University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh (Scots: University o Edinburgh, Scottish Gaelic: Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as Edin. in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the town council under the authority of a royal charter from King James VI in 1582 and officially opened in 1583, it is one of Scotland's four ancient universities and the sixth-oldest university in continuous operation in the English-speaking world. The university played a crucial role in Edinburgh becoming a leading intellectual centre during the Scottish Enlightenment and contributed to the city being nicknamed the "Athens of the North". The university with many influential figures in history such as Adam Smith, Joseph Lister, James Hutton, Alexander Graham Bell, David Hume, Walter Scott, Thomas Carlyle, Robert Adam, Adam Ferguson, James Clerk Maxwell, Robert Louis Stevenson, Gordon Brown.