Graduation
Booklet 2015
Welcome
I took up the role of Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University in
November 2007 and I am extremely proud to represent an institution that is
committed to serving its students, graduates, communities and partners with
confidence and innovation.
My role is formal Head of the
University and I am responsible
for conferring degrees and awards at
graduation ceremonies. I pledge to
actively promote the University,
you the graduates and the
contribution you will make to the
world. I admire the University’s
dedication to fostering
entrepreneurship, creativity and
self-belief in its students.
This, along with excellent academic
standards, is what Edinburgh
Napier’s reputation is built on. It is
what will help realise your potential
and fulfil your own ambitions.
Congratulations to you, your
families and those who have
supported you throughout your
studies. As an Edinburgh Napier
graduate you have been given one of
the best starts – seize everything you
have learnt and reach for your goals.
Good luck with your future and I hope
you will all keep in touch.
Tim Waterstone
Chancellor
Graduation is an
important occasion and
a fitting end to your
student journey.
To ensure that graduation runs smoothly
and is enjoyable for all, please read this
booklet carefully and be aware of what
you need to do on the day.
Graduation ceremonies are held at
the Usher Hall, Lothian Road,
Edinburgh.
The Usher Hall is a strictly
non-smoking venue and does not
allow the use of hairspray on the
premises, as this will disrupt the fire
alarm systems.
On the day
Arriving at the theatre
You should arrive at the theatre
between the following times:
11am Ceremony - 8.30am - 10am
2pm Ceremony - 11.30am - 1pm
3pm Ceremony - 12.30pm - 2pm
You should be seated at least 20
minutes before the ceremony begins
- otherwise it will not be possible for
your award to be presented. Please
inform your guests that they should
also take their seats early and will not
be allowed to enter the auditorium
after the Academic Procession has
begun. All guests must have a valid
ticket for admission.
Travel
Information regarding public
transport is available from
Lothian Buses.
Parking is available close to the
Usher Hall. Parking facilities for the
reception at Craiglockhart
campus are limited, so you may
prefer to use public transport. If you
or your guests are disabled, please
email [email protected] to
discuss parking arrangements.
Registration
When you first arrive at the theatre
please register at the registration
desks at the Lothian Road entrance
in the main foyer of the Usher Hall.
Only graduands should report to the
registration desks - please ask your
guests to enter through the café/bar
entrance on Lothian Road. You should
be registered at least one hour before
the start of your ceremony.
The registration desks run in
alphabetical surname order, please
go to the correct desk to register. You
will be given your seat number on a
blue seating card, which you must
keep as it is used by the ushers to
direct you on to the stage. If you are a
prize or medal winner you will also be
given a green card. If you are the first
person graduating from your course
you will be given a yellow card with
the course title on it. Please do not
fold these cards or leave them under
your seat, as you are required to take
them with you on to the stage. If
you receive more than one card it is
important that you keep them in the
order that they were given to you.
Please note the instructions on the
back of the cards.
‘We currently have
over 85,000 active alumni
members. Keep in touch with us
through our Alumni team.’
Tickets
Tickets for your
graduation ceremony
and reception
These will be available to collect
from the registration desks on the
day of your graduation ceremony.
You and your guests will require
tickets to gain entry to the
auditorium and the reception.
Children can attend the ceremony,
but you should note that it may
not be suitable for very young
children.
Children under two do not require a
seat and therefore do not require a
ticket. Children over the age of two
will require a ticket due to the Usher
Hall’s health and safety regulations.
Additional tickets
Subject to availability, additional
tickets may be on sale for your
ceremony and reception, however,
please note that some ceremonies
and receptions reach capacity before
additional tickets become
available, therefore, students should
only assume that they will have
access to the basic allocation of one
ticket for themselves and two for
their guests.
Should additional tickets become
available, these are £12 for the
ceremony and £14 for the
reception. Please go to
Graduations on myNapier for details.
Any pre-ordered additional tickets
can be collected from the tickets desk
in the foyer to the left of the main
entrance on the day of your
ceremony.
Please note that tickets are
non-refundable and
non-transferable.
‘Celebrate your
success with your
family and friends!’
Academic
Dress
You will be required to wear the
appropriate academic dress,
including the appropriate gown
and hood for your award, at your
graduation ceremony otherwise you
will not be permitted to
graduate.
Academic dress may be bought or
hired from the University robe
makers Ede & Ravenscroft:
01223 861 854
www.gownhire.co.uk
www.edeandravenscroft.co.uk
We recommend that you order your
academic dress well in advance of
your ceremony. It is your
responsibility to order academic
dress before graduation and, if
possible, you should give the robe
makers at least three weeks notice
of your requirements.
There is a separate charge for
this service, which is not included in
the University payment.
Graduation is a formal occasion and
graduands are expected to dress
appropriately. National dress may be
worn if you wish. Mortarboards, hats
and fascinators are not permitted.
Please collect your academic dress
from the top floor of the Usher Hall
after you have registered. You can
collect your gown at the times shown
below for your ceremony. Please
return it afterwards, either at the
theatre or at your reception.
Gown collection
11am Ceremony
8.30am - 10.30am
2pm Ceremony
11.30am - 1.30pm
3pm Ceremony
12.30pm - 2.30pm
Your gown should be returned to Ede
& Ravenscroft after the ceremony at
the Usher Hall or after the Reception
at Craiglockhart.
Edinburgh
Napier University
Undergraduate
Degree
Copyright Ede & Ravenscroft 2008
Edinburgh
Napier University
Undergraduate
Certificate/
Diploma
Copyright Ede & Ravenscroft 2008
Edinburgh
Napier University
Postgraduate
Certificate/
Diploma
Copyright Ede & Ravenscroft 2008
Edinburgh
Napier University
Taught Masters
Copyright Ede & Ravenscroft 2008
Edinburgh
Napier University
MPhil
Copyright Ede & Ravenscroft 2008
Edinburgh
Napier University
PhD
Copyright Ede & Ravenscroft 2008
Prizes
and Medals
Student & Academic
Services coordinates the
University prizes and
medals and the presentation
of these at the graduation
ceremonies.
Most awards are made by individual
Schools to undergraduate and
postgraduate level students based
upon a selection of key criteria.
Enquiries about prizes and medals
should be directed to the School
office.
The
Ceremony
Ceremony Running Order
Graduation ceremony lasts
approximately 1.5 hours.
Ceremonies will start
punctually
You must be seated at least 20
minutes prior to the commencement
of the ceremony – otherwise it will
not be possible for your award to be
presented. Please inform your guests
that they cannot be allowed
admission to the auditorium after the
Academic
Procession has begun. Guests will
only be admitted to the auditorium
with a valid ticket.
Seating
You will be seated in alphabetical
order by course title in the stalls area
of the theatre. Your seat number will
have been given to you at the
registration desk.
Processions
Please stand, if you are able to, as
the Academic Procession and the
Chancellor’s Procession enter the
theatre.
Opening
The Chancellor opens the
ceremony.
Vice-Chancellor’s Speech from
Professor Andrea Nolan.
Conferment of any honorary
degrees and honorary speeches.
Conferment of Awards
When your graduation begins, you will
be taken out from your seat a row at a
time to stand at the side of the
auditorium. Follow the person on your
right and carry your seat cards with
you. An usher will let each row know
when it is time to move on to the
stage. Remain in the order in which
you were seated and proceed up the
stairs onto the stage when directed by
the usher. Your seat card will be taken
from you and passed to a senior
academic member of staff. Wait for
your name to be called and then walk
across the stage, pausing to shake
hands with the Chancellor. If you are
the first student graduating from your
course, the title of the course will be
read out before your name. Cross to
the far side of the stage to receive
your parchment and any prizes or
medals you have won. Continue down
the stairs where an usher will direct
you back to your original seat.
Act of Conferment
The Chancellor confers the awards.
Chancellor’s speech
Tim Waterstone
Close
The Chancellor closes the
ceremony.
End of Ceremony
At the end of the ceremony, please
remain standing, if you are able to, as
the Chancellor’s and Academic
Processions leave the theatre. Make
sure that you have all your belongings
with you – don’t leave anything under or
on your seat. You will leave the theatre
a row at a time. An usher will direct you
when it is time to leave.
Debtors
If you have any debt to the University
which is not cleared by the application
closing date, your name will not appear
in the graduation programme or the
newspaper and you will not be permitted
to participate in the graduation
ceremony or receive your parchment
until your debts are cleared.
Receptions
non-transferable.
Additional tickets
Your reception will be held at
the Craiglockhart campus with
refreshments including savoury and
sweet canapés, sparkling wine and
soft drinks. Please note that food is
served at the start of the reception
and you are advised to arrive
punctually.
Should additional reception tickets
become available, they can be
purchased at a cost of £14 each.
The food is mostly suitable for
children to eat and we can provide a
carton of juice, fruit bag, small
sausage roll and crisps on request.
Car parking
11am Ceremony
Reception 1.15pm - 3pm
2pm Ceremony
Reception 4.15pm - 6pm
3pm Ceremony
Reception 5.15pm - 7pm
Tickets
Three reception tickets are included
in the graduation fee. Subject to
availability additional tickets may be
on sale, however, please note that
some receptions reach capacity
before additional tickets become
available, therefore, students should
only assume that they will have
access to the basic allocation of one
ticket for themselves and two for
their guests.
Please arrive on time for your
graduation reception. Please note
that tickets are non-refundable and
Go to Graduations on myNapier
for availability. Concessions are
available for additional tickets for
children under the age of five years.
Parking facilities for the receptions at
Craiglockhart campus are
limited. You may prefer to use
public transport.
Additional information
Lothian Buses timetable
information:
www.lothianbuses.com
Campus Map:
www.napier.ac.uk/campusmaps
At your reception, you can also
purchase University memorabilia
and obtain further information
about the Alumni Association and
opportunities for further study at
Edinburgh Napier University.
‘You can use our
careers service for
up to three years after
you graduate.’
Photography
& Video
The University has appointed Ede &
Ravenscroft as official photographers
for graduation. Their contact
details are:
Ede & Ravenscroft:
Tel: 01733 563 565
[email protected]
To enquire about frames, email:
[email protected]
We recommend that you order your
photography package in advance, as
the queues for the photography sales
desk on the day can be quite long. You
can order this online as part of your
gown hire order as above. The
photography area can be found
opposite the Usher Hall in the
Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa
Edinburgh, EH3 9SR.
You can have your photographs
taken before your ceremony and
afterwards, but please do allow
sufficient time to travel to your
reception.
Please note that there are also
photography studios and gown
return facilities at the receptions at
Craiglockhart Campus.
Camera use during
ceremonies
Members of the audience may
take photographs. Out of respect for
other guests, you will not be
permitted to leave your seat or move
about the theatre in order to do so or
use flash apparatus.
No private video recording is
permitted in the auditorium of the
Usher Hall.
At the Ceremony
Photography studios will be open
two hours prior to the start of your
ceremony and will generally finish
about an hour after the last
ceremony of the day. If in doubt,
please check with the Ede &
Ravenscroft sales desk on the day.
Photographs will be taken by the
University’s photographers at the
Usher Hall and receptions for use in
our promotional materials. We may
wish to take photographs of
smaller groups or individuals,
however, your permission will
always be sought before
identifiable photographs are taken.
Visual images will be used and
retained strictly in accordance with
the Data Protection Act 1998
and the University’s retention
schedules. If you have any queries or
objections please email
[email protected]
Graduation videos
Videos of our graduation
ceremonies are available on our
‘Graduation and Beyond’ playlist on
YouTube.
Data protection
You should be aware that the
ceremonies will be filmed and
photographs may be taken. A live film
feed will be used to project the
ceremonies on to a back screen on
stage. At a later date, videos of the
ceremonies will be made available for
viewing on the University’s website.
For the University’s full Data
Protection Statement for the
graduation ceremonies go to
Graduations on myNapier.
Contact us
The Alumni Relations &
Events Team
Sighthill Campus, Sighthill Court,
Edinburgh,
EH11 4BN
Tel: 0131 455 6433
Email: [email protected]
For further information online go to
Graduations on myNapier.
Further
Enquiries
For further information relating
to your graduation day, please
contact:
Student & Academic Services
Tel: 0131 455 2535
Email: [email protected]
For further information online go to
Graduations on myNapier.
The DLHE Survey
Congratulations on your graduation.
We are proud of all our graduates
and we like to know what you decide
to do next. We will contact you six
months after you gain your
qualification and invite you to take
part in a survey called the
Destination of Leavers from Higher
Education (DLHE). By taking part
you will be helping both us and our
current students.