[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]For general information about Edinburgh: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]Edinburgh [PARA]University[EULNE]. Heriot-Watt is based out on a [ITAL]beautiful [EITAL]380-acre [PARA]parkland site 61/2 miles out at Riccarton. This green and wooded[PARA]campus, which was only completed in 1992, is on the site of an [PARA]old mansion. The gardens of the mansion remain, surrounding [PARA]the library which now stands where the house once did. The [PARA]University buildings, built mostly from [ITAL]smart [EITAL]light brick in the 70s [PARA]and 80s, lie amongst the old trees and around an artificial lake or, [PARA]since this is Scotland, artificial loch, with bad-tempered swans. [PARA]The campus is still growing and now includes a research park [PARA]and the Edinburgh Conference Centre. [ITAL]The countryside around [PARA]the campus is not exactly the purple flower of Scotland's thistle. [PARA]It's fairly flat and uninteresting.[EITAL] There are 3 associated colleges [PARA]of the University (see The Sites below) based in Edinburgh [PARA]centre and Galashiels, 26 miles away.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]Being a fair distance out of the city (even though Edinburgh is the[PARA]kind of place that radiates fun all around), many students just [PARA]stick to the campus. Until, that is 5pm, when the place is [PARA]practically deserted. The lack of children, the elderly, traffic or [PARA]other trappings of most communities, makes the campus [PARA]strangely unreal. [EITAL][PARA][ITAL] The students tend to be quiet and studious, but friendly [PARA]nonetheless. Many are into computers, but we won't hold that [PARA]against them. Politics is a 4-letter word - don't try counting - and [PARA]students would rather be vulcanised rubber than vulcanised into [PARA]action over a political issue. At least that was the case, until it [PARA]came to the ban on students eating packed lunches in [PARA]University-run eating areas, when they staged a sit-in. By [PARA]Scottish university standards, Heriot-Watt is very cosmopolitan: [PARA]only 59% of students are native Scots and there is a large [PARA]number of overseas students who take an active role in student [PARA]life.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]THE SITES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Riccarton:[EBOLD] (Heriot-Watt University) The main site is a 380-acre [PARA]green-field campus, 61/2 miles out of of Edinburgh, where about [PARA]5,000 students are based.[PARA][BOLD]Moray House Institute of Education:[EBOLD] (education and [PARA]'people-centred profession' courses) 2,000 students are based at [PARA]Moray House's 2 campuses, one at the end of The Royal Mile [PARA]near Edinburgh's city centre, the other on the seashore. [PARA]Accommodation for 300 students is about 2 miles away. The [PARA]site has its own separate SU with few facilities [ITAL]and little [PARA]enthusiasm[EITAL] despite having 3 sabbatical officers.[PARA][BOLD]Edinburgh College of Art:[EBOLD] (architecture, landscape, planning and [PARA]housing, art and design) Situated in Edinburgh's centre, the 1,500[PARA]students here are[ITAL] very arty[EITAL].[PARA][BOLD]The Scottish College of Textiles:[EBOLD] (textile design, management and[PARA]technology) There are 750 students based at SCOT (as it's [PARA]abbreviated), some of whom study for part of their courses at [PARA]Riccarton. SCOT is in Galashiels, a [ITAL]small but attractive[EITAL] town, 29 [PARA]miles from Riccarton, [ITAL]somewhat limited in facilities[EITAL].[HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Population: 421,213 [BULL] London: 391miles [BULL] Glasgow: [PARA]44miles [BULL] Newcastle: 93miles[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Edinburgh is a stunning city with a tremendous heritage[EITAL]. [ITAL] Like all [PARA]the best cities,[EITAL] it is built on 7 hills, overlooked by Arthur's Seat, a [PARA]mini mountain. The centre hill is peaked by the castle and old city[PARA]walls. There are over 16,000 listed buildings, mostly built of the [PARA]local grey stone [ITAL]that picks up something ethereal in the quality of [PARA]the light[EITAL]. These buildings date mainly from 2 periods of [PARA]expansion: the formation of the centre from the 11th century [PARA]onwards; and later, the New Town, mainly to the north. The [PARA]broad streets, garden squares, cobbled alleys, parks and [ITAL]gasping[PARA][EITAL]views are [ITAL]well planned[EITAL] (all by one guy, George Drummond) with [PARA]3 main roads running parallel (Queen Street, George Street and [PARA]Princes Street). The Royal Mile, a straight stretch of linked [PARA]roads, runs through the city's heart. 4-storey tenements line the [PARA]Royal Mile. [ITAL]The Old Town is unique in its ability to look as though [PARA]Nature intended it to be there, and the names evoke the charm:[EITAL] [PARA]Grassmarket; Lawnmarket; The Pleasance; Cowgate; The [PARA]Mound. [ITAL]It is also a place with real people in it - including some of [PARA]the best buskers this side of New Orleans.[EITAL] There's no shortage [PARA]of shops, civic amenities or museums. Among the sites that [PARA]should be first on any tour of the city are the Holyrood Palace, [PARA]the Royal Museum of Scotland, the National Gallery, National [PARA]Gallery of Modern Art, Parliament House, the Castle and... forget [PARA]it. [ITAL]We could carry on praising Edinburgh, drawing out its long [PARA]history, its heritage and highlights, but frankly we might spoil the [PARA]fun of exploring every delightful nook and cranny of the place[EITAL].[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] Edinburgh Waverley Station is the most central in [PARA]Edinburgh. There is a direct line to Glasgow, another to the north [PARA]and another to the south through Newcastle and York to London [PARA](ú37.60, 4:20hrs, 1/hr). Regular connections also to Birmingham [PARA](ú28.40) and Bristol (ú40.90).[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] National Express, Stagecoach and Citylink services to [PARA]London (ú25.00, 7:50hrs, 2/day), Newcastle (ú12.00, 2:45hrs, [PARA]3/day), Glasgow (ú6.30, 1:10hrs, 9/day), Manchester (ú13.75, [PARA]5:55hrs, 2/day).[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] The M8 and M9 connect with the A8 on the west of [PARA]Edinburgh. It is also served by the A1, A7, A68, A70, A71, A702,[PARA]A703 and A90.[PARA][BOLD]Air:[EBOLD] Edinburgh (Turnhouse) Airport, 51/2 miles west of the city [PARA]centre, has a range of international flights.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[EBOLD][ITAL] The A1 is a popular road for hitchers. Unfortunately, this[PARA]part of the A1 isn't so popular with the sort of driver who gives [PARA]lifts. But the lifts are there - eventually. It's easier to get into [PARA]Edinburgh than out of it. The M8 and M9 are good for routes to [PARA]Glasgow and Perth.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Local:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Bus services are good all round the city and quite cheap [EITAL][PARA](from 40p). They run less frequently after 7pm until midnight. [ITAL][PARA]The trains around town are irrelevant except for students living on[PARA]the west side.[EITAL] For them though, the route (60p) from Waverley [PARA]to Haymarket is a [ITAL]useful [EITAL]one.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Useful for late night trips, otherwise they're a bit [PARA]extravagant[EITAL] (ú3 across town).[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Very useful, but remember Edinburgh is built on 7 hills.[PARA]Bicycles also have a severe tendency to wheel themselves away.[EITAL][BOLD][PARA]Buses:[EBOLD] Buses to the city centre cost 70p and take 30 minutes. [PARA]There is a night service until 4.30am.[PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] The Riccarton campus is about 1 mile outside the A720 [PARA]Edinburgh ring road, just off the A71 on its way out of the city. [PARA]There are parking spaces on the campus, but very few in the city[PARA]centre.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis:[EBOLD] By taxi to Waverley Station in the city centre only takes [PARA]about 15 minutes but costs around ú7.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching: [EBOLD][ITAL]Not a safe way of getting into town and so most [PARA]students take the bus. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[EBOLD] [ITAL]A bit far to the city centre and Edinburgh is generally [PARA]too hilly and too windy. Theft is also a problem.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]FACULTIES and STUDENT NOS:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Science[EBOLD] 1,065[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 1,275[BOLD][PARA]Eco/Soc Stud[EBOLD] 1,125[BOLD][PARA]Enviro Stud[EBOLD] 470[BOLD][PARA]Art and Design[EBOLD] 675[BOLD][PARA]Eco/Soc Stud[EBOLD] 1,125[BOLD][PARA]Textiles[EBOLD] 765[BOLD][PARA]Education[EBOLD] 1,565[BOLD][HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][EBOLD][PARA][BOLD][STAT][BULL] Books: 400,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 1,500 [BULL] Study places: 1,200[PARA][BULL] Computer workstations: 1,300[ESTAT][EBOLD][PARA]There's a main library at the Riccarton campus as well as further[PARA]collections in some departments and at least 1 library each at the [PARA]other sites. Despite the number of high-spec computer terminals,[PARA]on the Riccarton campus, it is felt that more are needed and, [PARA]indeed, more there shall be over the next few years.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 5full [BULL] Unemployed after [PARA]6mths (1992): 10.4%[ESTAT][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL]The name Heriot-Watt has nothing to do with TV vet James [PARA]Herriot. James Watt (1736-1819) was one of the innovators of the [PARA]Industrial Revolution with his work on steam engines. George [PARA]Heriot (1563-1623), known as the 'Jinglin' Geordie', was a jeweller [PARA]and financier to James VI of Scotland (James I of England). It's [PARA]named after Watt 'cos he was clever and Heriot 'cos he was rich.[PARA][BULL]The [ITAL]plush [EITAL]James Watt Conference Centre is sometimes [PARA]used for student and academic activities during term time.[PARA][BULL]The Research Park on campus, the empasis on technology [PARA]and industry, the local 'Silicon Glen' [ITAL]create a very businessy feel [PARA]to some parts of the University.[EITAL][PARA][BULL]The country's only degree course in Brewing and Distilling. [PARA]Cheers.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Ronnie Corbett (short on comedy actor); Bernie Grant MP, Martin[PARA]O'Neill MP (Lab); Ian Hamer (athlete); Archy Kirkwood MP (Lib [PARA]Dem); David Martin MEP; Jim Telfer (Rugby player).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Prospectuses for undergrads and postgrads. Guide for [PARA]applicants. The SA produces a handbook.
