As Edinburgh marks its 900th anniversary with a celebratory programme of events and activities, find out how the University is getting involved and how you can take part.
900 years of Edinburgh
In 1124, King David I created the royal burgh of Edinburgh. This laid the foundation for the development of the city’s rich history, vibrant culture and global influence, shaping Edinburgh’s journey towards becoming the modern capital city it is today.
The Edinburgh 900 programme has been created by the City of Edinburgh Council to celebrate this moment, bringing the city’s story to life through a series of events, exhibitions and activities that invite residents and visitors to explore its remarkable evolution over the last 900 years.
This year-long commemoration offers an opportunity to reflect on Edinburgh’s legacy and look ahead to its future as a city that continues to inspire and innovate.
Edinburgh’s University
Like many ancient universities, the University of Edinburgh is intrinsically linked with its home 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.
We remain embedded within the fabric of our home city, continuing to shape Edinburgh and the world beyond, partnering with communities, charities and businesses in our region and supporting the city that founded us.
The University has a close and collaborative relationship with the City of Edinburgh Council, working together on a range of initiatives that support our communities and civic celebrations.
Edinburgh 900 programme
This shared commitment to our home city is the inspiration for our involvement in Edinburgh 900. The programme runs until September 2025 and encompasses ten themes that speak to the city’s character and communities, with which activities, events, content and promotions are aligned.
The University will be playing a role in the celebrations by hosting events and shining a light on the many ways in which our history, people, research and learning have put Edinburgh on the map for the past 900 years and will continue to do so into the future.
We’ll be highlighting the work of experts and colleagues across the University by showcasing their work in a dedicated content series on our Edinburgh Impact website and social media channels. This will feature stories about our world-leading research, teaching, and collections, alongside our support for local communities and international collaborations.
Get involved
Please consider taking part in Edinburgh 900 by creating events or badging planned events which align with the project themes as part of the activities programme.
Through themed events and editorial content, we will help tell the University’s civic story with resources created to help colleagues across the organisation get involved and become a part of the programme.
We’ll be sharing news, tools and stories about Edinburgh 900 in the coming weeks and months and asking colleagues to share details about their work and projects that celebrate our city. If you’d like to know more or have an idea for an event or story, you can read more about the programme online or get in touch with Liz.Wallace@ed.ac.uk in the Communications and Marketing team.
Edinburgh 900
Programme themes
