Difference between revisions of "Appointment of William Robertson as Principal of Edinburgh University, 1762"
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Robertson's influence proved vital in elevating the academic standing of the University throughout Britain and Europe. A roll-call of major appointments under his Principalship includes: | Robertson's influence proved vital in elevating the academic standing of the University throughout Britain and Europe. A roll-call of major appointments under his Principalship includes: | ||
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| + | *[[Joseph Black (1728-1799)]] | ||
| + | *[[John Bruce (1745-1826)]] | ||
| + | *[[William Cullen (1710-1790)]] | ||
| + | *[[Andrew Dalzel (1742-1806)]] | ||
*[[Adam Ferguson (1723-1816)]] | *[[Adam Ferguson (1723-1816)]] | ||
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| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
*[[Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813)]] | *[[Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813)]] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
*[[James Gregory (1753-1821)]] | *[[James Gregory (1753-1821)]] | ||
*[[John Gregory (1724-1773)]] | *[[John Gregory (1724-1773)]] | ||
| + | *[[Francis Home (1719-1813)]] | ||
*[[Alexander Monro ''secundus'' | Alexander Monro "secundus" (1733-1817)]] | *[[Alexander Monro ''secundus'' | Alexander Monro "secundus" (1733-1817)]] | ||
| − | *[[ | + | *[[John Playfair (1748-1819)]] |
| − | *[[ | + | *[[John Robison (1739-1805)]] |
| + | *[[Daniel Rutherford (1749-1819)]] | ||
| + | *[[Dugald Stewart (1753-1828)]] | ||
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[[Category:Incomplete|Appointment of William Robertson as Principal of Edinburgh University, 1762]] | [[Category:Incomplete|Appointment of William Robertson as Principal of Edinburgh University, 1762]] | ||
Revision as of 13:52, 29 July 2014
The appointment of William Robertson (1721-1793) as Principal in 1762 was pivotal in turning Edinburgh University into a major centre of Enlightenment thought.
Intitally working in conjunction with the The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, George Drummond (1688-1766), his major administrative reforms included reactivating the Senatus Academicus, reforming the degree structure and curriculum, and establishing a Library Fund.
New Professorships that were established under Robertson include:
- Pharmacology (1768)
- Surgery (1777)
- Natural History (1790)
- Astronomy (1790)
The Chair of Botany was elevated to a Regius Professorship, and a new Botanical Garden was opened in 1763.
Improvements to University buildings included a new extension for the University Library, a new natural history museum, and plans for a new college building which would only see fruition after Robertson's death.
Robertson's influence proved vital in elevating the academic standing of the University throughout Britain and Europe. A roll-call of major appointments under his Principalship includes:
- Joseph Black (1728-1799)
- John Bruce (1745-1826)
- William Cullen (1710-1790)
- Andrew Dalzel (1742-1806)
- Adam Ferguson (1723-1816)
- Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813)
- James Gregory (1753-1821)
- John Gregory (1724-1773)
- Francis Home (1719-1813)
- Alexander Monro "secundus" (1733-1817)
- John Playfair (1748-1819)
- John Robison (1739-1805)
- Daniel Rutherford (1749-1819)
- Dugald Stewart (1753-1828)