The University of Edinburgh 101

*** Please forgive me, but most of this blog is from the University website or google image because of time constraints this week!

University of Edinburgh FACTS:

~Founded in 1582 from a Royal Charter making the Uni over 400 years old. This means, unlike most universities in Europe at the time, the University of Edinburgh had no religious affilliation at its founding. The benefits of this type of establishment simply means that the secular could be taught without debate for the church.

~ The first campus structure build in the 18th Century is what is now known as Old College and another attractive structure is my neighbor--New College which houses the School of Divinity. Both are a step back into time. New College Library is amazing!!!! Another beautiful structure is McKewan Hall which is a gorgeous neo-classical arena built specifically for graduation.

~The University is divided into colleges which then divide into schools. There are three colleges: Medicine and Vetenary, Humanities and Social Sciencies, and Science and Engineering. The school are History, Classics, and Archaeology for example. There are twenty-one different schools.

~Today the University has 23,000 students with a International Student Population of over 5,000. The International student represent almost every country in the United Nations.

~Some famous alum include: David Hume (Philosopher), Sir Walter Scott (Novelist and founder a Scottish "Identity"), Sir Arthur Conan Doye (Creator of Sherlock Holmes), Robert Louis Stevenson (Author/Poet of "Treasure Island" and "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde"), Sir Patrick Geddes (Founder of my Residence Hall), Elsie Maud Ingles (Founder of the Scottish Women's Suffrage Federation), and more recently featured as "Alumnus of the Year" Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith who are both well loved writers. A very special honorary degree holder from the University is J.K. Rowling!!!! And the pride of the School of History is Gordon Brown the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who received a PhD. from the University. This are just a few of the incredible individuals apart of the 400 year legacy of the University.

~With prestigeous Alumni, the University has also had some very noteworthy achievments. It is a top research University that still has great facilities and opportunities for graduate students in all subjects. Lots of scientific as well as philisophical questions have been answered at the University. Presently the University of Edinburgh is considered the top university in Scotland, the fifth best in the United Kingdom and part of the top 30 in the world!!


As for my first weeks here, I have been so impressed with the University, resources, instructors, and most importantly my fellow graduate students! I still have a lot of work ahead, but I definetly understand the value of the degree I will hopefully earn next fall..