[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] Formerly Napier Polytechnic[EBOLD][PARA][BOLD]For general information about Edinburgh: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]Edinburgh [PARA]University[EULNE]. Napier is one of the new universities, bringing [PARA]Edinburgh's total to 3, and like many others, it is growing at a [PARA]rip-roaring pace and based on a number of sites. 6 sites in fact, [PARA]and with the exception of Sighthill Court, they're all spread around[PARA]a [ITAL]pleasant, [EITAL]predominantly middle-class area 21/2 miles to the [PARA]west of Edinburgh city centre. Also with the exception of Sighthill[PARA]Court, they're all within 11/2 miles of the main Merchiston [PARA]campus.[HDNG]ATMOSPHERE:[EHDNG][PARA][ITAL]A large proportion (93%) of students are Scottish and many are [PARA]local to Edinburgh. This and the lack of Napier Students' [PARA]Association (NSA) facilities and University accommodation [PARA]means that much of the interaction centres around daytime and [PARA]academic activities. Until recently, this presented no problems, [PARA]but now the students are beginning to resent the speed of the [PARA]University's growth because they feel they're the ones who're [PARA]paying for it. Facilities are extremely stretched with class sizes [PARA]of up to and over 40 students. Halls have been hired (including [PARA]the local Dominion cinema) to host lectures that the University [PARA]can no longer accommodate leading to untold confusion, queues [PARA]and treks across town. Nevertheless, in true [PARA]Blighty-in-the-Blitz-blackout spirit, standards remain high and with [PARA]such busy sites a sense of community has prevailed. What's [PARA]more, most students regard any tribulations as trivial since they [PARA]are able to live in Edinburgh and enjoy its more than adequate [PARA]social distractions. Things may be tough now, but the future's so [PARA]bright, you gotta wear shades.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][ITAL][HDNG]THE CITY:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][ITAL][STAT][BULL] Population: 421,213 [BULL] London: 391miles [BULL] Glasgow: [PARA]44miles [BULL] Newcastle: 93miles[ESTAT][EITAL][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](4:20hrs, 1/hr). Regular connections also to Birmingham and Bristol.[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][PARA][PARA][PARA][BOLD]Trains:[EBOLD] The closest stations are as follows: Haymarket for [PARA]Merchiston, North Merchiston and Redwood House; Waverley [PARA]for Marchmont; Slateford for Craiglockhart; and Wester Hailes or[PARA]South Gyles for Sighthill. Waverley to Haymarket, for example, [PARA]costs 60p.[PARA][BOLD]Buses:[EBOLD] Public buses offer [ITAL]good [EITAL]services between the sites and [PARA]into the city centre from 40p upwards.[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles: [EBOLD]There's a [ITAL]big[EITAL] bike rack at Merchiston.[HDNG]FACULTIES and STUDENT NOS:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Science[EBOLD] 1,163[BOLD][PARA]Engineering[EBOLD] 1,499[BOLD][PARA]Applied Arts[EBOLD] 1,225[BOLD][PARA]Business School[EBOLD] 1,535[BOLD][PARA]Science[EBOLD] 2,587[HDNG]LIBRARIES and COMPUTERS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Books: 210,000 [BULL] Periodicals: 1,900 [BULL] Study places: 1,180 [PARA]Computer workstations: 22[ESTAT][PARA]There are 3 libraries at (in order of size) Merchiston (housing the [PARA]Edward Clark Collection, tracing the history of printing since the [PARA]15th century), Sighthill and Craiglockhart. On the same sites, [PARA]there are also computer rooms, providing networked PCs.[HDNG]CAREER PROSPECTS:[EHDNG][PARA][STAT][BULL] Careers Service [BULL] No of staff: 4full [BULL] Unemployed after [PARA]6mths (1992): 12.4%[ESTAT][PARA]Most courses are vocational, but this doesn't provide any kind of [PARA]job guarantee - even placements are hard to find right now.[HDNG]FAMOUS ALUMNI:[EHDNG][PARA]Colin Baxter (photographer); Mark Goodier (Radio 1 DJ); Gavin [PARA]Hastings (Rugby international); Greg Kane (of Hue and Cry); Jane[PARA]Franchi, Bill McFarlan, Malcolm Wilson, Cathy McDonald and Jim[PARA]White (all Scottish TV presenters).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]A prospectus for undergrads and a joint prospectus for [PARA]part-timers and postgrads.[PARA][PARA]
