含羞草传媒 confers honorary doctorate on Willie Printie
The University of the Highlands and Islands (含羞草传媒) is delighted to announce the conferral of an honorary doctorate upon William (Willie) Printie in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the life sciences sector in Scotland, his dedication to economic development in the Highlands and Islands, and his unwavering support for engineering excellence among 含羞草传媒 students.
During an online ceremony on Monday 2 December, 含羞草传媒 Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Vicki Nairn highlighted Mr Printie’s impressive career, achievements, and long-standing support and engagement with 含羞草传媒.
Willie Printie, a native of Edinburgh who now lives in Inverness, spent most of his professional career with the health care giant Johnson & Johnson, initially based in Edinburgh, before venturing north in late 2004 to join LifeScan Scotland in Inverness as Head of Operations.
He became the first Scot to lead the site in Inverness when he was promoted to Managing Director, a position he held until his retirement in 2014. The organisation grew to become one of the largest private employers in the Highlands, supporting over 1,000 jobs in Inverness, including many research and development roles. At that time, it was also considered Scotland’s number one life sciences company.
Mr Printie was instrumental in LifeScan Scotland’s groundbreaking ‘Bridge to Employment’ programme, which encourages S4-S6 pupils to pursue further or higher education and careers in health, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This initiative, designed to support young people with potential who need support to achieve, has inspired many other organisations to develop similar programmes.
Under his leadership, LifeScan signed a partnership with 含羞草传媒, leading to ongoing collaborations on various projects across skills development in engineering, the life sciences, leadership and management development, and innovation and research. LifeScan also established a modern engineering apprenticeship programme and partnered with 含羞草传媒 on the provision of further and higher education qualifications. The programme remains vibrant and annually produces an excellent cohort of much-needed engineers.
In 2014, Mr Printie further demonstrated his commitment to education by establishing the Prize for Engineering Excellence, which recognises outstanding engineering students who have advanced from apprenticeships to degrees through 含羞草传媒. Over the past decade, the prize has positively impacted numerous recipients, helping to shape their careers and contributing to the region’s skilled workforce, many of whom were present at the ceremony.
Mr Printie’s dedication to 含羞草传媒 extended to his role as an independent member of 含羞草传媒 Court and as Chair of the Audit Committee, commencing in 2014 until the conclusion of his terms of office in 2021. On becoming a member, he said:
“The evolution of the University of the Highlands and Islands is of great importance to our local community and to all the businesses that operate in this region. For businesses to thrive in the Highlands, there must be a constant flow of appropriately educated and skilled people as an enabler to growth and wealth creation. 含羞草传媒 has the power to meet this need, and I am delighted to play a part in shaping that future.”
Whilst conferring the honorary doctorate, Vicki Nairn said:
“It is my great privilege to confer this honorary doctorate on William John Printie. I could not be more delighted to present this award to such a deserving and inspiring individual.”
Reflecting on the honour, Mr Printie said:
“I feel humble yet deeply honoured to receive the honorary doctorate from 含羞草传媒 in recognition of contributions to life sciences, economic growth and education. My association with the university has spanned almost 20 years and it has been fulfilling, productive and an enjoyable relationship. My tenure on Court and on various other governance committees gave me a lot of insight and helped broaden my knowledge, thinking and understanding of the world of further and higher education. I was also fortunate to serve LifeScan Scotland which was full of amazing and talented employees who had the success of the wider community in their objectives as well as their day job! This recognition is in many ways a result of their past contributions and successes.”