Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) is the
students' union
A students' union or student union, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, organizat ...
at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
,
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
. The Association's aim is the advancement of education of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
students by representing and supporting them, and by promoting their interests, health and welfare within the community. It is led by a team of five elected student
sabbatical officer
In the United Kingdom, a sabbatical officer is a full-time officer elected by the members of a students' union (or similar body such as students' association, students' representative council or guild of students), commonly at a higher education e ...
s.
Due to the evolution of student unionism at Edinburgh, student sports are not part of the main university union, and are overseen by a separate organisation,
Edinburgh University Sports Union (EUSU), which has its own representative and organisational structure. EUSU works closely with the university's Centre for Sport and Exercise.
Dora Herndon is the current President and was elected in March 2024.
History
1884–1972: Establishment
An Edinburgh
students' representative council (SRC) was founded in 1884 by student
Robert Fitzroy Bell, bringing together students from the university's clubs & societies. Shortly afterwards, the SRC voted to establish a union (the Edinburgh University Union (EUU)), to provide social space and recreational facilities for students. The SRC established a campaign of public fundraising, with prominent figures in the city and the general public donating £5,000, and a fancy fair held at the
Waverly Market raised £10,000. The
Town Council
A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities.
Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions.
Republic of Ireland
In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...
and
Senatus Academicus donated £100 and £500 respectively to the cause. This £15,600 (£2,000,000 in 2019 money) was used to hire an architect,
Sydney Mitchell, and begin construction of the Union building adjacent to the
Medical School
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
and the
Reid Concert Hall.
Teviot Row House was officially opened on 19 October 1889, and is the oldest purpose-built student union in the world. EUU was constituted as an autonomous organisation, and did not admit women until 1971.
The
Edinburgh University Women's Union was founded in October 1905, later moving to premises at 16 Chambers Street and renaming itself to the Chambers Street Union in 1964. The King's Buildings Union was established in 1931 in huts formerly used by the Geology department, before moving into a custom building in 1939.
1970–2000: Merger
On 1 July 1973 the SRC, the EUU and the Chambers Street Union merged to form Edinburgh University Students' Association. Due to reference in the
Universities (Scotland) Act 1889, the SRC could not be dissolved at the time of merger. Through the SRC, EUSA is the oldest students' union in the UK. In 1994 the university forced the merger of the
King's Buildings Union and EUSA, although the members of KB Union voted against the proposed merger.
Due to the university merging with other organisations, since 1994, EUSA has merged with the
Moray House Institute of Education Union and the
Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Tracing its history back to 1760, it provides higher education in art and design, architecture, histor ...
Union.
In 1976 EUSA disaffiliated from the
National Union of Students (NUS), a decision that was reversed in 2004. In 2005 EUSA formally twinned with
Birzeit University
Birzeit University () is a public university in the West Bank, Palestine, registered by the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs as a charitable organization. It is accredited by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Mini ...
Student Council,
West Bank
The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
, with each union hosting delegations from the other.
2000–present
Following a student
consultation process and a
referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
in February 2012 a new
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed.
When these pri ...
was established in 2011 and amended in 2013. This took full effect in 2014, incorporating the Association as a charitable company limited by guarantee. This constitution also had the effect of changing some democratic processes, including establishing the board of trustees in its current form.
In 2016 EUSA became the first students union in the UK to affiliate to
Students for Cooperation as an affiliated supporter in order to promote and support student-led cooperatives. EUSA submitted a proposal to
NUS Scotland for affiliation with Students for Cooperation, which was accepted.
Also in 2016, EUSA sabbatical officers and management submitted a referendum to the student membership over whether to change the Association's name to "University of Edinburgh Students' Union", alongside a number of internal administrative changes. The name change was rejected by 69.9% of students. EUSA then embarked on a major rebranding programme, changing the logo and encouraging the organisation to be referred to as "the Association", or "your Students' Association" instead of "EUSA".
Controversy
EUSA was criticised in 2013 after acting using the
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the highest national court of Scotland in relation to Civil law (common law), civil cases. The court was established in 1532 to take on the judicial functions of the royal council. Its jurisdiction overlapped with othe ...
to "censor" ''
The Student'' as it "was due to publish details of the suspension of Max Crema, vice-president of services at the union". President James McAsh defended the action, claiming it was taken "to protect the rights of our employees".
In 2013, EUSA made the decision to ban the playing of "
Blurred Lines" by
Robin Thicke in its venues, attracting some attention in national media. The song was deemed to promote "an unhealthy attitude towards sex and consent", and for being in breach of EUSA's 'End
Rape Culture and
Lad Banter on Campus' policy, designed to tackle 'myths and stereotypes around
sexual violence
Sexual violence is any harmful or unwanted Human sexual activity, sexual act, an attempt to obtain a sexual act through violence or coercion, or an act directed against a person's sexuality without their consent, by any individual regardless of ...
' and stop the
sexual objectification
Sexual objectification is the act of treating a person solely as an object of sexual desire (a sex object). Objectification more broadly means treating a person as a commodity or an object without regard to their personality or dignity. Obje ...
of female students.
In 2014, EUSA was threatened with legal proceedings by the National Secretary of the
Socialist Workers Party (SWP),
Charlie Kimber, following a motion put forward banning the SWP from the Edinburgh campus due to the
'Comrade Delta' rape scandal. EUSA eventually withdrew the motion. This also resulted in the editors of ''
The Student'' newspaper, an EUSA society, manually ripping pages out of their own newspapers to avoid personal legal liability, as the story about the motion had already been printed before it was withdrawn.
Activities
EUSA's activities include
representing and
campaigning on behalf of students, the administration of
societies
A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. ...
, running a network of
bars and other venues, organising
volunteering
Volunteering is an elective and freely chosen act of an individual or group giving their time and labor, often for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergenc ...
opportunities and providing numerous welfare and advice services. EUSA also directly organises regular events such as Freshers' Week, club nights,
pub quiz
A pub quiz is a quiz held in a pub or Bar (drinking establishment), bar. These events are also called quiz nights, trivia nights, or bar trivia and may be held in other settings. The pub quiz is a modern example of a pub game, and often attempts ...
zes, band nights, various
comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
events, and the Graduation Ball.
Campaigning

Since 2010, EUSA has supported campaigns for
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
, against
tuition fee rises and education cuts, and for better private tenancy rights; EUSA also lobbies the university on internal issues, such as on-campus
child care
Child care, also known as day care, is the care and supervision of one or more children, typically ranging from three months to 18 years old. Although most parents spend a significant amount of time caring for their child(ren), childcare typica ...
. It has also had a significant role in the overhaul of the university's student support structure, and in making Edinburgh Scotland's first
Fairtrade University in 2004. In 2007, following several years of pressure from EUSA, the University Senate revoked
Robert Mugabe's honorary degree that had been awarded in 1984 "for services to education in Africa".
Societies
EUSA supports and oversees over 280 affiliated
societies
A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. ...
.
There are societies for most academic disciplines, political parties, nationalities and minority groups. Its oldest society,
The Diagnostic Society of Edinburgh pre-dates the SRC but is currently merged under EUSA whilst still retaining general operative independence.
Student theatre at Edinburgh is particularly active. The
Edinburgh University Theatre Company (EUTC) was founded in 1896 as the Edinburgh University Drama Society, and since the early 1980s has run
Bedlam Theatre, the oldest student-run theatre in Britain, and
The Improverts, the city's longest-running improvised comedy troupe. Edinburgh University Footlights and
Edinburgh University Savoy Opera Group (EUSOG) are musical theatre societies, the latter having an emphasis towards the
Savoy operas of
Gilbert and Sullivan. Theatre Paradok are dedicated to
experimental theatre
Experimental theatre (also known as avant-garde theatre), inspired largely by Richard Wagner, Wagner's concept of Gesamtkunstwerk, began in Western theatre in the late 19th century with Alfred Jarry and his Ubu Roi, Ubu plays as a rejection of bot ...
.
Music is a large part of EUSA's output. The
Edinburgh University Music Society founded in 1867 is the second oldest music society in the United Kingdom. With a Symphonic Chorus of up to 200 members, a full size Symphony Orchestra and Sinfonia, EUMS performs up to seven concerts a year in the university. The university is also home to the Edinburgh University Renaissance Singers conducted by University Lecturer Dr Paul Newton-Jackson.
Media-themed societies include
The Student (Edinburgh's own student newspaper),
Fresh Air (a student radio station, online-only since 2008), the Edinburgh Movie Production Society (EMPS), the Edinburgh Film Society and most recently EUTV, Edinburgh University Television Station.
Charitable and campaigning societies are numerous, including
Edinburgh Global Partnerships and the Edinburgh branches of the
Nightline
''Nightline'' (or ''ABC News Nightline'') is ABC News (United States), ABC News' Late night television in the United States, late-night television news program broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States with a franchis ...
support hotline and
People & Planet charitable network.
LGBT+ Pride is represented by five EUSA groups: LGBT+ Medics, LGBTQ+ Campaign, LGBTQ+ Law Society, LGBTQ+ Peer Mentoring, and PrideSoc.
Buildings, venues and outlets

EUSA operates 13 bars, 7 catering outlets, 5 shops, a catering company (''Honours Catering'') and numerous other services located across various sites.
Most of these buildings are operated as
Edinburgh Fringe venues during August.
*
Teviot Row House is the largest EUSA building and the oldest purpose built student union building in the world. Located on
Bristo Square, Teviot contains six bars (The Library Bar, The Sports Bar, The New Amphion, The Lounge Bar (informally known as The Jazz Bar), Teviot Underground and The Loft Bar), a small
nightclub
A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...
(''Teviot Underground'') and a variety of meeting rooms and halls. Following a fire at
Gilded Balloon's Grassmarket venue, Teviot is now their primary base during the Fringe.
*
The Pleasance provides EUSA societies with meeting space during semesters. It also has two bars and a theatre with an approximate capacity of 300. It is located next to the university's Centre for Sport and Exercise. During the Fringe, The Pleasance is run by the Pleasance Theatre Trust Ltd as the "Pleasance Courtyard".
*
Potterrow, is also located on Bristo Square. With its distinctive dome, this building includes two shops, two cafes, a 1200 capacity nightclub, the Activities Office, a student support centre (The Advice Place) and EUSA's main administrative offices. Potterrow is also run by the Pleasance Theatre Trust during the Fringe, along with many other Fringe venues, and is branded as the "Pleasance Dome".
*
King's Buildings is the home of most of the College of Science and Engineering, located in the south of the city. King's Buildings House includes a bar and food outlet, a small gym, a branch of the Advice Place and a small shop. The Magnet Cafe is located in the James Clerk Maxwell Building, and there is another shop on the ground floor of the KB Centre.
* Pollock Shop is a late opening shop in
Pollock Halls.
* The Peffermill Clubhouse is a bar located at the university playing fields at Peffermill.
Structure
EUSA is a democratic
membership organisation, a
charitable body and a
company limited by guarantee
A company limited by guarantee (CLG) is a type of company where the liability of members in the event the company is wound up is limited to a (typically very small) amount listed in the company's articles or constitution. Most have no share ca ...
, ultimately overseen by a Board of
Trustees.
All Edinburgh University students automatically become members of EUSA upon
matriculation
Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination.
Australia
In Australia, the term ''matriculation'' is seldom used no ...
, though they retain the ability to opt out as per the Education Act 1994.
The Association's day-to-day student leadership is provided by a team of five full-time elected students, the
Sabbatical Officers, currently:
* President – responsible for the overall functioning and external politics of the association;
* Vice President Activities and Services (VPAS) – responsible for activities in relation to student societies and representation to the university and Students' Association on non-academic service provision;
* Vice President Community (VPC) – responsible for lobbying the university for affordable transport and housing, as well as campaigning on sustainability and community engagement
* Vice President Education (VPE) – responsible for representing students to the university and beyond on HE and academic matters
* Vice President Welfare (VPW) – responsible for representing students to the university and beyond on student welfare
Democracy is primarily provided through an open
Student Council
A student council (also known as a student union, associated student body or student parliament) is an administrative organization of students in different educational institutes ranging from elementary schools to universities and research or ...
, which holds elected Officers to account, and creates policy. The Student Council meets in Teviot Row House on the last Thursday in each month during term-time.
Elections are held twice a year, the Spring election and the Postgraduate election in Autumn. The Sabbatical Officers, School Representatives, Section Representatives, Activities Representatives and Liberation Officers are elected in the Spring Elections in an online ballot. Postgraduate positions and any positions not filled in the Spring election are elected in the Postgraduate elections, also held via an online ballot and open to all members of the Association.
These elected representatives form a number of bodies that work throughout the year. The Activities Executive makes decisions relating specifically to student societies, composed of the Vice President (Activities & Services) and activities representatives elected to represent a specific society category. There are a series of open
liberation groups (Black Minority and Ethnic, Disabled Students,
LGBT
LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
, and Women) and student section groups (International,
Mature, Carers, Parents,
Postgraduate Taught, Postgraduate Research, and Part-Time).
Elected representatives also sit on all major University bodies and subcommittees. Complementing these structures are autonomous school councils and a class representation system providing local, democratic spaces for organising. This organisational structure was designed to help foster a system of
participatory democracy
Participatory democracy, participant democracy, participative democracy, or semi-direct democracy is a form of government in which Citizenship, citizens participate individually and directly in political decisions and policies that affect their ...
throughout the university.
EUSA's financial, legal and employment matters are the responsibility of the
Chief Executive
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization.
CEOs find roles in variou ...
and a senior management team, who report to and are held accountable by a
Board of Trustees, which currently consists of:
* The five Sabbatical officers
* Four student trustees, appointed by the sabbatical trustees for two years.
* Three external trustees, appointed by the student trustees for no more than three years.
Each Trustee may serve a maximum of two terms. Sabbatical officers must be re-elected to office, and Elected or Student Trustees may serve a second term with approval of the board of trustees.
EUSA has a fully owned
subsidiary company
A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...
, ''EUSACO'', incorporating any activity which is outside EUSA's charitable remit, such as the
Edinburgh Fringe and external catering activities. Responsibility for EUSA's commercial services is delegated by the board of trustees to the Strategic Development Subcommittee.
Notable people
This is an incomplete list of notable former office bearers, staff and others with EUSA and its predecessor unions.
*
Gordon Aikman – Motor Neurone Disease campaigner and former Director of Research at
Better Together, EUSA Vice President Societies & Activities (2007–08).
*
Robert Fitzroy Bell – Publisher and advocate, founder of the SRC and SRC President (1884)
*
Andrew Brown – Broadcaster and brother of
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he was Chancellor of the Ex ...
, EUSA Senior President (1975–76).
*
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he was Chancellor of the Ex ...
– EUSA member 1972-75. Elected
Rector of the University of Edinburgh
The Lord Rector of The University of Edinburgh is elected every three years by the students and staff at The University of Edinburgh. Seldom referred to as ''Lord Rector'', the incumbent is more commonly known just as the ''Rector''.
Role
T ...
in 1972 while still a student, serving until 1975.
*
Donald Brydon – Chairman of
Royal Mail
Royal Mail Group Limited, trading as Royal Mail, is a British postal service and courier company. It is owned by International Distribution Services. It operates the brands Royal Mail (letters and parcels) and Parcelforce Worldwide (parcels) ...
and
Medical Research Council, EUU President (1967–68).
*
Robert Cochrane Buist – Obstetrician and gynaecologist, SRC President
*
Maggie Chapman MSP –
Scottish Green Party politician, EUSA Postgraduate Convener.
*
Susan Deacon – Former Labour MSP for
Edinburgh East & Musselburgh, EUSA Vice President.
*
Kezia Dugdale MSP – Labour MSP for
Lothian region, EUSA campaigns adviser.
*
George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock – Former Labour MP and MSP, SRC Senior President (1963–64).
*
Edward Lindsay Ince – Mathematician, SRC Senior President.
*
Eleanor Laing MP –
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, the lower house and primary chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, was ...
, Conservative MP for Epping Forest, EUSA Union President (1980–1).
*
Malcolm Macleod – Neurologist, former
Rector of the University of Edinburgh
The Lord Rector of The University of Edinburgh is elected every three years by the students and staff at The University of Edinburgh. Seldom referred to as ''Lord Rector'', the incumbent is more commonly known just as the ''Rector''.
Role
T ...
, EUSA President (1988–89).
*
Peter McColl – Former
Rector of the University of Edinburgh
The Lord Rector of The University of Edinburgh is elected every three years by the students and staff at The University of Edinburgh. Seldom referred to as ''Lord Rector'', the incumbent is more commonly known just as the ''Rector''.
Role
T ...
and political activist, EUSA Vice President (2001–02).
*
Sheila McKechnie – Chairman of the
Consumer's Association and
Shelter, SRC Junior President (1968–69)
*
Sir David Orme Masson – Chemist, helped found SRC.
*
David Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood – Former MP, MSP and
Leader of the Liberal Party, SRC Senior President.
*
Sir Frederick Whyte – British civil servant,
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world.
The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...
MP, first President of the
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was the lower house of the Indian Legislature, the legislature of British India. It was created by the Government of India Act 1919, implementing the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms. It was also sometimes calle ...
of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
, EUU President (1903–04).
See also
*
The Diagnostic Society of Edinburgh
*
Edinburgh Labour Students
*
Edinburgh University A.F.C.
*
Edinburgh University Boat Club
*
Edinburgh University Highland Society
*
Edinburgh University Orienteering Club
*
Edinburgh University RFC
*
Edinburgh University Shinty Club
*
Edinburgh University Socialist Society
*
Grand Edinburgh Adventuring Society
References
External links
Edinburgh University Students' AssociationEdinburgh University Sports UnionAnnual Report 2012 ''Edinburgh University Students' Association.'' Retrieved 2 May 2013.
{{Coord, 55, 56, 42.4, N, 3, 11, 19.1, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title
University of Edinburgh
Students' unions in Scotland
1884 establishments in Scotland
Charities based in Edinburgh
Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh Festival