PRE-FESTIVE celebrations aren’t limited to time off work for the Christmas lunch. This is also the season of the university winter graduation ceremony.

It’s a period straddling the border between November and December, typically associated with those who, in late summer complete a post-graduate Masters programme in their chosen subject.

The so-called STEM agenda – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – features, of course. These are the chief building blocks of an advanced economy, creating jobs critical to the UK sustaining its long held seat at the table of global technology-leading nations.

A few days after the speeches finished and the scholarly robes were returned to their valises, one Scottish university had another more discreet announcement to make on behalf of a member of its academic staff.

Yet in spite of, or more likely because of this institution’s credentials as a respected provider of STEM graduates to international industry, commerce and governments, the news was accompanied by some timely wake-up calls.

After last week congratulating the latest winter ceremony cohort, this week Heriot-Watt University reported the election of Dr Scott Arthur, its Senior Director of Studies for Civil Engineering, as Chair of the UK Association of Civil Engineering Departments (ACED).

ACED is a forum for academic leaders in Civil Engineering. Its purpose is to promote excellence in teaching and research and it represents more than 50 UK departments, facilitating discussion between academics, students, the profession, the media and government.

Dr Arthur’s response to his new appointment commenced with the usual courtesies and included a generous appreciation of colleagues’ collective commitment to excellence in teaching and research at the university’s home campus on the sylvan outskirts of the capital, and at its overseas campuses in Malaysia and Dubai.

Just as I thought the rest of the text would bring a string of fulsome pleasantries, following the tried and tested custom in such matters, Dr Arthur then hit the nail on the head with a succinctly worded list of priorities amounting to a firm tap on the shoulder.

"This is a time of huge challenges and opportunities in academia, not least: Brexit; funding cuts in Scotland; the lifting of the cap in England; changing student support in Wales and the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework," he stated in no-nonsense tone.

"As well as considering these key issues, however, I would also like to focus on how we ensure the profile of students entering Civil Engineering better reflects society as a whole.

"Civil Engineering at Heriot-Watt has perhaps the highest proportion of female students in the UK, 25 per cent this year, but we must do more as a profession if we are to reduce the expected 36,800 shortfall in qualified engineers predicted by 2050.

"I hope to spend some of my time this year establishing best practice and speaking to the profession, governments and campaign groups about how we can better promote Civil Engineering."

Dr Arthur will be judged upon his actions and the support gained among ACED members and employer leadership teams. But these are more than mere bold words, coming as they do from a respected and knowledgeable source.

In those few sentences he makes several points fundamental to satisfying the demand for suitably qualified people and removing barriers to growth.

Such courses attract significant numbers of overseas students to UK campuses. In my interpretation, perhaps the viability of these programmes in the UK is not immediately threatened but the fog over immigration and post-graduation jobs for non-UK citizens with higher level STEM attainment is creating an unhelpful wave of all round nervousness.

In the absence of clearer UK Government guidance on immigration arrangements for students who can become key workers, however, the US or Australia might be the higher education beneficiaries.

In high demand sectors requiring talented people with advanced levels of ability, they’ll likely be able to stay in those countries. That helps rival economies, not ours, even in the post-Trump new order.

On the issue of gender balance, all engineering disciplines have improved in setting out their stalls to young people of school age, encouraging subject choices that include maths and science, predicated on the genuinely rewarding careers that could await.

Dr Arthur believes the profession must do more to attract women candidates. Might this now be down to a revitalised joint communications effort with schools to finally demolish the remnants of outmoded images of engineering being for alpha males only?

More women role models from industry, at every level, are needed. Visible evidence of opportunity and change will be a prerequisite to any major rebalancing initiative designed to succeed over the next important 10 year phase.

In Scotland’s pursuit of those academic goals across a STEM-intensive future, on Monday it was encouraging to hear of the appointment of Glaswegian technology entrepreneur Dr David Sibbald as the next Chair of Glasgow Science Centre.

Dr Sibbald’s remarks were equally pointed: "I believe this outstanding venue will play a key role in driving forward education around the need to attract more people into STEM subjects. Engaging kids, parents and teachers is part of that."

The chair roles now occupied by Drs Arthur and Sibbald offer additional capacity to influence. Against difficult economic questions, converting at least some of their robust sentiment into demonstrable deeds cannot come soon enough.