Heriot-Watt University is a global research-led university based in the UK, with five campuses in Edinburgh, the Scottish Borders, Orkney, Dubai and Malaysia.
Around 27,000 students from 154 countries are currently studying with us. We have 166,000 alumni in more than 190 countries.
We are specialists in business, engineering, design and the physical, social, sports, environmental and life sciences subjects which make a real impact on the world and society.
Heriot-Watt was founded in Edinburgh in 1821 as the world’s first mechanics institute. In 1966, it became a university by Royal Charter. The university is named after 18th century Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt and 16thcentury Scottish philanthropist and goldsmith George Heriot.
86.8% of Heriot-Watt's research is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent in the Research Excellence Framework 2021 – the UK’s system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers.
The university runs 113 undergraduate programmes and 170 postgraduate programmes across six academic schools and Edinburgh Business School.
Our six academic schools are:
- Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society
- Engineering and Physical Sciences
- Mathematical and Computer Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Textiles and Design
- Global College
Edinburgh Business School is one of the world's largest providers of postgraduate business education, with 49,000 alumni across 158 countries.