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University of Edinburgh (Scottish University)

 Organization

Biography

The University of Edinburgh was established by Royal Charter in 1582. It was originally called Tounis College, when part of a legacy left by Robert Reid, Bishop of Orkney in 1558 had established a college of which the Town Council had gained control to establish a College of Law on the South side of Edinburgh. The inception of the University took place in 1583. In 1617 when King James VI of Scotland (I of England) visited the College it was decreed that the College should change its name to King James' College, although the College continued to use the older title. The first change in the corporate body of the University was not until 1935 when the first merger took place. This was between the Faculty of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh and New College. This was due to the re-union of the Church of Scotland in 1932.The next merger was in 1951 when the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School was reconstituted as part of the University of Edinburgh. The Royal (Dick) Veterinary School achieved full faculty status in 1964. In 1998 Moray House Institute of Education became the Faculty of Education.

The first classes of the university were held in Hamilton House known as the Duke's Lodge. In 1582 a site that included St Mary in the Fields was acquired. Many new buildings and extensions were made to the site of Hamilton House after 1616. Two prominent stages of building for the University were those undertaken by Robert Adam and William Playfair. In 1869 the site next to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was acquired. Building on this project was completed by the end of the 19th century. The University today is situated around these areas in the centre of Edinburgh and Kings Buildings and there are also campuses at Holyrood and elsewhere.

Teaching began in 1583 under Robert Rollock, with a four year course in arts to gain a masters of arts. When Rollock was appointed as the first principal of the University, there were four Philosophy regents and one regent of Humanity, whilst Rollock specialized in Divinity. Until the beginning of the 18th century the University remained essentially an Arts College, with a Divinity School attached. Throughout the 17th century the Chairs of Divinity, Oriental Languages, Ecclesiastical History and Mathematics had been created. By the end of the 17th century there was also regular teaching in Medicine, and sporadic teaching in Law. The University was at the centre of European Enlightenment in the 18th century. By 1722 a Faculty of Law had been established. The first medical Chair had been established in 1685 and was closely followed in the first half of the 18th century by six more. Four more medical Chairs were created in the 19th century. New Chairs in other Faculties were not established after 1760 until the latter half of the 19th century when they followed in rapid succession, continuing in the 20th century, which include those produced by the mergers with New College, the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School and Moray House Institute of Education.

The University was governed by the town council until the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1858, when it received self governing status. The archaic teaching and management system of regents was abolished in 1708. The 1858 act dramatically changed the constitution of the University. A University Court and General Council were introduced which decided on matters and management pertaining to the whole University. The Senatus Academicus was already in place before 1858and this managed academic matters, but answered to the Court and Council. This system is still used.

The University of Edinburgh provides validation for a Master of Fine Arts that has run jointly with Edinburgh College of Art since 1943. A joint chair, the Hood Chair of Mining Engineering was established in 1923 with Heriot-Watt College which became Heriot-Watt University.

In 2002, the structure of the university was altered substantially, with the abolition of Faculties and the creation of the College of Humanities & Social Science, the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine and the College of Science & Engineering. Departments were replaced by Schools within each Faculty.

Found in 21 Collections and/or Records:

Development of the University of Edinburgh Student Amenity Centre, 1967-1970

 Sub-Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/8
Scope and Contents

Development of the University of Edinburgh Student Amenity Centre consists of:


  1. reports and photographs of architectural models, (1967-1970)
  2. University of Edinburgh Student Amenity Centre: architectural drawings, (c1967-1968
  3. plans, (c1967-1968)
Dates: 1967-1970

George Square redevelopment, 1960-1973

 Sub-Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/6
Scope and Contents George Square redevelopment consists of: general correspondence, (1969-1973) Civic Trust Award, (1969) reports, (1960-1973) general photographs, (1965-1967) plans: faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, (1964-1966) plans: landscape and streetscape, (1964-1965) plans: faculty of science, (1963) ...
Dates: 1960-1973

George Square Redevelopment: aerial photographs, 1965-1967

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/6.4
Scope and Contents 14 black and white photographic prints showing George Square in Edinburgh. 2 of these have been printed in a publication: 1 photograph of University of Edinburgh's Appleton Tower under construction, with cleared sites to the south and east of the square (61cm x 40cm), (1965) 1 photograph of the completed University of Edinburgh Main Library and Faculty of Social Sciences precinct, in the...
Dates: 1965-1967

George Square Redevelopment: faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, plans, 1964-1966

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/6.5
Scope and Contents plans: tentative planning proposals: Arts and Social Sciences Precinct, (1964) plans: Arts Faculty Block D - William Robertson Building and David Hume Tower, (1964) plans: sketch layout of Windmill House area, (1964) plans: Podium edge details - blocks C, D and E, (1966) plans: Arts Faculty Block G feasibility study, (1965) ...
Dates: 1964-1966

George Square redevelopment: reports, 1960-1973

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/6.3
Scope and Contents 5 reports concerning proposals for the redevelopment of George Square by the University of Edinburgh. Included is the 1963 proposal for the whole of George Square, by Percy Johnson-Marshall, in his capacity as Planning Consultant to the University. Original photographs of scenic drawings by Alexander Duncan Bell and an architectural model, used as illustrations for this report, are included. Other reports are: proposals for disabled access by Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates, and...
Dates: 1960-1973

University of Edinburgh: "An Expanding University" - exhibition of university development at Adam House, correspondence, papers and photographs, 1960-1984

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/F/3
Scope and Contents University of Edinburgh: Permanent exhibition of university development at Adam House, correspondence, papers and photographs file consists of: correspondence including notes concerning work required to set-up the exhibition, the possibility of reinstating it and concern about its future. completed information forms concerning the buildings to be profiled in the exhibition ...
Dates: 1960-1984

University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area (1962): drafts and final publication, 1962-1963

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/1.4
Scope and Contents University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area (1962): drafts and final publication consists of: published copy of University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area ( 1962) published copy of University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development...
Dates: 1962-1963

University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area (1962): photographs of architectural models, 1961-1962

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/1.6
Scope and Contents Photographs of architectural models of Edinburgh University Comprehensive Development Area 1962 consists of photographs of 5 different models. model 1: 1:1250 scale model of St Leonard's Redevelopment Area by Percy Johnson-Marshall and Associates: 3 annotated photographs of this area, (c1961) model 2: 1:1250 scale model of the University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area, 1962,...
Dates: 1961-1962

University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area (1962): preparation photographs, c1961

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/1.3
Scope and Contents Preparation photographs for the University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area (1962) consists of: 4 small notebooks, entitled Side 1 to Side IV: Edinburgh - Photographs University Area , containing photographs and notes of the area around the University of Edinburgh, (c1961) miscellaneous aerial photographs and panoramas of...
Dates: c1961

University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area: Old College Redevelopment, 1949-1977

 Sub-Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/12
Scope and Contents

University of Edinburgh Comprehensive Development Area: Old College Redevelopment consists of:


  1. reports and photographs, (1964-1977)
  2. plans, (1949-1977)
Dates: 1949-1977