Governance and administration edit
Officials edit
The Chancellor is the head of the University. In Scotland, the role of Chancellor is viewed as a titular and non-resident one with the Chancellor acting as a figurehead for the University. The Office of Chancellor was established in 1858 and since that time, seven individuals have held the post. The current Chancellor of the University (since 1953) is HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Degrees are conferred by the Chancellor, or by the Principal (Vice Chancellor), who upon appointment by the Chancellor, can confer degrees upon graduands in his absence. Professor Timothy O'Shea currently holds the post of Principal succeeding Sir Stewart Sutherland in 2002. The Principal is the Chief Executive of the University.
The primary role of the Rector is to chair the University Court.[1] The Rector is elected by all the matriculated students of the University every three years.[1] Mark Ballard, the Scottish Green Party, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Lothians Region, is the current Rector, having been elected to that post in ballot of students on 16 February 2006.[2] He succeeded Tam Dalyell, the former Scottish Labour Party politician to that role.[2] The Rector is seen as an ombudsman for the University, and works closely with student representatives and EUSA.[1]
Bodies edit
The governance of the University of Edinburgh, in common with all the other Ancient Universities of Scotland is delineated by statute. Under the terms of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 as amended by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1966, the University Court constitutes the supreme governing body and legal persona of the University.[3] The University Court is chaired by the Rector who is elected by all the matriculated students of the University. Primarily, the functions of the Court are administrative and include the management of revenue, property and resources of the University, as well as the discipline and admission of students.[3] The University Court meets five times a year.[3] The 1966 Universities Act sets out the procedures by which the University Court can exercise its powers. These are by using "Ordinances" which require consultation with the Senatus Academicus, "Resolutions" which also require consultation or by "Simple Majority" of the Court.[3]
A subordinate body to the University Court is the Senatus Academicus which has powers over the academic affairs of the University.[3] The Principal, all Professors of University, College Vice Principals, Librarians as well as a number of Lecturers, Readers and students form the membership of the Senatus.[3] The Senatus has powers over the regulation of teaching and research, and also has the authority to discipline students. The body is responsible for authorising all degree programmes and the conferral of degrees on students is only done so upon the recommendation of the Senatus by the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, a Vice-Principal, or the most senior professor present.[3] The Senatus meets five times per year.[3]
The General Council is the corporate body of all graduates and senior academics of the University of Edinburgh.[3] The Council appoints the Chancellor
Colleges and faculties edit
Alumni edit
The University has an alumnus of over 130,000 individuals.[4] With over 80 alumni clubs and groups in Scotland and across the world, graduates of the University of Edinburgh are involved in all academic spheres from science to medicine, the arts and politics.[5] Edinburgh Alumni are involved in a range of campaigns and events including the Edinburgh Campaign, which aims to raise £350m for student scholarships, facilities, teaching and research throughout the University.[6] A number of Edinburgh alumni have made significant contributions in the fields of government, law, academia, business, journalism, and athletics, among others.
Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania, Charles Tupper, former Prime Minister of Canada and Yun Po Sun, former President of South Korea are amongst some of the most notable alumni who have been involved in the political sphere. UK politicians such as Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,[7] Tessa Jowell, the cabinet minister Douglas Alexander, Malcolm Rifkind the former Foreign Secretary, former Deputy First Minister of ScotlandJim Wallace and past leader of the Scottish Conservative leader David McLetchie are also graduates of the University.
In the fields of science and nature, the pioneering botanist Charles Darwin,[8] the physicist James Clerk Maxwell, James Dewar, the inventor of the vacuum flask, Joseph Lister whose path breaking work in the field of anaesthesia are most notable are amongst former graduates of the University. Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone pioneer, the chemist Joseph Black and the noted surgeon Joseph Bell are all alumni of the University who have gained prominence in the fields of science, nature and medicine. The University also records a number of Nobel laureates amongst its alumni including James Mirrlees, awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1996, for his work on the economic problem of asymmetric information
Notes and citations edit
- ^ a b c "The Rector's Office". University of Edinburgh Rector's Office. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b Donald MacLeod (2006-02-17). "Green MSP elected new Edinburgh rector". The Guardian. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Constitution of the University". University of Edinburgh Policy and Planning Department. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Alumni". University of Edinburgh Alumni. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "The Alumni Network". University of Edinburgh The Edinburgh Campaign. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "The University of Edinburgh Campaign". University of Edinburgh The Edinburgh Campaign. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Bell et al (1999) p204
- ^ Bell et al (1999) p19
References edit
- Anderson, R.D, Lynch, M & Phillipson, N (2003): "The University of Edinburgh: An Illustrated History, 1582-present", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1646-2
- Horn, D (1967): "Short History of the University of Edinburgh, 1556-1889", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-8522-4152-6
- Bell, G et al (1999): "Edinburgh University Worthies", Edinburgh University Library, ISBN 0-9071-8229-1
- Birse, R.A (1994): "Science at the University of Edinburgh, 1583-1993", University of Edinburgh,Faculty of Science & Engineering. ISBN 0-9522-8831-1
- Davie, G (1999): "The Democratic Intellect: Scotland and Her Universities in the Nineteenth Century", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-1274-2
- Fraser, A.G (1989): "The Building of Old College: Adam, Playfair and the University of Edinburgh", Edinburgh University Press, ISBN 0-7486-0124-4
- Lynch, M (2001): "The Oxford Companion to Scottish History", Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-211696-7
- Mackenzie, J.E (2003): "University of Edinburgh Roll of Honour 1914-1919", Naval & Military Press Ltd, ISBN 1-8434-2469-X