Two top roles for SHLS Assistant Head for International
School of Health and Life Sciences Assistant Head for International Dr Gordon Hill has been appointed as a board member and trustee of refugee charity The Welcoming in Edinburgh.
He has also been appointed as a member of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Research Society steering committee.
Dr Hill, who is also Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Public Health Education and Research, is delighted to be part of two great organisations.
The Welcoming is a Scottish charity dedicated to supporting asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in Edinburgh. It supports them to learn English, find jobs and access local services.
Dr Hill said: “I am hugely excited and honoured to start both roles as they are very close to my heart and allow me to utilise my skills and experience to support others.
“My aim is to advise The Welcoming on opportunities for these ‘new Scots’ in Higher Education in Scotland and to explore options for students to work with The Welcoming.
“This could be a mutually beneficial arrangement where students gain experience of working with a charity and The Welcoming gains new insights that will help to shape future developments.”
The RCN Research Society steering committee provides research leadership and expertise to support the RCN’s strategic aim to influence the development of practice and policy from an evidence base. The committee is formed of seven members from across the UK, who serve for a period of four years.
A key role of the Research Society is to organise the world-renowned annual RCN International Nursing Research Conference, which will be held in Manchester in September this year.
Dr Hill added: “As my background is in clinical research nursing, I hope to bring this expertise to the steering committee to assist in the development and support of this hugely important group of staff.
“Their crucial role was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when clinical research nurses were at the forefront of the development and clinical trials of the vaccination programme.”