First Minister Honours UHI Perth’s Students and Staff

First Minister John Swinney MSP joined students and staff at UHI Perth on Wednesday 28 May 2025, to celebrate the winners of the OBI Awards - Outstanding, Best and Inspiring - at a special ceremony held on campus.

The event, led by HISA Perth – the Highlands and Islands Students’ Association – recognised exceptional contributions from across the UHI Perth community. Staff and students were nominated in categories such as Most Inspiring Lecturer, Best Personal Academic Tutor, Outstanding Student Support, Most Inspiring Student, and Outstanding Student Voice Rep.

Student clubs and societies were also celebrated, with nominees including the Renault Mio Project Car team, the Volleyball Club, Perth Mavericks Basketball Club, Boccia, and the Culture Club (Art Club).

Special guest Mr Swinney praised the dedication and achievements of the award recipients, acknowledging their vital role in shaping a vibrant and supportive academic environment. He said: 

“I offer my congratulations to all the staff and students nominated for this year’s OBI awards, and my thanks for the invitation to join this celebration of excellent work within the UHI Perth community. 

“Our colleges provide a wide range of skills, qualifications and experiences to help people forge a fulfilling path in life. They contribute to a dynamic, diverse and inclusive society, providing the high-quality learning and teaching that will help deliver on our ambition to make Scotland a great place to live, learn, and work.

“The professionalism of hard-working lecturers and support staff remains at the heart of every student’s experience. I hope the award ceremony is one of many happy memories that will allow today’s students to look back fondly on their time studying at UHI Perth.”

Xander McDade, UHI Perth Student President and a co-founder of the OBI awards, remarked: “These awards are in their thirteenth year and are now Scotland’s longest running college student-led awards, recognising the Outstanding, Best, and Inspiring students and staff across the UHI Perth campus.

“With 498 nominations submitted, this year marked our most successful OBI Awards yet and highlight the incredible contributions that make UHI Perth such a vibrant and supportive community. 

“A special thank you to the First Minister, for attending today and serving as the keynote speaker for these awards. I would also like to thank Carole Saunders, a co-founder of the OBI Awards, for returning to provide the opening remarks at this year’s ceremony and Vicki Nairn, UHI Principal and Vice Chancellor, for performing the closing remarks. The ceremony serves as a powerful reminder of the dedication and hard work that go into creating an outstanding student experience."

Catherine Etri, Interim Principal, added: “It’s always a joy to reach this time of year and host the OBI Awards, which bring such a special energy to our campus. As we celebrate over a decade of recognising excellence, we’re excited to continue honouring the incredible achievements of our UHI Perth community for many more years to come.”

The ceremony, held in the Goodlyburn Theatre, concluded with a formal recognition of all nominees, winners, and runners-up, highlighting the high standard of teaching and the strength of support services that students benefit from at UHI Perth.