Like many ancient universities, the University of Edinburgh is intrinsically linked with the city. Opened in 1583 by the Town Council under the University Settlement movement, the University is the oldest in the English-speaking world to be founded on a civic basis.
Our civic origin, as well as our significant scale – staff and students make up almost 10 percent of Edinburgh’s population – means it matters a great deal to us to partner with communities, charities and businesses in our region, enhancing and benefiting the city that founded us.
Our Community Plan is spearheading this effort. It sets out 32 commitments to help us deliver on our social and civic responsibility, covering five key themes: deliver social impact; share knowledge and experience; build close connections and partnerships; provide services for our communities; and open up our estate.
Four years since the plan was launched, we are making significant progress on our pledges.
A catalyst for positive change
A shining example is our Community Grant Scheme. Since its launch in 2017, grants have given hundreds of local initiatives the opportunity to deliver positive change in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region, from improving wellbeing to reducing poverty.
The grants have provided £732,000 to more than 210 different projects directly, benefiting more than 26,000 local people. Recipients that have recently benefitted include a bereavement support group and a charity providing welcome packs of essential items for children seeking refuge in Scotland.
Our funding has also supported initiatives led by our students and staff. Our new community outreach centre officially opened its doors on Nicolson Street in autumn 2023 and is now the home for the University’s All4Paws veterinary clinic. Run by a team of students and staff from The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the clinic offers free veterinary care for the pets of people who are homeless or vulnerably housed.
Over the past three years, we have also invested nearly £8 million in socially-positive causes that help those who live in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.
Take, for example, our £2 million investment through a Social and Sustainable Capital investment fund. Through the investment fund, we are able to provide loans to charities that support people at risk of homelessness. The homeless support services charity, Simon Community Scotland, obtained a loan to purchase 15 properties across Edinburgh providing affordable accommodation for up to 30 vulnerable adults at risk of homelessness.
(Image credit: Andrew Perry)
Made in Edinburgh
The University also uses its own resources to equip those in our community with new skills and knowledge, helping them transition careers or get the experience they need to obtain permanent jobs.
One of the ways we support our local young people is via the Data Education in Schools project. Through this initiative, classrooms are provided with access to resources and equipment, such as environmental sensors and physical activity-monitoring devices. This allows children to create data from real-world examples. The aim is to get children more interested in data, improve their data skills, and ultimately create a talent pipeline for Scotland’s digital and data businesses.
Similarly, the Bayes Centre, one of six hubs delivering the Data Driven Innovation initiative, funded through the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal, provides courses for job seekers and those already in employment. This helps local people develop the necessary skills to thrive in new and emerging data-focused roles. 3,000 participants have already been supported since the programme first launched.
Elsewhere, our partnership with education charity IntoUniversity and the University of Glasgow continues to reap rewards. Since opening in 2021, our learning centre in Craigmillar – one of three in Scotland – has worked with hundreds of school-age students who would normally face barriers to education. The centres offer a place for young people to realise their future aspirations through further education or training in a career path of their choice.
(Image credit – Sam Sills)
We also have an ongoing commitment to youth employment designed to help young people gain a foothold into the world of work.
Last year we hired another 19 Modern Apprentices. During their time at the University, our apprentices receive on-the-job training – often alongside studying at college – to gain an industry-approved qualification in areas such as accountancy, business administration, laboratories and even animal care.
Since our development programme was launched in 2017, 97 young people have successfully completed a Modern Apprenticeship at the University and many of our apprentices have gone on to secure permanent roles within their discipline.
Building futures
We want to ensure that those new to our community feel welcome in Edinburgh. The University has made significant strides in building on its University of Sanctuary status and supporting those living in Edinburgh who have had to flee conflict and persecution in their countries of origin.
In 2022, we launched our Sanctuary Scholarship scheme for students living in war-torn regions. Supporting those who have just arrived in our city, the University’s Centre for Open Learning provides free General English classes to displaced people. Since launching in 2022, classes have been given to more than 630 people.
Continuing our progress
We want to do more over the forthcoming years to build on these successes. That can only be done through collaboration with local communities, working together to continue to improve our city and support those most in need within it.
So please consider applying for our Community Grant so together we can continue to deliver positive benefits and change in our beautiful, vibrant city.
