UHI Millennium Institute
A: Executive Office, Ness Walk, Inverness, IV3 5SQ
T: 01463 279000
I: UHI Millennium Institute (UHI) is the only higher education institution based in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. UHI provides access to university-level education through a distinctive educational partnership of colleges and research institutions (the UHI academic partners). Each academic partner has its own character and contributes to the distinctive organisation that is UHI Millennium Institute. Some are relatively large colleges in the urban centres of the region such as Perth, Elgin and Inverness. Others are smaller institutions, including some whose primary focus is on research. All, however, have a student-centred culture and an individual approach to student learning.
UHI partners involved in the Outdoors Health Network are:
- UHI Centre for Remote and Rural Studies
- Centre for Rural Health
- Centre for Mountain Studies
- Centre for Interpretation Studies
- Lochaber College
- Department for Diabetes & Cardiovascular Science
Centre for Remote and Rural Studies
A: Academy Lodge, Crown Avenue, Inverness, IV2 3NG
T: 01463 273563
I: The UHI Centre for Remote and Rural Studies is based at Inverness College. It is led by Director, Dr Philomena de Lima. The Centre for Remote and Rural Studies has been established to improve the ‘evidence base’ and level of debate around policy issues affecting rural and island regions. It brings together academics, researchers and practitioners in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland and beyond and will help give the Highlands and Islands a stronger voice in setting Scottish and UK government policy.
Staff involved from CRRS are:
Centre for Rural Health
A: The Centre for Health Science, Old Perth Road, Inverness, IV2 3JH
T: 01463 255893
I: The Centre for Rural Health (CRH) was formed from the previously established Highlands and Islands Health Research Institute (HIHRI) in 2004. Since 2005, CRH has operated as a collaborative venture between the University of Aberdeen (www.abdn.ac.uk) and the UHI Millennium Institute (www.uhi.ac.uk), both institutions providing core funding and employing staff within CRH.
The CRH mission is to advance knowledge of health and health services in rural and remote communities. Those communities currently face a number of important challenges including: changes in demography; changes in the nature of health care provision; and increased expectations of the community. CRH is developing the evidence base for rural health care by: carrying out relevant primary research; developing collaborative research with social scientists, geographers and policy researchers; and bringing the international perspective through appropriate collaborations.
CRH researchers in the OHN are:
Centre for Mountain Studies
A: Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College-UHI, Crieff Road, Perth, PH1 2NX
T: 01738 877761
W: CMS website
I: The Centre for Mountain Studies (CMS) was established at Perth College UHI in 2000, with the objective of creating a centre of excellence for work in mountain areas within the emerging University of the Highlands and Islands (currently UHI Millennium Institute). With a focus on mountain environments and the people who depend on them, both in Scotland and internationally, the CMS has four main goals:
- to undertake and communicate high-quality research;
- to convene meetings to disseminate and discuss knowledge and to develop research agendas;
- to contribute to informed policy-making processes;
- to lead in the development and delivery of academic courses and training.
Researchers from the Centre for Mountain Studies are:
Centre for Interpretation Studies
A: Centre for Interpretation Studies, Perth College-UHI, Crieff Road, Perth, PH1 2NX
T: 01738 877 371
W: CIS website
I: The Centre for Interpretation Studies (CIS) was established at Perth College in 2007, with the aim of establishing a centre of excellence to take forward the concepts of innovative and sustainable interpretation.
The CIS seeks to initiate applied research and advise and support individuals, communities, businesses and organisations in creating interpretation that meets policy goals and delivers high-quality experiences which the public enjoys visiting and leads to the adoption of thinking and practices that are economically rewarding, environmentally sound and socially responsible.
With a focus on knowledge and skills development and the tourism economy, both in Scotland and internationally, the CIS has three main objectives:
- MSc Interpretation Management & Practice – providing advanced professional studies for practitioners across the cultural and heritage sectors;
- Research – to undertake and disseminate high-quality innovative research in interpretation and related disciplines;
- Knowledge exchange – to share and disseminate research and professional practice through a programme of meetings, seminars, conferences and consultancy;
- Professional Development – to lead in the development and delivery oadvanced level studies and training aligned with the knowledge and skills needs identified by practitioners, sector organisations and businesses.
CIS staff involved in the network: Genevieve Adkins
Lochaber College, Department of Outdoor Adventure Studies
A: Lochaber College UHI, Carmichael Way, Fort William, Inverness-shire, Scotland PH33 6FF.
T: 01397 874000
I: Located in the Outdoor Capital of the UK we offer a wide variety of learning and training opportunities tailored to the needs and aspirations of people who live, work and play here – or those who would like to live and work in a venue like Lochaber. We offer a suite of courses in Adventure Tourism & outdoor Pursuits and all our courses benefit from our location in Fort William, Lochaber – Outdoor Capital of the UK. This base provides easy access to the pre-eminent adventure facilities in the UK; highest mountain, deepest loch, most challenging waters, world-class mountain bike routes, etc. Our team of staff on the BA Adventure Tourism Management have a wealth of experience in the global adventure industry; they are supported by teaching staff from throughout the UHI network who will deliver modules such as Entrepreneurship and Perceptions of Heritage.
Lochaber college staff in the network: Dr Pete Varley
Department of Diabetes & Cardiovascular Science
A: Highland Diabetes Institute, The Centre for Health Science, Old Perth Road, Inverness, IV2 3JH
T: 01463 279583
W: http://www.centreforhealthscience.com/uhi-department-of-diabetes.asp
I: UHI has committed to invest heavily in personnel and equipment to set up a high quality research department in diabetes in the Highland Diabetes Institute within the Centre for Health Science. The Department is jointly directed by Ian Megson, Lifescan Chair of Diabetes and Sandra McRury, Clinical Professor of Diabetes.
The research themes will include preclinical and clinical aspects of diabetes research. Current research centres on the cardiovascular complications of diabetes and includes research into new agents to stop blockage of blood vessels in patients with diabetes. The work also involves investigating the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the deterioration of the function of pancreatic insulin producing cells. The recent expansion of the team to include expertise in Genetics and Immunology has greatly increased the potential scope of the department to encompass genetic and environmental factors that might combine to trigger both type-1 and type-2 diabetes. A number of exciting collaborative projects are already underway and UHI are keen to use their latest technology and expertise and offer a wide range of opportunities for future research collaborations.
The Clinical Research Facility has been established to provide improved facilities for clinical researchers and to encourage greater participation in all forms of clinical research within Highland region in line with recommendations for Scotland from the Chief Scientist’s Office Scotland, by providing state of the art accommodation and equipment and access to research support staff. While the CRF will be operated by UHI it draws on NHS expertise for contracting specific services such as research nursing and pharmacy staff and is a joint UHI/NHS Highland resource.
A key principle of access to the CRF is that any researcher who needs to utilise the facility will be eligible to request access whether he or she works for UHI, the NHS or another research organisation.
The CRF will be suitable for health care professionals to undertake commercial or non commercial clinical research projects and has a bedded unit with the capacity for overnight studies.
Sandra MacRury is a co-investigator in the Outdoors and Health Network
