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University of Edinburgh |
| The University of Edinburgh | |
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Latin: Universitas Academica Edinburgensis |
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| Established: | 1582 |
| Type: | Public |
| Endowment: | £216 million[1] |
| Chancellor: | HRH The Duke of Edinburgh |
| Rector: | Mark Ballard |
| Principal: | Professor Sir Timothy O'Shea |
| Staff: | 7,700 (2650 Support & Corporate)[2] |
| Students: | 25,591 (2006-07)[3] |
| Undergraduates: | 18,440[3] |
| Postgraduates: | 7,151[3] |
| Location: | Edinburgh, Scotland, UK ( ) |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Affiliations: | Russell Group Coimbra Group LERU, Universitas 21 |
| Website: | http://www.ed.ac.uk |
The University of Edinburgh (Scottish Gaelic: Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann), founded in 1582,[4] is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was the sixth university to be established in the British Isles, making it one of the ancient universities of Scotland. The university is also amongst the largest and most prestigious in the United Kingdom and the world.[5][6][7][8][9]
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The founding of the University is attributed to Bishop Robert Reid of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney, who left the funds on his death in 1558 that ultimately provided the University's endowment. The University was established by a Royal Charter granted by James VI in 1582, becoming the fourth Scottish university at a time when more populous neighbour England had only two.
By the 18th century Edinburgh was a leading centre of the European Enlightenment (see Scottish Enlightenment) and became one of the continent's principal universities.
Students at the university are represented by Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA), which consists of the Students' Representative Council (SRC), founded in 1884 by Robert Fitzroy Bell, the Edinburgh University Union (EUU) which was founded in 1889. They are also represented by the Edinburgh University Sports Union (EUSU) which was founded in 1866.
In 2002, the University was re-organised from its 9 faculties into three ‘Colleges’, and now comprises the Colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), Science and Engineering (CSE), and Medicine and Veterinary Medicine (MVM). Within these Colleges are 21 ‘Schools’, which are of roughly equal sizes, generally significantly larger than the more-numerous departments they replaced.
The 2007 Times Higher Education Supplement [THES] World University Rankings ranked the University of Edinburgh as follows:[10]
The THES also ranked world universities in broad subject areas in tables published in the THES itself, and available to subscribers via the THES website.[11] The University of Edinburgh was ranked:
The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2008 [ARWU] ranked the University of Edinburgh as follows:[12]
The Guardian University Guide 2008 ranked the University of Edinburgh as follows:[13]
The Times Good University Guide 2008[14] ranked the University of Edinburgh as the 13th best university in the UK. This represents a drop from previous rankings: 11th in 2007 and within the top ten in 2005 and 2006. However, Edinburgh University remains in the top five for entry standards, a testimony to its popularity and selectivity. In 2005, the university was the Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year.
In 2006 Newsweek ranked the University of Edinburgh 6th in the UK, 11th in Europe and 47th in the world.[15]
The university has the third largest financial endowment among UK universities at £216m and the third largest endowment per student, according to the Sutton Trust,[16] The university has an annual turnover of more than £400m.[17]
The University of Edinburgh is a member of the Russell Group of large, research-led British universities. It is also the only Scottish university, and (along with Oxford and Cambridge) one of the only British universities, to be a member both of the Coimbra Group and the LERU: two leading associations of European universities. The University is also a member of Universitas 21, an international association of research-led universities.
Edinburgh is considered by some as one of the greenest and most architecturally beautiful cities in Europe often referred to as the "Athens of the North". The University plays an integral role in the city, contributing to its vibrant atmosphere.
With the expansion in topics of study the university has expanded its campuses such that it now has seven main sites:
There have been many notable alumni and faculty of the university, including Adam Smith, Gordon Brown, Alexander Graham Bell, Charles Darwin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, David Hume, James Clerk Maxwell, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Michael Atiyah and Ian Wilmut. Lord John Russell also matriculated there but did not graduate.
At graduation ceremonies, the Vice-Chancellor caps graduates with the Geneva Bonnet, a hat which legend says was originally made from cloth taken from the breeches of John Knox or George Buchanan. The hat was last restored in 2000, when a note from 1849 was discovered in the fabric.[18][19] In 2006, a University emblem taken into space by Piers Sellers was incorporated into the Geneva Bonnet.[20]
The Edinburgh University Students' Association consists of the unions and the Student Representative Council. The Unions include Teviot Row House, Potterrow, Kings Buildings House, the Pleasance, and a number of shops, cafe's and refectories around the various campuses. Teviot Row House is said to be the oldest purpose built student union building in the world. The Student Representative Council represents students to the University and the outside world. It is also responsible for Edinburgh's 222 student societies. The Association has four sabbatical office bearers - a President and three Vice Presidents. Turnout in elections for these positions has, in recent years, been among the highest in the UK. The Association is affiliated to the National Union of Students.
Newspapers:
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) |
Edinburgh University is one of Britain's most successful sporting universities. Student sport consists of 65 clubs from the traditional Football and Rugby to the more unconventional Hot Air Ballooning and Korfball. Run by the Edinburgh University Sports Union, these 65 Clubs have seen Edinburgh rise to 4th place in the British Universities' Sports Association (BUSA) rankings for 2005/06 and 2006/07. It continues to be the most successful Scottish University for sport.
There are a number of campaigning societies at the university. The largest of these is environment and poverty campaigning group People & Planet, which is affiliated to the national People & Planet network.
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (May 2008) |
Dalhousie University, Canadian G-13 university, founded in 1818. In the early 19th century, George Ramsay, the ninth Earl of Dalhousie and Nova Scotia Lieutenant-Governor at the time, wanted to establish a Halifax college open to all, regardless of class or creed. The earl modeled the fledgling college after the University of Edinburgh, near his Scottish home. Endowment $364 million.
McGill University, Canadian G-13 university, founded in 1821, has strong Edinburgh roots and links to the University of Edinburgh as McGill's first (and, for several years, its only) faculty, Medicine, was founded by four physicians/surgeons who had trained in Edinburgh. Endowment $928 million.
Queen's University, Canadian G-13 university founded in 1841, was modelled after the University of Edinburgh, and continues to display strong Scottish roots and traditions today. Endowment $660 million.
The University of Pennsylvania, an American Ivy League university, has long-standing historical links with the University of Edinburgh, including modelling Penn's School of Medicine after Edinburgh's. Endowment $6.6 billion.
 Old College dome |
The east façade of the Old College, before the dome was added in 1887 |
 Detail of the façade to the courtyard of the Old College |
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 Students' Union - Teviot Row House |
 Teviot Row House, seen here as a Gilded Balloon venue during the Edinburgh Fringe |
 William Robertson Building and Appleton Tower (background), currently under renovation |
 St Leonard's Hall, Pollock Halls of Residence |
 St Leonard's Hall, Pollock Halls of Residence |
David Hume statue |
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