This marks the University’s most successful year to date in terms of award recognition, with a record number of submissions making it to the finals - a particularly fitting achievement in the year that QMU celebrates its 150th anniversary.
The awards, now in their 10th year, honour excellence across Scotland’s further and higher education sector, highlighting innovation in teaching, student support, business engagement, equality and inclusion, community impact, and all the other extraordinary initiatives in universities and colleges across Scotland.
QMU has been shortlisted in the following six categories:
- Enhancing Student Learning for its Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) scheme – a scheme which sees trained student leaders run collaborative sessions where students can deepen their understanding of course materials in a friendly and supportive environment, helping them build confidence, enhance study skills, and engage more effectively with their studies;
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for its work in promoting anti-racism, including its new EDI Culture Review, Strategy and Action Plan – QMU aims to adopt an organisation-wide approach to making the University a fairer and more inclusive place to work and to be part of, with inclusion and belonging at its heart;
- Outstanding Business Engagement in Universities for its innovative Employer Mentoring Scheme for students – an award-winning scheme which allow students to develop their employability skills while gaining a close insight into a particular job or sector through 121 mentorships with industry professionals;
- Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member for BSc (Hons) Podiatry Programme Leader, Evelyn Weir, for her volunteering work in supporting Scotland’s homeless community - Evelyn has been running specialist footcare clinics and services for people living of the streets of Edinburgh for three decades, and she often facilitates students and graduate involvement in the delivery of podiatric services to the homeless including the Crisis at Christmas initiatives;
- Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community for its Wooden Spoon Frame Running Hub initiative – in collaboration with a range of organisations and charities, QMU helped set up Scotland’s pioneering Frame Running Hub in Glasgow, helping young people with limited mobility to access frame equipment, become mobile, and foster independence through sport;
- and Widening Access for its ‘Connecting QMU with Craigmillar’ initiative – a scheme which includes community art shows, partnerships, community-based learning and research, and economic development opportunities for the Edinburgh district.
Sir Paul Grice, Principal of QMU, said: "To have such a broad range of projects - and so many of them - make it to the Herald Education Award finals in this milestone anniversary year for QMU, is a tremendous endorsement of the commitment, innovation and community spirit that underpins everything we do.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff, students and partners who consistently strive to create meaningful impact - both within the University and in the wider community. As we celebrate our 150th anniversary, these nominations reflect and recognise our ongoing efforts to create an outstanding learning experience for our students and to deliver teaching, research and community initiatives that make a difference to the world around us.”
The winners of the Herald Higher Education Awards 2025 will be announced at a celebratory awards evening on Thursday 29 May at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.