Queen Margaret University Edinburgh (QMU) was founded in 1875 as the Edinburgh School of Cookery. The school was committed to providing educational opportunities for women and improving the diets of working class families. In 1891 the school developed extended courses and offered places to residential students. In 1972 the school was renamed Queen Margaret College to ensure that it was no longer associated solely with cookery. In 2007 the college was granted full university status and became Queen Margaret University Edinburgh.
The university is named after Queen Margaret of Scotland who reigned from 1286 to 1290. This name was chosen as the queen was considered to embody the university’s key values – serving the community and enhancing the quality of life.
The university is split into two schools: the school of arts and sciences and the school of health sciences.
The university opened an innovative campus in 2007, which set a new benchmark in sustainable design. The campus buildings maximise energy efficiency while the landscape design promotes biodiversity. The university’s aim was to develop a sustainable community for learning and life by using resources effectively to ensure a low carbon footprint. QMU’s commitment to sustainability has been recognised as it is considered the country’s greenest campus.
QMU is located in Musselburgh, just 8km east of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland, UK.