University of Edinburgh&

Edinburgh University Students’ Association

Sarah Purves; Acting Director (Representation Student Support and Activities),EUSAAlex Munyard; Vice-President Academic Affairs, EUSA

Overview of the University‘Influencing the world since 1583’

• World class: One of the world’s top 20 Universities

• Large and diverse: Over 30,000 students: over 1/3 are postgraduate

• International: Almost 40% of our students come from over 130 countries outside the UK

• Comprehensive: We teach 103 of the 144 subject categories defined by HESA

• Research-intensive: Among the top five Universities in the UK by volume of 4* research

• Committed to teaching quality: over 140 of our degree programmes are externally accredited.

University structure

University Principal

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

11 schools62% of students

College of Science and Engineering

7 schools23% of students

College of Medicine and Veterinary

Medicine

4 schools15% of students

Student and Academic Services

GroupCorporate Services Information

Services

Governance of the University

• Court is the main governing body• Senate (Senatus Academicus) is the supreme

academic body: it devolves its business to four Senate Committees

• Principal’s Strategy Group (PSG) discusses and advises issues of strategic importance to the University

• Central Management Committee (CMG) oversees planning and budgeting at a central level

University Strategy 2012-16

• Vision: “To recruit and develop the world’s most promising students and most outstanding staff and be a truly global university benefitting society as a whole”

• Goals: – Excellence in learning and teaching– Excellence in Research– Excellence in Innovation

• Strategic Themes– Outstanding student experience, – Global Impact, – Lifelong community, – Social responsibility, – Partnerships, – Equality and widening participation

Edinburgh University Students’ Association

• Formed in 1972 bringing together Edinburgh University Union (1885) and Student Representative Council (1884)

• All students automatically members: 30,000+

• 4 buildings in 3 locations• Funding: annual grant from

the university, plus income from commercial services

Representing students• 4 student sabbatical officers providing

student leadership• Student Council of elected reps• School Councils• Supporting university-wide network of

class reps• Participating in university decision-making• Running campaigns • Contributing to local and national policy-

making• Participating in NUS and NUS Scotland.

Supporting students

• The Advice Place: Independent welfare and academic advice

• Freshers’ Week – introduction to student life at Edinburgh

• Peer support

• Providing on-campus services

• Student spaces: with catering, bars, entertainment, and somewhere to study

Developing students and student community• Student societies• Student volunteering

EUSA participation

• Almost 8000 students registered as society members

• 5600 voted in last year’s elections• 843 students in Society leadership positions• 1000+ class reps• 900 students formed International Buddies

partnerships• 3000+ students volunteering in local community