Resources and facilities

When you are on campus, you can expect to spend most of your time in the University of Edinburgh's Central Area:

• in class (if taking a taught course)
• in the library or a study space (there are facilities for both individual and group study, and dedicated spaces for postgraduates)
• in one of the University’s many social and support spaces

The Central Area is located on the edge of Edinburgh's historic Old Town, surrounded by lots of green space.

The Main University Library holds academic books, journals and databases, films, newspapers and other media. It has over 23,000 resources in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies (IMES), of which:

• around 9,000 printed books and 12,500 e-books are in Arabic
• around 2,600 printed books are in Persian; 1,500 in Turkish
• more than 100 films are in either Arabic or Persian
• around 50 databases are considered particularly relevant to IMES

The Library is also the home of the University's Centre for Research Collections which brings together:

• more than 400,000 rare books
• six kilometres of archives and manuscripts
• thousands of works of art, historical musical instruments and other objects

Highlights include:

• The Serjeant and Watt Collections of some 6,400 titles, including works on: Islamic law; Islamic and medieval philosophy; the relationship between Islam and Christianity; the history of the Arab world; and Arabic literature
• some of the world’s most precious Islamic manuscripts, such as Rashid al-Din’s History of the World and al-Biruni’s Chronology of Ancient Nations
• an extensive collection of the Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram al-yawmi (1876-1930)

Many of the University's Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, computing labs and dedicated study spaces in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) at 50 George Square. The School's partnership with IMVBox.com gives you access to over 1,000 Iranian films. 

IMES also has its own library in 19 George Square, with views across a central garden to both the Main University Library and LLC. Although you can't borrow books, you can read them in the library's study areas which are open during term time. The catalogue is available to search online.

The Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) supports more than 300 student-led societies and clubs, including the Islamic Society and Persian Society. 

From acting to dancing, making friends in language cafes to campaigning on global issues, these student-led groups offer lots of ways to engage with other cultures.

EUSA also:

• facilitates peer support schemes where students from different year groups help each other with study skills, topics or themes
• promotes opportunities with local charities through its volunteering centre

Find a Student Society or Peer Support Group on the Edinburgh University Students' Association website

The University's accreditation as a University of Sanctuary, the first in Scotland, has given a number of our students the chance to engage with displaced speakers of Middle Eastern languages.

Examples include students tutoring and providing peer support to teenage Syrian refugees living in Edinburgh, a project which won an Outstanding Global Citizenship Impact Award and a Sir William Darling Memorial Prize. 

Find out more about Edinburgh as a University of Sanctuary

Our Islamic and Middle Eastern seminar series features visiting speakers from around the world. The seminars are also a great way to meet students and staff from across the department and beyond.