Exhibition Stalls at the 2025 ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× Open Event
The following exhibition stalls will be at our 2025 Open Event.
Promoting anti-ableism in schools
Learn how Dr Siân Jones and Dr Clare Uytman are enhancing anti-ableism amongst educational professionals. Viewing disability inequality as a human rights concern, they are empowering educators with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively and sensitively discuss disability with their pupils, to create inclusive and accessible environments that best support their young learners, and classroom resources which positively represent disabled people as full and complex human beings.
Promoting the rights of babies and young children 
Find out about innovative research using the arts which aims to enable the ‘voices’ of babies and non-verbal young children to be heard. ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× has partnered with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and to explore an arts-based approach that could be used by those working with babies and young children to enable their views to be included in decision-making.   Starcatchers is Scotland’s Arts and Early Years organisation. They believe that our youngest children, those aged birth-to-five, should be able to fulfil their rights under the UNCRC through access to arts and creative experiences that give inspiration, joy and wonder to early childhood in Scotland. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Healthcare technologies to support self-management and independent living for people living with long-term conditions
On this stall, you can find out how we are helping to transform health and healthcare through the use of technology. Dr Pelagia Koufaki (Speech and Hearing Sciences - ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×) in collaboration with Prof Hongnian Yu (Computing and Engineering - Edinburgh Napier University) received PhD level support, from both institutions, to develop wearable sensor technology solutions integrated with advanced AI to address critical healthcare challenges. As a result, Mustafa Ahmed and Nazia Pathan are currently on jointly funded PhD bursaries based at ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×. Additionally, the team have secured a knowledge exchange contract with Apple Inc, to support Mustafa’s PhD by providing them with latest technology wearable sensors and technical support for software and application development.
The team are developing an algorithm based on wearable sensors input (Apple watches) for real-time monitoring of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and risk of experiencing adverse events such as falls. This innovation could facilitate early detection of physical and cognitive decline, particularly in people living with multiple chronic conditions and age-related syndromes, by identifying subtle changes in daily activity patterns like mobility or self-care. The user-friendly design could promote independence, prevent adverse events, reduce in-person clinical visits, and support equitable healthcare needs evaluation and access, independent of geographical location and individual abilities or characteristics. By enabling cost-effective, continuous remote monitoring, it fosters preventive proactive care and sustainable healthcare delivery. 
Reimagining Global Health and Development: IGHD at the forefront
Visit this stall to discover how the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) is advancing equitable and sustainable global health through collaborative research and innovation. Rooted in ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×’s 150-year legacy of progressive education, research, and innovation, IGHD critically examines key global health challenges while identifying opportunities for transformative solutions. Through research displays and interactive discussions with IGHD experts, you can explore its work in health systems, migration and displacement, resilience, and mental health in conflict and humanitarian settings. You can also learn about IGHD’s collaborative projects, impact-driven initiatives, and innovative approaches to global health.
ORYNX, a health sciences-based training platform targeting universities and medical institutions
ORYNX AI is transforming medical education for the digital age. This innovative platform is specifically designed for universities, healthcare training providers and hospitals, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to create immersive, interactive learning experiences for healthcare professionals at all levels.
Lydia Osteoporosis Project 
Learn how our experts are raising awareness of osteoporosis as a public health concern and educating both health care staff and the public on the issue. Funded by £1m plus in donations from anonymous donors, the Lydia Osteoporosis Project is doing vital work highlighting this common bone disease which affects over 3 million people in the UK. 
¹ú²úÂÒÂ×’s involvement in the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT)
Find out about the work of the National Autism Implementation Team, which has been hosted at ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× since we were invited by Scottish Government to undertake a programme of work in 2019. Our small team is a practice and research partnership with mixed neurotype team members from education and teaching, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychiatry professions, and research professionals. The team hosts national multi-disciplinary networks and working groups for practitioners and have regular engagement with neurodivergent partners.
NAIT’s work supports the development and implementation of neuro-affirming practice across sectors (education, health, employment, justice and social care) and across the lifespan. At their stall, they will share examples of their publications and professional learning resources for practitioners and published research, which can also be accessed on the .
¹ú²úÂÒÂ× Students’ Union 
Come and meet the presidents of our Students’ Union and find out how they support our student community through sports, societies and representation. 
Enhanced award-winning employer mentoring programme
Building on the success of our long-standing and award-winning employer mentoring scheme, we’re proud to launch a Rotational Leadership Mentoring Programme (ROME) – the first programme of its kind in the education sector. ROME is designed to give students a broader understanding of various industries and career paths by pairing them with four senior mentors across diverse roles or professions.
At this stall, you can learn about this scheme, and hear about opportunities to get involved. As a mentor with the scheme, you would have the opportunity to shape the next generation of leaders, offering guidance to students from a wide range of backgrounds. Mentors include professionals from a variety of fields, such as the NHS, the Scottish Government, entrepreneurs, and leading hospitality employers. ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×’s principal, Sir Paul Grice, is also actively involved as a mentor in the programme.
¹ú²úÂÒÂ× donors making an impact on our students  
¹ú²úÂÒÂ× offers students a range of funded extracurricular opportunities to enable them to enhance their learning experience, build their confidence, improve their employability and broaden their horizons. Many of these opportunities are only possible thanks to support from our donors. On this stall, you can meet ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× Film and Media Graduate (Class of 2024) Christopher McPhillips who received Santander Enterprise funding to support the creation of the , as well as Become a Producer funding which supported the enhancement of his final year film project.  Find out more about the impact our donors make. â¶Ä¯&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Client project work by Digital Campaigning and Content Creation students 
¹ú²úÂÒÂ×’s undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Strategic Communication, Digital Marketing and Public Relations put employability front and centre, ensuring our graduates don’t just step into the industry—they hit the ground running.
Our programmes go beyond the classroom, offering hands-on experience with clients and responding to real-world challenges with creative solutions, be that high-impact content—from scroll-stopping social media videos to powerful long-form storytelling for campaigns to strategic research-informed recommendations that will engage audiences across digital platforms.
Our students take on live projects, placements, and freelance work, offering fresh perspectives and innovative approaches that can benefit organisations. Come visit this stand to explore their work and discuss potential collaborations.
A short animated film on the history of ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× 
Watch a short animated film on the fascinating history of our institution, produced by ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× graduates Jourie Fraser-Harris and Alex Gilbert. 
We’re Still Dancing
‘We’re Still Dancing’ is the working (ie not final) title for a new community-based creative project exploring place and emotion in individuals with dementia through dance practice. The project has been co-created with Dementia Friendly East Lothian, recognising the participants, carers and staff within the group as experts by experience. The project will take place over the course of 8 weeks from April - June 2025, with participants engaging in dance and storytelling sessions led by the ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× team. The work will culminate in an alternative tea dance at The Hollies in Musselburgh on 7th June 2025.
A new public artwork for our campus 
Find out about the public artwork being installed on campus as part of our 150th anniversary celebrations and meet the artist, Martha Ellis.  You’ll have the opportunity to learn about her process and even try for yourself some of the techniques that she uses.
The Edinburgh Innovation Hub 
Learn about progress on the , a joint venture between ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× and East Lothian Council. Due for completion this summer, the Hub will be a nationally significant centre for innovation driven business growth and will create new high value employment. This project is supported by £28.6 million from the UK Government, £1.4 million from the Scottish Government and £10 million from East Lothian Council as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal (ESES City Region Deal).
Fostering innovation and wealth creation 
Check out ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×’s work to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic growth. This stall will focus particularly on the ¹ú²úÂÒÂ× Startup Studio and our range of partnerships, including the Bright Red Triangle and enterprise support services and the Start For Future cooperative.  It will also showcase our partnership with East Lothian Council through the Community Wealth Building Charter. 
Food industry collaboration through the ¹ú²úÂÒÂ×-based Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation (SCFDI) 
Established in 2014 in response to the growth of Scotland’s food and drink industry, SCFDI has expertise in food science, nutrition, sensory science and real-world industry experience.  They assist food and drink businesses at any stage, from small start-ups to large established brands. At this stall you can find out about SCFDI’s work with industry and other academic institutions, and their successful Thrive programme which provides essential training and guidance for budding food and drink entrepreneurs.
More event information and book your free place
