To that end, the University of Edinburgh this week released a first-of-its-kind report. It chronicles the institution’s legacy connections to colonialism and racism, revealing “very disturbing” and “really upsetting” facts about its history. This ongoing investigation is the largest of its kind ever conducted by a UK university. It shows the many ways the institution has advanced harmful and false racist scientific theories that still impact society today.
The report also unearths a staggering finding. It is the University of Edinburgh that houses the close to 300 phrenologist-collected skulls from enslaved and dispossessed peoples collected in the 1800s. This collection serves as a grim reminder of the university’s involvement in pseudoscientific practices that sought to justify racial hierarchies. These types of findings forced university leadership to address the uncomfortable reality of their past actions.
On top of that, the monetary impact of these deep-rooted connections is crucial. So far, the University of Edinburgh has brought in more than £30 million from its alumni and supporters. These funds have everything to do with the legacy of African enslavement. On top of that, there are £9.4 million worth of bequests that have gone directly to donors with ties to slavery, colonial conquests, and race-science. This financial legacy creates a set of moral imperatives that the university can’t ignore.
Historically, the university has sought donations from graduates with ties to transatlantic slavery to fund two of its most iconic buildings: Old College and the old medical school. These unseemly fundraising practices demonstrate a worrisome complicity in perpetuating and profiting from colonialism’s riches. The university’s failure to act in the face of powerful abolitionist movements. Unlike every other Scottish university, it refused to petition Parliament for the abolition of slavery.
Beyond its recommendations for increasing graduation and retention, the report takes aim at the university’s academic climate. It points out that Black people make up a fraction of its employees—under 1% of its staff and just over 2% of its student body. By comparison, a third of its student body is Asian, which includes almost 9,300 students from China. This demographic disparity is cause for concern around inclusivity and representation at the historically Black institution.
In an open and transparent response to these findings, the university’s principal, Sir Peter Mathieson, has called for a period of soul searching and reflection. He said that the organization needs to confront uncomfortable realities about its past behavior.
“I think a lot of the report is hard to read, but I have confidence in its accuracy because I trust the experts that have produced it. I think we were seeking the truth – that’s really the purpose of a university, and it includes the truth about ourselves as well as the truth about anybody else.” – Sir Peter Mathieson
The report’s boldest and most encouraging suggestion is to champion redirecting resources away from our historical bequests. Specifically, it calls for recruiting senior academics of Black and minority origin and decolonising and antiracist research and teaching. This recommendation goes a long way toward producing a more inclusive atmosphere on campuses. It focuses on the legacy of racism embedded within the institution.
The report created a firestorm of controversy over the building’s historical ties. They decided to go for it, and at least for a time changed the name to “40 George Square.” The university is making some very brave moves to honor its past. Simultaneously, it is leading the charge for a more equitable and inclusive future.
This is a very sensitive subject, but timely,” touched upon by Sir Peter Mathieson. He underscored the need to take these concerns head on. He claimed that failing to have the courage to face some of these uncomfortable truths would defeat the entire purpose of doing this investigation in the first place.
“If at the end of it we lose courage because we don’t like the conclusions, that kind of invalidates the original decision to do the work.” – Sir Peter Mathieson
Prof Tommy J Curry noted Scotland’s moral obligation to address its colonial legacy:
“Scotland has a moral debt to pay by sustaining an ideology that helped to exploit, kill and dominate racialised people for centuries.” – Prof Tommy J Curry
The report highlighted that the University of Edinburgh has investments in companies with significant contracts with the Israeli government, urging immediate divestment. This recommendation has received the most attention so far against the backdrop of a nationwide conversation about ethical investment practices and social justice.
The University of Edinburgh was established in the 16th century and emerged as a leading center during the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th and 19th centuries. As such, its impact in guiding the direction of intellectual thought has been both beneficial and detrimental. The recommendations included in this report put the university in a position where it needs to align its long celebrated history with today’s values.