French students join GSA’s Winter School for first time

The two-week programme saw international students and academics join GSA counterparts to research aspects of Highlands and Islands life.

Visiting lecturers came from as far afield as Hong Kong and India to the event.

The Highlands and Islands Creative Campus is a postgraduate research centre established following a £2.5 million renovation of Blairs Steading by Altyre Estate near Forres last year.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) supported the development with a £750,000 investment. A further £500,000 came from Historic Environment Scotland.

The 2018 Winter School welcomed around 150 international staff and students to the town. Among the subjects explored at the event were cultural entrepreneurship, social enterprise in the Highlands and Islands and future visions for local historic sites. In exploring these themes the students partnered with local businesses in the Forres area.

Dr Gordon Hush, head of innovation school at the GSA, said: “Winter School is a great opportunity for students and academics from across the world to collaborate on creative projects that are embedded in the local community around our Highlands and Islands campus. This year we were delighted to welcome the first cohort of students from Audencia Business School in Nantes which the GSA is partnering in a Master’s programme in Management and Entrepreneurship in the Creative Economy.”

David Reid, regional skills manager at HIE, said: “The universities sector is playing a vital and growing role in creating high quality education, research and career opportunities across the Highlands and Islands, particularly for young people. The buildings at Blair Steadings form an ideal permanent location for the GSA’s growing presence in the north, where it is working in partnership with HIE to bring its internationally recognised expertise to the Highlands and Islands.

“As a productive world class research and teaching facility, the Creative Campus will attract increasing numbers of students and deliver a range of social and economic benefits to the region.”