Education in Edinburgh

Universities and Colleges

The University of Edinburgh was founded by Royal Charter in 1583, and is the fourth oldest university in Scotland. The Old College on South Bridge opened in the 1820s. As the institution continued to expand, new buildings were constructed around George Square, where the heart of the university remains. Development of the college’s buildings continues in the 21st century.

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh were also established by Royal Charter, in 1506 and 1681 respectively. The Trustees Drawing Academy of Edinburgh was established in 1760, an institution that became, in 1907, Edinburgh College of Art. Queen Margaret University College was founded in 1875 as a women’s college, and today specialises in healthcare, media and business.

In the 1960s Heriot-Watt University and Napier Technical College were established. Heriot-Watt traces its origins to 1821, when a school for technical education of the working class was opened. Heriot-Watt continues to have a strong reputation in engineering, and is based at Riccarton, outside the city. Napier College was renamed Napier Polytechnic in the 1980s, and gained university status in 1992. Napier University now has several campuses in the south and west of the city, including the former Craiglockhart War Hospital.

Other colleges offering further education in Edinburgh include Telford College, opened in 1968, and Stevenson College, opened in 1970. Basil Paterson Edinburgh offers courses in languages and teaching. The Scottish Agricultural College also has a campus in south Edinburgh.