Our Vision

Background

From its very inception, Queen Margaret University has focused on addressing society’s needs.  Throughout our history, we have been committed to providing relevant teaching and research which makes a real practical impact on everyday life.

Through our portfolio of socially and economically relevant educational programmes, we set out to maximise the potential of our students to ensure ‘sought after’ graduates and postgraduates, who are able to think independently, reflectively and creatively, who are ready for employment, and who have an enthusiasm for lifelong learning. We continue to build on our excellent track record in widening the participation of students who have previously been inhibited from entering higher education for social, economic or cultural reasons.

As well as preparing our students for useful careers through providing them with a thoroughly relevant education, our teaching and research is designed to address the issues affecting Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world.  Our course portfolio relates closely to Government priority sectors, and we are highly regarded for our innovative research which has a direct impact on policy and practice, and which consequently improves the quality of life.

The local community is certainly central to our vision, and we are also a university with an international reach and impact, with internationally recognised research. We also recruit a high proportion of ‘rest of UK’ and international students compared with many other Scottish institutions.

Our work is built around our three academic flagship areas of health and rehabilitation, sustainable business, and culture and creativity.

Our Vision Statement

We will be increasingly known for demonstrating economic and social relevance in the following ways:

We will be known for delivering inter -professional education and research that has the well-being of the person in mind at all times. This will be achieved through inter-disciplinary working and research.

Our inter-professional education and research will allow us to work within and across academic and practice areas, cross-fertilising thinking and facilitating the development of joined-up solutions. Our inter-disciplinary approach will help encourage professional groups to work better together for the benefit of others.

The education and research that we provide will be industry-relevant, guided by the needs of society for high quality and socially responsible industry, the professions we serve, the local community, and society as a whole.

Our international approach – in terms of our student body, curriculum and research – will ensure the relevance of our work, and avoid narrow, cultural-specific approaches to the issues that affect our world.

Our international approach will strengthen our reputation across the world, as will a rigorous focus within the university on measuring and improving our performance

Our excellent teaching will continue to be underpinned by scholarship, and enhanced by focused research which will be concentrated on a number of research themes.  As well as informing our teaching, enhancing the student experience and serving society, our research will create career development opportunities for our academics, enabling us to attract and retain the very best staff.

We will continue ongoing review and evaluation of our teaching and learning to ensure that it meets society’s changing needs, and the needs of our students.

Our Values

We will uphold the following core values:

a) Development of academic excellence in service to the community;

b) Social responsibility towards all of the communities we serve, demonstrating respect, care, social justice, equality and fairness;

c) Concern for the environment and sustainable use of natural resources;

d) Commitment to continuous improvement in all we do.