Experience
Edinburgh Futures Institute
We want our students to help us build a vibrant and exciting community, and to experience all the Futures Institute, the University of Edinburgh, and the city have to offer.
We want you to find the space to grow and contribute to a meaningful and intentional community. Co-creation is in our DNA and this means that student participation is at the heart of the Institute and the way everyone experiences it. It means we are serious about student roles and opportunities, about involvement in our events and with our partners, and about listening and responding to feedback.
Bring yourself
At the Futures Institute, individuality is at the centre of our community. Our students bring their passions into everything they do, inside and outside the classroom. From talented musicians performing at our student socials, to writers sharing poems about the building and seeing them brought to life in print, to tech-curious students sparking conversations in “Let’s Talk Tech” groups. You’ll find encouragement to explore what you love, develop new ideas, collaborate with others, and let your interests grow in ways that feel true to you. Whether your passion is creative, academic, entrepreneurial or something entirely unexpected, there’s a place for it here.
When you join us, we want you to bring yourself.
Peer support schemes
Futures Community
The Futures Community is all about building connections within that wider EFI feeling: creating spaces where students can come together through shared experiences and interests. Whether you’re an undergraduate, an international student, a mature learner, or simply someone who just loves a good book, there’s a place for you here.
Led by students, the Futures Community brings people together through a variety of activities and initiatives; from informal meetups and creative projects to community challenges and social events. It’s a chance to make campus (and the online space) feel smaller, friendlier, and more connected.
Unlike a traditional society with fixed roles like “President” or “Treasurer,” the Futures Community is collaborative and committee-based. Everyone can get involved, share ideas, and help shape what we do together.
Our ethos is simple: if you have an idea for bringing people together, we’ll support you to make it happen.
Elevate
Elevate is a student-led network that celebrates the skills, experiences, and achievements of our students, while creating opportunities for everyone to grow and learn from one another.
At its core, Elevate is about recognising the incredible things our students can do, and giving them the space to share their knowledge and passions with others. It’s a community where you might learn something new from a fellow student, or take the lead in helping others develop a skill you’ve mastered.
Activities like ‘a Python coding bootcamp’ or a ‘Crochet for beginners class’, sit alongside informal discussions and creative workshops — all shaped by the students who get involved.
By supporting and learning from each other, students in the Elevate network build confidence, expand their skills, and contribute to a culture that values curiosity, collaboration, and personal development.
Student Voice
We ask for, and listen to, student opinion on almost everything that we do! We iterate to create and change our (and your) environment in real time and improve the student experience both academically and through the community.
Our primary channel for gathering student feedback is through our brilliant Student Representatives. Each postgraduate programme and every undergraduate year group has dedicated reps who meet with staff each semester, collaborating with both academic and professional services teams in constructive, action-focused committees, forums and workshops. Together, they help drive ongoing improvements to the EFI experience. Our reps also form a supportive network, receiving handovers from previous reps, while alumni reps are invited to return, check in with EFI, and offer guidance to the current cohort.
We also have Student Ambassadors, as well as the previously mentioned student reps, who sit on many of our academic boards and working groups to ensure students remain central to our decision-making. Student representatives are elected by their peers during the first few weeks of Semester One.
Student support and wellbeing
Our student support and wellbeing team are here to help throughout your studies. When you enrol you are allocated a dedicated student advisor who is your first point of contact for questions or concerns and can offer advice on course choice and pastoral matters. You also have an academic cohort lead who meets with students in groups and leads on social and academic events within your programme.
The University of Edinburgh also has an extensive network of specialist support services to help with specific issues:
- Student Disability Service
- Student Counselling Service
- EUSA and The Advice Place
- The Chaplaincy
- Res Life
Your Home Away from Home
Edinburgh Futures Institute sits right in the heart of the University of Edinburgh George Square campus and has been purpose-built with our students and staff in mind. It’s designed to give you spaces that feel comfortable, practical and genuinely useful during your time here.
