Our Community Plan 2020-2025

Dr Cathy Southworth, Community Science Engagement Manager at Edinburgh BioQuarter has worked with the Craigmillar community since 2016.

The partnership project has included work with Castleview, Niddrie Mill, Prestonfield and St Francis’ Primary Schools and Castlebrae Community High School, all close to the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the Edinburgh BioQuarter.

Partnership activities have included a community science festival, a holiday science club, continuing professional development for teachers and free boxes of STEM activities for families during lockdown. The work that Dr Southworth has done with Castleview Primary School won the Rolls Royce Science Prize in 2019.

Community Science Engagement

EFI is a major strategic initiative of the University.

It is being developed in recognition that almost all of the biggest challenges facing society are complex and multi-layered, and that insight and innovation can come from bringing together expertise from across different disciplines.

The Institute is working with local communities, governments and industry to create a portfolio of research, education and wider engagement which is data-rich and aims to have demonstrable ethical, social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts.

Once open, the Institute will offer a warm welcome into the newly redeveloped former Royal Infirmary building on Lauriston Place – fulfilling the Latin pledge above the main entrance: ‘patet omnibus’, open to all.

Edinburgh Futures Institute

Museums Dementia Socials is a partnership that offers people affected by dementia a regular, informal Friday morning guided visit of a museum, gallery or zoo.

St Cecilia’s Hall, the University’s Concert Room and Music Museum, hosts once a month and the programme includes a cup of tea and cake, a discussion around some of the rare instruments on display, and a short concert.

St Cecilia’s Hall

Playlist for Life

In July 2020, the University of Edinburgh became the first institution in the UK to renew its status as a University of Sanctuary, reaffirming a commitment to creating a culture of inclusivity and awareness for those seeking sanctuary on campus, and within the city.

We will continue to enhance our leading role in the Universities of Sanctuary stream at a national and local level, working with other Universities of Sanctuary and City of Sanctuary colleagues in Edinburgh, to achieve collective aims.

This work will include using research to shape national policy, improving access to information and support for sanctuary scholars, and building up Refugee Week activities.

City of Sanctuary

Slurp is a student-run social enterprise aiming to support individuals affected by homelessness in Edinburgh.

Slurp runs bi-weekly cooking sessions at Streetwork’s Holyrood hub where they make up to 50 hot meals alongside Streetwork’s service users.

Slurp also aims to build a forum for educating the student community on the causes of homelessness and misconceptions surrounding it.

They create campaigns, organise events and try to develop innovative ways to convey messages to the student population and wider community in Edinburgh. All the work they do is funded by selling cooking vouchers and sustainably-sourced shopper bags.

The Students as Change Agents project brings together students, staff, and external partners to tackle real-life challenges and generate fresh thinking.

It involves students from multiple disciplines who want to make a social impact during their time at the University.

The culmination of the programme in June 2020 saw 150 students taking part from across the world, working together with partner organisations to address challenges like youth homelessness in Scotland and exploring what an environmentally sustainable future might look like for Edinburgh in the revival of its tourism industry and festivals post-Covid-19.