Principal’s Teaching Award. Do you recognise any of the names?

Jenny Flinn, Lecturer in Event Management, Caledonian Business School, won the ‘Effective teaching that: offers support and recognises students as individuals’ award.

Chris McCorkindale, Lecturer in Law, School of Law & Social Science, was awarded the ‘Effective teaching that: inspires and motivates learning’ award.

Professor Chengke Zhou, Department of Energy Systems Engineering, School of Engineering & Computing, received the ‘Effective teaching that: offers timely and constructive feedback’ award.

Dr Les Wood, Head of Department, Department of Biological/Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, was awarded the ‘Effective teaching that: helps make sense of the subject’ award.

Mary Ballentyne, Nurse Lecturer, Department of Adult Nursing & Health, School of Health, received the ‘Effective teaching that: makes best use of technology to support learning’ award.

Finally, Dr Michael Bromby, Reader in Law, School of Law & Social Science, won the Principal’s Award for Teaching.

Santander invests in scholarshipsSantander Chairman Emilio Botin joined Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pamela Gillies, to sign an enhanced agreement between the bank and Glasgow Caledonian University in March.

The enhanced agreement builds on the relationship between the University and Santander Universities Global Division, established in 2009. Over three years it will fund 27 scholarships for study or research in the UK or overseas, a minimum of 30 mobility awards for students to study or conduct research overseas and a nursing exchange programme to be established between universities within the Santander Universities network, alongside awards for non-academic achievement.

Professor Gillies said: “The extraordinary gift from Santander enhances our student experience, promotes cultural understanding and awareness and fosters new ideas and solutions to the world’s problems.

“Our University is proud to be a member of this prestigious network and our students have returned home with moving stories of how the scholarships have transformed their lives.”

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Principal collects top fashion awardGCU Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pamela Gillies, has been named Scottish Fashion Innovator of the Year at the glittering Scottish Fashion Awards 2011.

Sharing the famous tartan carpet with Samantha Cameron, Dame Shirley Bassey and supermodel David Gandy, Professor Gillies accepted the award for the University’s significant contribution to the industry in Scotland and “the innovative move to take their world class academic expertise in fashion and luxury to a wider stage”.

Tessa Hartmann, Founder and Chair of the Scottish Fashion Awards, said: “Glasgow Caledonian University has a long-established reputation for the high quality of its fashion, marketing and retailing programmes, which equip students with the creative and practical knowledge and skills that are vital for successful professionals in our industry.”

Professor Gillies said: “It is an enormous surprise and pleasure for me to accept the award of Scottish Fashion Innovator of the Year.

“I accept, of course, on behalf of the many talented staff and students of fashion, retail and marketing at Glasgow Caledonian University, all of whom have been led and inspired by our very own Professor Christopher Moore, who is truly a leading light in his field. Our campuses in Glasgow and London put us at the forefront of teaching, research and consultancy in fashion and luxury marketing in Europe and we are thrilled that this is appreciated by Scotland’s fashion elite.

“This means a huge amount to us. It recognises our ambition and achievements as a creative, business-focused university, and will motivate and inspire our next generation of fashion designers, manufacturers, retailers, marketers and business entrepreneurs. This award demonstrates Scotland’s recognition of Glasgow Caledonian University’s contribution to the fashion industry and brings a dash of pixie dust and a great deal of glamour to our very important academic offering in this field.”

Four students from BA (Hons) Fashion Business were invited to show their garments at the red carpet event. Scottish Fashion Awards founder Tessa Hartmann selected the outfits after seeing them at the Fashion, Marketing and Retail Fashion Show in May. Students and their models greeted guests as they arrived at the ceremony and were thrilled when Dame Shirley Bassey complimented them on their designs.

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‘The Tech’ was also known as a fantastic venue for great bands. Some alumni and staff members wanted to share their memories:Busby, Clarkston and Eaglesham councillor, Alan Lafferty, who graduated with a BSc Economics in 1975, said:

“I remember performances in the early 70s by Slade, Slik and Mungo Jerry under a pseudonym. Billy Connolly also did one of his early comedy turns at The Tech in 1972 for a fee of £30.

“During 1974-76, there was Shakin’ Stevens, who was a really nice guy and the coup of securing Pans People from Top of the Pops almost caused a riot in 1975. I’d never seen such a crowd in the Union, clearly in excess of safety limits. The stage had to be cleared of broken glass and beer before they started. I thought there would be trouble when a load of police arrived but they just squeezed in to watch the show.”

Upon opening its doors in 1971, GCT’s syllabus was mainly made up of higher level transferred courses. Stow College of Engineering and The Central College of Commerce and Distribution were the two main institutions responsible for transferring teaching and staff to these courses and there were 12 departments initially.

Gordon McTweed, Activities Manager at the Students’ Association, added: “They had great punk and goth discos on a Friday and Saturday night in the late 80s to early 90s. ‘Panic’ was one of them, I think. It was a great venue for gigs, Teenage Fan Club, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine and Ministry were ones I remember from the early 90s.

“Another thing I remember is that ‘The Tech’, as it was known, was run by the ‘Tech Ents’ - a crew of student volunteers who ran social events, were the bouncers, stage crew etc in the union. They used to get a pint and a taxi home on a late night for helping. There used to be an all-nighter at the end of the year or sometimes at Christmas, when they would have a band then an all-night disco – it was messy!”

Comic book writer Sean Michael Wilson, BA Social Sciences 1990, also reminisces about bands he saw while studying, in his exclusive comic on pages 12 and 13.

Billy Connolly also did one of his early comedy

turns at the Tech in 1972 for a fee of £30.

Tech Memories

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Students’ AssociationThanks to funding from the GCU Annual Fund, with donations kindly being made by alumni and friends, Glasgow Caledonian University Students’ Association (GCUSA) has had a busy start to the year.

The first ever ‘Caley’s Got Talent’ event saw students entertain judges with their various skills and abilities. Judges were Adelle Hopkins, Alumni Relations Officer; Umer Ashraf, alumnus and founder of iCafe, and Jas Sangha, Vice President of Support and Advice at GCUSA. The winner was ‘flair bartender’ David Monaghan and runners-up were magician Robbie Devennie and singer Gemma Mazur.

Next in the calendar were the STAR Awards, which celebrate the volunteers who organise and take part in GCUSA events and services throughout the year. International Officer Vasileios Vazos was named Star of the Year, with a wide variety of awards being made to students in welfare, student media, societies and parliamentary roles.

Nightline, a very important listening and information service run by students for

The annual Student Leaders Awards Ball took place in March at the Marriot Hotel in Glasgow, with almost 300 students attending. Tanino Abbate was named Student of the Year. He was joined by runners-up Sandhya Anantharaman and Jennifer Cockburn.

Sara Caithness received the Allister Boyd Award for contribution to Health and Wellbeing in a Leadership Role.

Presenting the awards, Professor Mike Mannion (Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching) said: “Our students are our pride and great inspiration. This year’s award

winners have achieved academic success whilst demonstrating a deeply rooted commitment to volunteering to enhance the lives of those around them.”

Overall winner Tanino was described by Professor Mannion as “an avid ambassador of everything GCU has to offer.” In addition to being a highly valued member of the Caledonian Club, Tanino has mentored for Routes for All and the College Articulation Project. He has also volunteered as a classroom assistant in a local school and during his honours year, completed his HND in Acting and Performance.

students of both GCU and Strathclyde University, was given a boost by alumni funding. Volunteers can now spend their 12 hour shifts in a brand new office space which hosts a welcoming and comfortable environment, fully equipped with showers and swipe-card access.

Student President, Rory Herron, expressed his huge gratitude and thanks to GCU alumni for helping GCUSA enhance the student experience at the University:

“GCUSA has had a hugely successful year in enhancing the experience of both domestic and international students. Proud winners of NUS Scotland’s ‘University Students’ Association of the Year’, we can honestly say that our achievement could not have been accomplished without the generosity of GCU alumni, and that is certainly appreciated by all those students who have benefited from it here.”

GCU Legends lead the wayAnother GCUSA event taking place thanks to donations and participation from alumni and friends is the annual GCU Legends tournament. In March, 130 alumni and current students competed with alumni being crowned the overall winners, with four wins out of seven.

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Originally set up in 2009, the GCU Legends event sees graduates compete against current students in men’s and women’s football, men’s and women’s basketball, rugby, hockey and netball.

Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is the Honorary President of the group, and, upon accepting the position, said: “I’m proud you think I have an influence on people getting into sport. Sport is a universal key to ultimate harmony in people’s lives.”

The event was kindly sponsored by Powerleague, whose Chief Executive, Sean Tracey is a GCU alumnus. Pre-match refreshments were supplied by Encore Hospitality Services.

Working in partnership with the Students’ Association (GCUSA) on campus, GCU Legends is the natural progression for students who were involved in sports during their time at GCU. By joining this exclusive group you will have the opportunity to network with former team mates and friends, participate in alumni sports and social events, receive updates on how your former sports club is progressing and keep in touch with your peers.

For further information and to join the group please email GCULegends@caledonian.ac.uk with GCU Legends in the subject.

In other sporting news:Alumnus Harnek Singh Rai, BA Social Sciences 1983, has been selected as a judge representing Canada in the International Powerlifting Federation’s Annual World Masters Powerlifting Championships, to be held in Canada from September 28 to October 2, 2011. He said: “Only three judges can be appointed by any nation and I am one of the lucky ones. I am very happy and very proud of it.”

Full Results25/03/11 Hockey (mxd) Alumni 3 v 2 Students

25/03/11 Rugby M (7s) Alumni 68 v 39 Students

26/03/11 Football M Alumni 2 v 4 Students

26/03/11 Football W (6s) Alumni 1 v 9 Students

26/03/11 Netball Alumni 13 v 33 Students

26/03/11 Basketball W Alumni 33 v 27 Students

26/03/11 Basketball M Alumni 48 v 42 Students

“I’m proud you think I have an influence on people getting into sport. Sport is a

universal key to ultimate harmony in people’s lives.”

Sir Alex Ferguson

Chris HoustonCould you give up a comfortable job in the City to work in war-torn countries and experience extreme violence, torture and degradation every day? Risk Management graduate Chris Houston (1999) did just that to become a Logistician with Médecins Sans Frontières in Papua New Guinea and Nigeria.

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Médecins Sans Frontières is an international humanitarian emergency medical organisation, sometimes known by the English translation “Doctors without Borders”. Chris completed a nine month contract in Papua New Guinea in 2009, an educational roadshow around Canada in 2010 and a year-long contract in Nigeria in the Nigeria Emergency Response Unit.

“The first thing that made me think about giving up my life in the City was the Asian Tsunami of 2004,” he said. “I didn’t like thinking ‘if only there was something we could do.’ I was given time off work and assisted with fundraising for a humanitarian trip there. I came back from two weeks in Sri Lanka and joined the British Red Cross as a part-time volunteer. From that point on, despite spending four more years in risk management, the idea of doing humanitarian work full-time became something I wanted to do more and more.

“I have this theory in life that one day I’ll be old and looking back on the decisions I made. I want to look back and be happy with my choices. I couldn’t see myself looking back thinking I had lived my life to the full if I had stuck with being a consultant in London.”

Médecins Sans Frontières is neutral, impartial and doesn’t get associated with politics or religious beliefs; the focus is on providing care based on medical need. They go to places where there are unmet needs as a result of conflict, natural disasters, or to populations that have been neglected, or to respond to diseases that are often ignored. Chris elaborates: “In Nigeria, we respond to medical emergencies such as meningitis and measles, and provide care to people displaced in emergencies such as flooding. My role covers transport, stock, supply, IT, security, administration, finance, HR, fixing whatever is broken and getting hold of whatever is needed by our medics.”

Dealing with such serious situations and experiencing life in developing countries has changed Chris’ outlook in so many ways. He said: “It’s difficult to adjust back into a ‘normal’ western society and it can be hard to hear the more mundane problems people face without seeming like I’m a different person than I was before I went away.

Sometimes, when I see what makes the news at home, I want to scream at people ‘open your eyes, see what is happening in the world!’ But I don’t - instead I write my blog.”

Chris’ blog is packed full of harrowing stories and also heart-warming tales from his time in both Nigeria and Papua New Guinea. Opposite are some extracts.

“A drunk guard attacked our team. Two are injured and the vehicle is damaged. MSF take the security of the staff seriously and charter a plane to evacuate them until things calm down – things can escalate quickly in Papua New Guinea.

The next day the incident makes the front page of the national newspaper.” (March 2009)

Below: November 2010. Patients waiting in the Triage area at Tari Hospital, Southern Highlands/Hela Province in Papua New Guinea. MSF has worked in the hospital since September 2008 and currently provides emergency surgical care as well as medical and psychosocial care for survivors of family and sexual violence. Photo by Fiona Morris/Medecins Sans Frontieres.

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“Our team has dealt with cholera in three of the four states we work in. The cholera happened during the flooding, so that presented us with a double

emergency. We managed to contain the outbreak and prevent it spreading to the rest of the state. I thanked

the staff who had treated about 400 patients, half would have died otherwise.

We’ll never know how big a disaster that might have been, but we avoided it. Doing so is maybe one of the

achievements I am most proud of here.” (April 2011)

If you would like to read more, you can find Chris’ blog at: msf.ca/blogs/ChrisH

“I was unlucky enough to have two different types of malaria at the same time, including the most dangerous Falciparum strain.

I spent four nights in hospital (I thought it was three until I checked the

records to write this blog), drifting in and out of consciousness. The malaria, or the cure, I’m not sure, plays tricks on your mind. One night,

sure I was going to die, I wrote my will in my head.

On the last day I had the energy to take in my surroundings. I imagined the typical MSF malaria patient experience in Nigeria. Then I imagined

the typical non-MSF patient experience - quite different.

About 250 million people get malaria every year and about two million of them die from it. I had survived the world’s biggest killer and it’s

made me very happy to be alive. I guess I had been taking that for granted.” (October 2010)

Below: In Goronyo (Sokoto state) MSF supports a primary healthcare centre and five of the 22 dispensaries in the region where there are ATFCs (Ambulatory Therapeutic Feeding Centres) and support ANC (Ante Natal Care). A little girl is being

checker for malnutrition with a MUAC tape. There are many lower respiratory tract infections in the IPD (In Patient Department)of Goronyo Primary Health Clinic. Because of the dust and bad hygiene many childrenget these infections.

Photo by Olga Overbeek.

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Nursing college wins World Health awardA nursing college supported by GCU has won a prestigious World Health Care Congress award.

The Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was singled out for praise at the WHCC in Washington DC. Established as part of the partnership between GCU and Nobel Laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus, the College aims to address the health needs of Bangladesh’s most disadvantaged communities.

Professor Barbara Parfitt (pictured below), the founding Principal, delivered a presentation on the nurse education programme in Bangladesh and was presented with the award in front of more than 2000 delegates. The award was one of three given to those presenting the most innovative poster projects seen at the conference.

Professor Parfitt, Director of Global Health Development at GCU, and her team have worked hard to establish the College – including setting up and refurbishing college buildings and hostels, preparation of teaching and learning materials, setting up a simulation laboratory and establishing the organisational infrastructure required to run a college, including the development of policies and systems.

The first two cohorts of students were recruited from the poorest areas of Bangladesh and from Grameen Bank borrowers. There are now 78 students and it is expected that a further 100 students will be recruited in January 2012.

Bangladesh has more doctors than trained nurses and high maternal and child mortality statistics. The College is helping to tackle this by raising nursing and midwifery standards to an international standard, drawing on GCU’s strong track record in delivering high-quality nursing and midwifery education in emerging nations, and on professional experience as a World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre.

The Washington visit was made possible by the generous support of Vidar Jorgensen, President of Grameen America.

HRH The Princess Royal caps studentsHRH The Princess Royal capped 37 young student nurses in a moving ceremony at the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing.

The event was attended by Professor Pamela Gillies, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of GCU, Professor Karen Stanton, Vice Principal and Pro-Vice Chancellor (External Relations), Professor Barbara Parfitt, Nursing College Principal, and representatives from the British High Commission.

Capping is performed when students complete their preliminary studies and are deemed ready to undertake clinical practice.

Professor Pamela Gillies said: “It was an event I felt extremely privileged to attend and the founding College Principal, our own Professor Parfitt, has worked a miracle to establish a professional Nursing College with accredited courses in just one year.

“As a solid partner in this development with the Grameen Trust, the University has collaborated to provide educational opportunities for young women from rural Bangladesh who would never have otherwise dreamed of a professional education.

“During the capping of the nurse leaders of the future, these young women solemnly pledged to work to reduce suffering and disease and promote health across their nation. Princess Anne gave a rousing speech praising their courage and commitment and it is a day the student nurses, Professor Parfitt, all her staff, Professor Stanton, Professor Yunus, Nobel Laureate, and I, will remember for many years to come.”

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Limitations in current technologies often mean that conventional oil recovery processes leave around two-thirds of the oil in the reservoir. Recent technology developments could make the safe extraction of additional oil both economically and technically feasible. With opportunities such as this in mind, global oil and gas solutions provider FMC Technologies is collaborating with GCU to deliver a pioneering five-year research and development project in the subsea oil and gas industry.

The collaboration will deliver a portfolio of research and development projects to identify new opportunities for safe and efficient oil recovery and to enhance reliability and integrity in the monitoring of subsea installations. The venture will also involve staff exchange, student placements and research studentships.

The group effort will produce innovative new products and technologies for subsea hydrocarbon production applications. This will be accomplished by combining expertise in electronics, optoelectronics, electrical power and instrumentation at GCU with that of subsea engineering and optoelectronics within FMC.

GCU is breaking new groundGCU is part of a multi-million pound international collaboration developing new technology to enable safer and more efficient oil recovery from deeper water and harsher environments than ever before.

To support its drive to innovate in this field, FMC Technologies has established a dedicated optoelectronics research and development group, based in Glasgow, focusing on developing a wide range of integrated sensing solutions, and the partnership with GCU will include a strategic research collaboration focused on future subsea optoelectronic systems.

Professor Brian Stewart, who is an expert in using technology to enhance asset knowledge and communication, is leading the technical team at GCU. He explains: “A greater knowledge of the ‘state of health’ of key equipment on the seabed will not only save oil and gas companies significant costs, it will improve safety, and will enable extraction from deeper water and harsher environments than ever before.”

Welcoming the partnership, Energy Minister Jim Mather said: “This partnership builds on Scotland’s tradition of great scientific ingenuity. FMC considered a range of options when choosing an academic partner and I am pleased that Glasgow Caledonian University was able to secure this innovative work that may help our oil and gas industries continue to thrive.”

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Scholarships can help make a differenceFor many students a scholarship means a chance at a great education and career that they otherwise would not have had. The Development and Alumni Relations Office realises the importance of scholarships and helps raise much-needed funds for them.

Some scholarships currently available to students are featured over the next few pages, including MA TV Fiction Writing, Magnusson Awards and Khalid Abdulrahim Construction Scholarships.

The first cohort of MA TV Fiction Writing students graduated in November 2010. The course has been developed in close collaboration with the television industry, with its screenwriting needs in mind. Students are taught by both academic staff and top TV scriptwriting practitioners aiming to produce the next generation of market-ready script writers for the 21st Century.

Eileen Gallagher (pictured above), CEO of Shed Productions, helped to develop the course and recently told of her reasons for financially supporting such a cause in a debate hosted by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), entitled “What is British philanthropy? How can it support higher education and the arts?”

She said: “We were introduced to the Principal, Pamela Gillies, through my old boss Gus Macdonald, who became the Chancellor, and were just blown away by her enthusiasm and energy, but also her vision for Glasgow Caledonian. A lot of the students who go there wouldn’t normally get access to university.”

Many students applying for this course and other similar courses would not be able to accept an offer, unless they receive funding to do so. Eileen agrees: “A major part of the MA TV Fiction Writing course is bursaries. A course like this is expensive with fees of £7,500 per year. Some living expenses are also paid for and each student’s full bursary is £15,000.”

In two years, GCU has managed to obtain £250,000 worth of bursaries and payments in kind where industry practitioners come and talk to the students and get involved in workshops. GCU is extremely grateful to Shed Media Group, Talkback Thames, MG Alba, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Screen and BBC Writers Room, as well as other individuals from the industry who have made generous personal contributions.

Eileen finds the process of giving something back addictive: “The more you do it, the more you see great ideas, and the more you want to fund it. We’ve paid for the graduates to have a London agent because it’s really hard to get one and they’ll take these students on for a full year and help them get jobs. We keep coming up with ideas to better the course and also we’ve employed some of the students. It is a really successful course and it has only been two years in existence.

“The cheques that we write for Glasgow Caledonian are honestly the easiest I’ve ever written because we see the actual impact. I saw the impact on their lives when they got a bursary and got on that course. There were grown men crying. Shed has got a lot out of it too; we’re employing writers so it is a real win-win situation.”

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Magnus Magnusson Award Winners 2011Seven talented students received Magnus Magnusson awards at a ceremony hosted by the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pamela Gillies, in May.

The Magnus Magnusson Awards, now in their fourth year, were set up in memory of the University’s late Chancellor. His daughter, broadcaster Sally Magnusson, is the Honorary President of the Magnus Magnusson Fellowship and said of this year’s winners: “There is such enthusiasm and energy and genuine innovative flair at GCU that no-one in the judging panel ever finds it easy to pick out just a few. It’s thrilling to realise that as long as the University includes students and academic staff of such creativity and drive, the future looks bright for them, for GCU and for the wider community.”

A group of previous winners told the audience at the ceremony what a difference the award had made to their lives. Joel Somerville won an award in 2008 and travelled to Togo in West Africa, by land in a 1986 Volkswagen Caravelle. He worked there as an optometrist on board a Mercy Ship before moving on to Guatemala to work with a Christian mission charity.

The winners this year are:David Kerr, LLB (Hons) Law: David will spend two months working with the Projects Abroad Programme, based in a law firm in Accra, Ghana. His work will include the provision of legal advice and education, assisting Government departments in

developing policy and representing those affected by human rights violations in court.

Frances McIntosh, MSc Social Work: Frances will set up links with local authority residential children’s homes to collaborate with young people in engaging in a contemporary art exhibition.

Sean Neilson, BSc (Hons) Psychology, Gordon Masterton/Magnusson Award: Sean will spend time in Chiang Mai, Thailand, within the local community, working with people who are ostracised within society

through Art Relief International and Cultural Canvas Thailand using art, dance, music and drama therapy.

Joanne Sweeney, BSc (Hons) Podiatry, Glasgow Caledonian University/Magnusson Award: Joanne will use her Magnusson Award to work in the Coast Provincial General Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya for three

months where she will help develop the Diabetic Clinic.

Steven Turner, BA (Hons) Risk Management, Santander/Magnusson Award: Steven aims to operate his own print and design studio in Glasgow, bringing local artists and designers under one roof. His

award will be invested in various pieces of equipment and textiles, most notably a large manual printing press.

Dorothee Weber, BA (Hons) Entertainment and Events Management: Dorothee will use her award to organise and host a one-day conference debating current issues relating to intersectionality (gender and

ethnicity studies) and religious homophobia. Aimed at leading representatives of national faith and LGBT communities, the conference will take place in Glasgow in October 2011.

GCU Nursing Group: Leanne Anderson, Laura Bannerman, David Brown, Dip HE/Bachelor of Nursing (Adult Nursing), Icelandair/Magnusson Award: The GCU Nursing group will travel to Bangladesh to visit the Grameen Caledonian College of Nursing, providing them with an insight into nurse training and how public health services are run and managed in Bangladesh compared to the way they are run in the UK. The students see this as an opportunity to explore how healthcare services work in developing countries and feel that this will enhance their knowledge and skills as nurses and help to further their ambitions to contribute to public healthcare.

“By living my dreams, I’ve become a man.”

Joel Somerville

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UAE Study TourTen postgraduate students from the School of Engineering and Built Environment (EBE) took part in a study tour to the United Arab Emirates in May. The trip was made possible by the Khalid Abdulrahim Construction Scholarship programme, set up following the pledge of £250,000 over five years by GCU graduate Khalid Abdulrahim.

The students visited various sites, including Yas Island (home of the F1 circuit built by Khalid Abdulrahim), Sadiyaat Island, Masdar City, Grand Mosque and Burj Khalifa.

Staff members from EBE and Development and Alumni Relations joined them on the tour and all had the pleasure of an audience with His Excellency, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak al-Nahayan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Dr Gholam Jamnejad, who helped organise the study tour, said: “In visiting the UAE, the students got to experience one of the most dynamic natural and built environments and renewable energy initiatives in the world.

“They were able to get a feel for the culture, the traditions and the heritage of the region against the backdrop of several iconic projects, buildings and structures and associated environmental impacts. This was coupled with an insight into the unique economic factors that drive the region and the future ambitions for Abu Dhabi as articulated in its 2030 vision.”

GCU graduates Karen Mackie, BA (Hons) Risk Management 1997 and Alan Duffy, BA (Hons) Risk Management 2000, hosted the group at

Sadiyaat Island and Masdar City respectively, and the group were further indebted to Dr Tayeb Kamali, Vice Chancellor, Higher Colleges of Technology, and his colleagues for their welcome at the Abu Dhabi Men’s College.

Michael Gleeson (pictured left), studying for the MSc International Project Management, said: “One of my favourite moments of the tour was spending time in the Sadiyaat Island exhibition building learning about Abu Dhabi’s history and development plans for 2030, including the Guggenheim, Louvre, and Sheikh Zayed Museum projects. One of the main benefits of the study tour was gaining an insight into the types of major projects being undertaken in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, especially their attempts to engage in sustainable construction and development.”

MSc Energy and Environmental Management student, Peter Fusco, said: “My favourite moment of the tour was undoubtedly visiting and being given a guided tour of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It’s absolutely breathtaking! I have gained a much greater

understanding and appreciation of Middle Eastern culture by taking part in the tour.”John Docherty, studying MSc Real Estate Management, added: “This trip has opened my eyes to the employment opportunities in the region and that to truly understand the Middle East you need to go there and experience it, which I was lucky enough to do, and I hope to do so again in the future.”

A social event for the students and alumni in the area was also held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Around 50 people were in attendance, including Bernice Henderson, an International Alumni Ambassador for the region. She said: “Becoming an International Alumni Ambassador was something of an easy decision. A way to stay in touch with fellow graduates and the University, it also allows me to be a part of promoting the education and life it gave me and I can keep a piece of home with me while I’m travelling!”

Would you like to become an International Alumni Ambassador on a voluntary basis? If so, email alumni@gcu.ac.uk for more information.

Developmentand Gifts

Topcon donate diagnostic equipment to Eye Clinic

Leading optical equipment manufacturer, Topcon, have donated a revolutionary piece of diagnostic equipment that can detect a number of key eye conditions, such as glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, during a routine eye test.

The 3D Optical Coherence Tomography system (3D OCT) will be incorporated into the Vision Sciences undergraduate curriculum and the Postgraduate Ocular Therapeutics course. It will also be used extensively with clinical patients.

OCT uses light rather than sound waves to illustrate the different layers making up the back of the eye. This particular unit captures a digital photograph of the surface of the eye and this can be cross-referenced across any areas of concern.

Professor Norman Button, Eye Clinic Director, said: “This generous donation by Topcon UK to the Eye Clinic continues a long association between the company and the University and ensures that GCU students continue to have access to the leading technologies in the field of ocular examination. It will prepare them to compete effectively in an advancing profession, ensure their continued employability and enhance their introduction to lifelong learning.”

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Alumni support our youngest students

The award-winning widening participation initiative, the Caledonian Club, is delighted to have received a number of donations from alumni over the past few months.

The donations included £6,250 from Alan Garrick to support the Club’s S6 Shadowing Project. The gift will make a real difference to pupils who are specifically intending to apply to GCU. Pupils will be assigned a mentor, attend workshops and be guided through the application process.

Eddie Woods, a former student, donated £1,250 to support ‘A Tale of Two Sporting Cities’ project – the Club’s most ambitious project to date. It will see a primary seven class from Castlemilk pair up with a class from Tower Hamlets, London for a year-long project based around the 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The Club was also delighted to receive £1,575 funding for the second year in a row from the Trades House to allow in-school work prior to the two-day challenge.

Specialists from the University and staff from the firms were on hand to advise pupils during various business challenges, including how to get younger people to buy potatoes and marketing a Dell tablet PC to a younger audience. The pupils had just two days before presenting their ideas to panels of experts and pitching ideas to 150 guests.

Susan Grant, Project Coordinator, said: “It is the first time the challenge has been set by companies. Working on real-life challenges will help highlight to pupils the link between education and employment.”

To find out more about the Caledonian Club, or make a donation, contact Robert Fleming on 0141 331 8930 or email: robert.fleming@gcu.ac.uk

City pupils chip in their bright ideas for Professor’s Challenge

Hundreds of school pupils helped solve real-life marketing challenges set by leading global technology provider Dell and Airdrie’s Albert Bartlett Potatoes in the S6 Professor’s Challenge, organised by the Caledonian Club.

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Sipping a cup of coffee, Andrew Mason looks content with how things have turned out for him, but during his time studying at Glasgow College of Technology he never expected to be where he is today.

He laughs: “My father was a quantity surveyor so I think that had a bearing on me choosing it as a degree course. I wasn’t particularly brilliant at quantities to be fair but I loved my time here. I had a great four years, it was good fun and it’s very different now to how it was then, particularly with the size of campus and facilities.

“After graduating, I went into private practice because you have to do an apprenticeship for two years, which I served in Glasgow.”

Until this point, Andrew’s career is following a traditional path after graduation, but he continues: “One day I got a call for some work for a film star who was buying property in Scotland. That opened my eyes to private clients, particularly high net clients, so before I knew where I was I had started up my own company Mason, Dryden, Murray, a property consultancy for the rich and famous, high net worth individuals, or for people who just don’t have the time.

“I worked on the basis that it was easy to buy a house and easy to sell a house but the bit in the middle was what everybody needed assistance with. I organised everything. A client could purchase a house 6,000 miles away and all they would have to do is turn up with their clothes when it was time to move in as everything would be done.”

Through his work at Mason, Dryden, Murray, Andrew met a client who is now his business partner. He said: “I looked after football manager Graeme Souness’ properties for a long time and we became friends. Eventually we devised the concept of flying private jets, primarily for footballers, and that was where Cloud9 came from. Graeme and I devised Cloud9 with a management team in place and investors etc and that was about four years ago. Since then I spent the first couple of years working on the business development side of things and the last two years I’ve spent as CEO and trying to develop the business.”

It was from there the glitz and glamour started. Andrew admits: “We’ve been fortunate in working with a lot of sports people already and we’ve become quite well known in the music industry and that can be a whole range of clients from bands touring

Andrew ison Cloud9 It is a rare sunny day in Glasgow and alumnus Andrew Mason is on campus to speak to students about entrepreneurship. He is certainly a good candidate to give advice to students. After graduating with a degree in Quantity Surveying, Andrew went on to set up two companies, the most recent of which being personal aviation firm, Cloud9.

to film stars going transatlantic - anything that requires a private jet.” Clients have included actor Kevin Costner (pictued with Andrew), musician Iggy Pop and golfer Paul Lawrie, who Cloud9 also sponsored last year.

Having achieved success in his business life, Andrew felt that he was at a stage where he wanted to give something back to the University who helped him get started: “I was keen to become involved as an alumnus because of my business experience and I felt that, having set up my own companies, I might be in a position to help. Last year I did a lecture for the MBA students then I followed that up this year with a full day of lectures and interviews. I think it’s helpful to share experiences of attempting to be an entrepreneur to students who are learning about business. They have a huge amount of theory to take on board and what I try to tell them is it’s not all about success.

Entrepreneurialism is not a defined art. You don’t need to be 18 with a killer idea, you might not get your moment until later in life and the important thing is to remain credible, be honest and true to yourself. The feedback has been exceptional, far greater than I

thought. I’ve seen various ranges of boredom when lecturing over the years from dozing to catatonic but the response has always been super at GCU.”

Entrepreneurialism is not a defined art. You don’t need to be 18 with a killer idea.If any alumni reading this article would like advice on setting up business, Andrew has the following words of wisdom: “Anywhere is quite difficult to set up a new business because we live in difficult times. In Scotland, it’s not easy but at the same time it is not impossible because we’ve got some very good learning and lots of people for advice.

We have a very good entrepreneurial exchange, the Chambers of Commerce and there are numerous people you can talk to. I think that planning as much as possible

is important but at the end of it be true to yourself. If you remain in control of what you can achieve and what you are like as a person then I think you can do great things.”

If you’d like to find out more about Cloud9, the website can be found at: www.cloud9-jets.com/

Would you like to be featured in the next issue of Caledonian Plus? If you have an interesting story to tell about your life since graduation, please get in touch by emailing: alumni@gcu.ac.uk or phoning 0141 331 8769.

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1. Some ladies from The Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science came back on campus to celebrate 50 years since beginning their studies. They had lunch on campus and watched a DVD with footage of classes from the 1930s which brought back memories, even though it was a little before their time.

Ann Marshall, who organised the event, has also written an article about their reunion which will be published in the magazine Scottish Memories. Keep an eye out for it if you can.

2. Derek Elder, HNC Civil Engineering 1977, was brave enough to send in his photo from his Glasgow College of Technology Students’ Association card. He said: “Despite my dubious sense of fashion, I had a great time at the old ‘Tech’ in the 70s and managed to get my HNC as well.”

3. Alumna Ethel Hofman, Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science 1956, was back on campus in June to give a guest lecture on growing up on Shetland as a member of the only Jewish family on the island. The lecture was attended by alumnae of the College and other friends and guests.

4. A student band from the 1980s performing in the The Tech Union. Do you recognise anyone? If so, let us know.

5 & 6. Twenty alumni from BSc in Opthalmic Optics 1986 met for a reunion dinner in Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow, on Sunday 12 June. Several arrived from London and the south east as well as from Fort William, Elgin and Aberdeen, plus one from Ireland. Some also attended a tour of the Eye Clinic at GCU the following morning. Organiser Ann Shand, said: “Apart from changes to hair/waistlines, we all recognised each other and

had a great evening catching up.”

Do you have a story to tell through photos, be it from your time studying or a reunion? No matter what it is, we’d love to feature it on this page in future. Email: alumni@gcu.ac.uk.

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Develop your career in Human Resource Management with full CIPD accreditation

For further information call 0141 331 3648, email gsbs@gcu.ac.ukor visit www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs

Glasgow Caledonian University is a registered Scottish charity, number SC021474

GCU is one of the first UK universities to achieve full professional accreditation (CIPD and CMI) for its new suite of Human Resource Management programmes which include Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters courses in:

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Taking into account the needs of the working professional, many programmes and modules are offered in January and September on a full or part-timeday/eveningbasis,orintheworkplace.

All of our modules can be accessed for CPD purposes, including the bespoke MSc inOrganisationalCoaching,aworkbasedprogrammedevelopedforpartnerorganisations.

For further information call 0141 331 3417, email gsbs@gcu.ac.uk or visit www.gcu.ac.uk/gsbs

Santander UK plc. Registered Office: 2 Triton Square, Regent’s Place, London NW1 3AN, United Kingdom. Registered Number 2294747. Registered in England. www.santander.co.uk Telephone 0870 607 6000. Calls may be recorded or monitored. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority except in respect of its consumer credit products for which Santander UK plc is licensed and regulated by the Office of Fair Trading. FSA registration number 106054. Santander and the flame logo are registered trademarks. LCOM 4778 JUN 11 T A4

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You’re the future we’re investing in today.Santander Universities is a network of more than 900 universities in 16 countries. Every year, our worldwide funding supports:

Over 17,000 scholarships, of which

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As the country’s future innovators and decision makers, you’re our tomorrow. That’s why Santander Universities is investing in you today.

For more information visit your Santander branch in the George Moore Building at Glasgow Caledonian University or contact Branch Manager Jamie Carthew on 07824 841 845, email: jamie.carthew@santander.co.uk