A European University “As a truly global university, rooted in ’s capital city, we make a significant, sustainable Our mission to discover, and socially responsible contribution develop and share knowledge to the world.” is at the heart of what we do. The University of Strategic Vision. www.ed.ac.uked.ac.uk

“As a truly global university, rooted in Scotland’s capital city, we make a significant, sustainable Our mission to discover, and socially responsible contribution develop and share knowledge to the world.” is at the heart of what we do. The Strategic Vision. A European University

3 A European University

Image: Old College quad, Edinburgh.

4 www.ed.ac.uk

Introduction

For more than four centuries, the Today, Peter Higgs, Nobel Prize winner reality, and unveil new possibilities for The University of University of Edinburgh has been and current Emeritus Professor at the future generations. And we do so in the Edinburgh has been influencing the world. Edinburgh’s radical University, continues the tradition and context of our historical and present thinkers, by believing that anything epitomises the spirit of the Enlightenment, links with Europe, and as a global an international is possible, have introduced many challenging convention and heralding university which seeks to tackle problems institution since its ideas, discoveries and inventions, from a new age for science. His theory, transcending national boundaries. foundation more than anaesthetics to the first genetically explaining how the fundamental particles four centuries ago, engineered hepatitis B vaccine to Dolly of matter attain their mass, was verified at As a community, we are determined the Sheep. They have revolutionised the CERN laboratory which highlights the that the University of Edinburgh will and we continue to surgery, won Olympic medals, published importance of international collaboration continue to wear its heart on its sleeve enhance our global era-defining books, explored space in advancing science. as a proudly European and international presence today. and much more. university and we know that we will be We continue in this proud tradition, even more global and outward-looking consistently striving to reveal the in the future, not less. unknown, transform imagination into

5 A European University

A European university

The University of Edinburgh is ‘bajans’, a reference to ‘bec-jaune’ of excellence for medical education the oldest civic foundation in the or fledgling, the term used at the under staff such as Professor of English-speaking world, founded University of Paris. Surgery Joseph Lister, who developed in 1583 by the Town Council. With the use of antiseptics and James its post-Reformation outlook, it was In 1708 Principal William Carstares, Young Simpson, Professor of Midwifery therefore more able to take a broad following the examples of the and pioneer of anaesthesia. approach to education than the five universities of Leiden and Utrecht, other universities then existing in introduced specialist professors, The University’s progressive Scotland and England, which had been replacing the old Scottish system curriculum enhanced its international established under religious principles. where Regents had shepherded reputation and it attracted students their students through the entire from England, Ireland, France, the Low Its first Principal, , four years of study. Countries and the Americas. This, and looked to universities such as Paris the near-universal literacy resulting and Leiden for liberal curricular A Faculty of Medicine, the first in from the introduction of parish models, largely based on classics, Britain, was formally established in schools in Scotland, were important philosophy, logic and mathematics, 1726 with four of its six professors factors in creating the conditions for but later including law, divinity and having trained in Leiden. From this the Scotland’s contribution to the medicine. Initially, the first-year point on, the University became European Age of Enlightenment. students at Edinburgh were called renowned worldwide as a centre

6 www.ed.ac.uk

“The University of Edinburgh possessed a set of truly great men, Professors of Several Branches of Knowledge, as have ever appeared in any age or country.”

Benjamin Franklin, polymath, 1706-1790.

Image: Double-manual harpsichord from our St Cecilia’s Collection: Ioannes Ruckers, Antwerp 1638. 7 A European University

Joseph Black James Hutton Sir

8 www.ed.ac.uk An Enlightenment university

The 18th-century Scottish Joseph Black’s discovery of ‘fixed air’ influencing a wide audience “It is to Scotland that Enlightenment represented a or carbon dioxide, and his protégé in Europe, especially German we look for all our ideas golden age in the intellectual life Daniel Rutherford’s discovery of philosophers such as Kant. of Scotland and it was centred in ‘noxious air’, which we now know of civilisation.” Edinburgh. Reason and rationality as nitrogen. Also in this eminent Alumnus Sir Walter Scott found a place were its hallmarks as science, circle were professors such as Adam at the very heart of European literature Voltaire. medicine, mathematics, agricultural Ferguson, pioneer of sociology, with his historical novels and was improvement, moral philosophy, and Colin McLaurin, friend of Isaac followed by other alumni such as Robert literary criticism, history and political Newton, alongside alumni like James Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan economy all made rapid advances, Hutton, the father of modern geology Doyle, JM Barrie and, more recently, helping to build the foundations for and David Hume, author of the Treatise JK Rowling. Appropriately, Edinburgh the way in which we see the world on Human Nature. Their friend Adam is now UNESCO’s first City of Literature today. ‘Edinburgh is a hotbed of Smith delivered a series of lectures and, indeed, University of Edinburgh genius’ – Tobias Smollett. at the University expounding about alumni and staff played an enormous his books about political economy, part in founding the Edinburgh At the very centre of this intellectual The Theory of Moral Sentiments International Festival in 1947. crucible were men connected to and The Wealth of Nations. the University of Edinburgh, which became one of Europe’s most Their works were reviewed in the major important centres for innovation and European philosophical journals as experimentation in science and the soon as they appeared and were humanities. The period saw Professor soon translated into other languages,

9 A European University

Image: Reunion of the Polish Medical School.

10 www.ed.ac.uk

European links

The links between the University of Edinburgh and Europe have not been purely intellectual but often practical as well: “We the children of two mothers, alma The Polish Medical School Edinburgh Conversations mater Polonia The Polish School of Medicine was Reunions are held in Edinburgh every At the height of the Cold War, during and alma mater established in Edinburgh in 1941 five years and alumni continue to play the early 1980s, the late Professor John Edinburgensis, will as a unique academic response an active role in medical education Erickson, Head of the University’s former to the Second World War. It taught by funding the Jurasz lectureship Centre for Defence Studies and a world- always endeavour students and doctors in the Polish and scholarships for talented Polish leading authority on the Soviet Union, to uphold the noble armed forces and also accepted medical scientists to undertake further created a series of meetings known as inheritance obtained civilians. Students followed a Polish study in Edinburgh. the Edinburgh Conversations. These curriculum, taught in Polish, and were discussions provided a platform for within these ancient awarded a Polish degree. When the insights from the highest representatives walls and live up School closed in 1949, more than 300 of the Western world and the Soviet to the great tradition students were registered and 228, Union, and helped thaw tensions including 46 women, had graduated, between the superpowers during this of your teaching.” with 19 obtaining a doctorate or MD. difficult time. These themes are today While some returned to Poland, many maintained in the work on conflict and remained in the UK or emigrated to peace carried out within our Global Graduates of the Polish North America or Australia. Justice Academy. Medical School 1941-1949.

11 A European University

European links today

The University of Edinburgh, located with programmes in other European the European Commission on at the heart of a UNESCO World universities. For example, our veterinary a wide range of topics related Heritage Site, offers a wide range of training is accredited by the relevant to EU research policy. programmes in European languages bodies in the UK, the EU and the US; and area studies encompassing Celtic our European Masters in Landscape This year, we are proud to hold the and Scottish Studies, French, German, Architecture is a joint degree with Presidency of the Coimbra Group, an Italian, Portuguese, Russian Studies, leading landscape architecture association of 39 comprehensive and Scandinavian Studies which includes institutions in five European countries; multidisciplinary European universities Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, and we offer a Masters in European Law. of the highest standard. Through and Spanish. The University has strategic partnerships exchanging experience and expertise, with a wide range of universities across the Group creates academic and cultural Our Europa Institute, founded in 1968, Europe and joint doctoral programmes ties to promote internationalisation, is the University’s research centre on via the EdoLAD and other schemes, and collaboration, excellence in learning European integration and we host many we also deliver an expanding range of and research, and service to society. cultural and inter-cultural centres such online learning opportunities. as the Centre for International Cultural Edinburgh is also a member of Eurolife, Relations, the Centre de Recherches The University is a member of several a network of prestigious medical schools Francophone Belges, and the Princess prestigious academic groupings in across Europe which collaborate in Dashkova Russian Centre. Europe. The League of European research, share best practice in medical Research Universities (LERU) is education and seek to influence life Several of our degree programmes a consortium of 23 research-led sciences agendas at European level. are accredited in the EU or linked universities in Europe which advises

12 www.ed.ac.uk

“The University of Edinburgh will continue to wear its heart on its sleeve as a proudly European and international university.”

Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea, Principal and Vice Chancellor.

Image: EU students enjoy studying in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.

13 A European University

Our staff

The University has affiliations with some Professor Harald Haas Dr Arne Kruse We value hugely the 20 Nobel laureates. These include Max Germany Norway Inventor of LiFi, technology that uses ordinary LED Conducting research into Scandinavian place- work of our European Born, a refugee from Germany who was light bulbs to create high speed wireless networks. names in Scandinavia, Scotland and North America. appointed the second Tait Professor of staff and students Natural Philosophy at Edinburgh in 1936. Dr Emile Chabal Dr Thomas Pierret who, together with our His research in quantum mechanics, and France Belgium Chancellor’s Fellow in History, currently An expert on the Middle East with a particular focus UK and international especially his invention of the statistical researching contemporary French politics on Syria, and the politics and sociology of Islam. staff and students, interpretation of the wave function, earned and post-colonialism. him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1954. Professor Antonella Sorace make this University Dr Mathias Thaler Italy Austria Researching, supporting and developing what it is today. More recently, Norwegians Edward Senior lecturer in political theory, works on bilingualism over the lifespan, in the UK and May-Britt Moser, who carried out improving our understanding of and responses and internationally. post-doctoral research at the University to political violence. between 1994 and 1996, went on to Professor Igor Rudan Dr Esther Mijers Croatia win the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology Netherlands An expert in international health and molecular or Medicine for their work in identifying Researching the cultural and intellectual links medicine with a focus on global child mortality the place cells that make up the brain’s between Scotland and the Netherlands in the and genetic basis of human disease. positioning system. 17th century. Dr Claudia Monteiro Dr Ulf-Dietrich Schoop Portugal Our staff come from 101 of the world’s Germany Head of Public Relations for the Business nations. 17 per cent (2,389 people) of Head of Archaeology, researching the archaeology School and has worked internationally in project our total staff are EU nationals, including of the prehistoric Near East and Anatolia. management, cultural and public affairs. 25 per cent of our academic staff. Dr Maurice Fallon Along with all our staff, they contribute Republic of Ireland enormously to making Edinburgh one Chancellor’s Fellow researching localisation, of the world’s best universities, and to state estimation and mapping of robots and autonomous systems. 14 addressing global challenges. www.ed.ac.uk

Professor Harald Haas Dr Emile Chabal Dr Mathias Thaler Dr Esther Mijers Dr Ulf-Dietrich Schoop Dr Maurice Fallon

Dr Arne Kruse Dr Thomas Pierret Professor Antonella Sorace Professor Igor Rudan Dr Claudia Monteiro

15 A European University

Image: Project Elpis.

16 www.ed.ac.uk

Our students

Students from non-UK EU nations make Of almost 300 societies and volunteering Among Edinburgh’s many remarkable “I have made friends up 14 per cent of our student community. groups at the University, there are 15 responses to the refugee crisis in from all over the societies each representing an EU Europe, two ventures particularly 2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the member state. The eXchange360 society demonstrate the responsible citizenship world, travelled round Erasmus Scheme, in which Edinburgh organises social events for students on we strive to inspire in our students: Europe and benefited has participated since it began. During exchange programmes. both academically that time we have sent more than 12,000 and socially from this students across Europe for work and Many European students studying in Project Elpis, created by study, and similar numbers of talented Edinburgh are involved in volunteering students Samuel Kellerhals excellent opportunity.” European students have come here and community service. For example, from Germany and Alexandros to Scotland. Edinburgh has Erasmus students who speak French and Spanish Angelopoulos from Greece, installs agreements with more than 250 leading assist teachers to foster an appreciation solar-powered phone chargers Law student, European universities across 20 different of those languages and cultures among in refugee camps in Greece; Erasmus exchange to nations. We are ranked as the UK’s primary school children in Edinburgh. number one host university for Erasmus+ A 12-week Foreign Language Outreach Utrecht, Netherlands. and this year will place more than 500 programme runs in conjunction with The Timber Project, run by students. We have been extremely the local city council and enhances our Landscape Architecture alumni successful in securing Erasmus+ funds students’ CVs. Kirsty Scott and Chris Moore and secured more than 20 per cent who gave up their jobs to work of the Erasmus+ International Credit on this initiative, builds shelters, Mobility budget for the UK in 2016, shower blocks, children’s play being awarded €1,143,560. areas and other facilities such as distribution centres for refugees stranded in Greece and along the ‘Balkan route’.

17 A European University

Image: Edinburgh’s research is world-leading. Our research

The University of Edinburgh is one of created to attract and train the EU’s World-leading research the most internationally collaborative researchers of the future. Of these projects at Edinburgh is research universities in the UK with the University has participated in 125 almost 55 per cent of our research output individual Fellowships, with the majority of addressing local and published with international co-authors. these being researchers from outside the global challenges and In the past 10 years, 30 per cent of our UK coming to train at Edinburgh. making a truly positive research outputs were co-authored with EEA partners. The UK is one of the most attractive impact in many spheres. countries in Europe for frontier researchers This is achieved in no small part though holding the EU’s most prestigious grants through our participation in the EU’s awarded by the European Research Framework Programmes for Research Council, with more than half of UK-based and Innovation. We have collaborated grant-holders coming from elsewhere with researchers in all EU member states, in the world. The University has hosted three of four EFTA countries, all EU almost 100 of these since 2007. Membership Candidate countries, more than half of European Neighbourhood We have participated in more than 300 Policy countries, as well as with countries large European collaborative research throughout the world. projects, 12 per cent as leading partner, contributing to the EU’s policy 10 per cent of our total research income, priorities in the areas of energy, ICT, around £31m in 2014/15, comes from EU high performance computing and health sources with the largest proportion going research. The University of Edinburgh to research in our College of Science and accounts for 30 per cent of Scotland’s Engineering. Since the beginning of FP7 480 Horizon 2020 grants and receives the (2007) we have participated in more than 7th largest share of Horizon 2020 funds 170 Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, among all participating higher education 18 Research Fellowship Programmes institutions worldwide. www.ed.ac.uk

Dementia research

We are the lead partner in an Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project in which 36 partners are collaborating to improve understanding and management of Alzheimer’s disease in people with very early symptoms or none. Led by Professor Craig Ritchie from our Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia initiative (EPAD) hopes to find more effective clinical trials for drugs to prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s, which is expected to affect more than 100 million people globally by 2050. The University is a partner in a further seven IMI projects.

Bilingualism Matters

Our Bilingualism Matters centre aims to encourage and support people of any age to speak more than one language. Led by Professor Antonella Sorace and based at the University, the centre receives EU funding and has a wide international network across the UK, EU and US. The expected benefits for education, business and cultural exchange have been augmented by our research which shows that multilingualism can bring linguistic and cognitive advantages at any time 19 of life and in any language. A European University The University of Edinburgh at a glance 32nd Edinburgh is ranked 32nd in the world In good company: for the employability 156 of our graduates nationalities: 20,000 in the latest Emerging QS World 14 per cent of our students alumni living Global Employability University Rankings: from non-UK EU nations. and working in Europe. University Rankings.

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 21st 17th 17th 21st 19th 31,335 32,868 33,110 35,258 36,491 20 Student Numbers. www.ed.ac.uk

Edinburgh was the 12,000 first UK Edinburgh students 30% have taken part in an Research university to Erasmus exchange In the last 10 years, offer MOOCs, in the 30 years since it was 30 per cent of our 25% and more than set up and similar numbers research outputs were of our academic 2 million learners of talented European co-authored with staff are have taken these students have come EEA partners. non-UK EU nationals. online courses. to Edinburgh.

The University formed 184 184 companies between 2010-15 which is three new companies formed 21 every month for the last five years. A European University This publication is available in alternative formats on request. Please contact: [email protected]

Published by Communications and Marketing The University of Edinburgh

Designed by hookson.com

Printed by Contacts McAllister Litho

Imagery The University of Edinburgh Centre for Research Collections Communications Office Edinburgh Global National Galleries of Scotland

Paul Dodds, Andrew Moffat, Neale Smith, The University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh Euan Myles 5 Forrest Hill 33 Buccleuch Place istockphoto.com Edinburgh EH1 2QL Edinburgh EH8 9JS Scotland, UK Scotland, UK © The University of Edinburgh 2017

Tel +44 (0)131 650 6380 +44 (0)131 650 4296 The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, www.ed.ac.uk/ www.ed.ac.uk/ with registration number SC005336 communications-marketing about/edinburgh-global

22 “As a truly global university, rooted in Scotland’s capital city, we make a significant, sustainable Our mission to discover, and socially responsible contribution develop and share knowledge to the world.” is at the heart of what we do. The University of Edinburgh Strategic Vision. A European University