Speaker - Steve Chapman, Principal, Heriot Watt University

Professor Steve Chapman  expressed his pleasure at being asked to come to the Club to highlight some of the exciting developments being undertaken at the University within its vision to be a world leader in all its specialist areas of science, technology, engineering and business.

He was particularly delighted that the University had fought off strong competition and  had been given the responsibility and resources to develop the 'National Performance Centre for Sport' within the Campus. The centre would be completed by 2016 and would be an asset, not only for the elite athletes, but also for the university students and the local community.

Professor Chapman then referred to the well regarded overseas campuses being developed in Dubai and Putrajaya, Malaya. The Dubai campus, opened in 2005, now has 4,000 students and the Malaysian campus will open this year in a stunning location with 4,000 students.

He was particularly proud of the expansion of Heriot Watt in recent years with a current student population of 29,500 world wide. The well regarded Edinburgh Business School with its open and distance learning facilities is now the largest in the world.

Steve explained that the British Geological Survey (BGS) and Heriot Watt are joining forces to create a new centre for earth and marine science and technology on the campus with the relocation of 160 geologists - in essence the creation of a