Nations in Scottish universities

Nations are student divisions at some of the ancient universities of Scotland.

Nations were a characteristic of some of the ancient universities and have gradually decreased in significance in recent times. As the newest of the ancient universities, nations never existed at the University of Edinburgh, and were abolished at St Andrews following discussions at the Royal Commission on the Universities of Scotland, which later led to the Universities (Scotland) Acts.

Student nations continued into modern times at the University of Aberdeen and the University of Glasgow for the specific purpose of electing a Rector of the university.

The University of St Andrews, in common with continental universities at the time of its founding, was divided into nations each presided over by a Procurator. The four nations were originally Albany, Angus, Lothian and Britain covering approximately North West, North East, South East and South West Scotland. Later, the original Albany was renamed Fife, while Britain became Albany and included the Western Isles and all places outside Scotland.

The four nations each chose an “intrant”, who in turn chose the Lord Rector. At that time the duties of Rector were similar to those of the Principal of the university today. In case of a tie, the decision was left to the outgoing Lord Rector.

The use of the nations system for rectorial elections was discontinued after the national establishment of elected Rectors under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858.

At the University of Glasgow the use of nations continued until 1977 for the election of the university's Lord Rector. The University has four nations, originally called Clydesdale, Teviotdale, Albany and Rothesay, and later as Clydesdale (Glottiana), Lothian, Transforthana (land over the Forth, essentially Albany) and Rothesay. Respectively, their heraldic symbols are: a two headed bird over crossed tools, an anchor over crossed tools, a horn over crossed tools and a sailing ship over crossed tools.

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