Edinburgh Futures Institute is delighted to support the renewed partnership between the University of Edinburgh with Greyfriars Charteris Centre located in Edinburgh’s Pleasance area.
The partnership has been renewed for another five years collaboration.
A neighbour and partner
Greyfriars Charteris Centre is a ‘centre for community’ rather than a community centre.
Sitting a short walk from Edinburgh Futures Institute and the University’s central and Holyrood campuses, it brings together residents, charities and social enterprises.
The University first signed a formal partnership agreement (memorandum of understanding) with Charteris in December 2019.
That agreement recognised collaboration that was already under way, from student social entrepreneurship to digital inclusion.
Although Covid-19 arrived a few months after the 2019 agreement and changed the direction of some planned work, the partnership has supported a wide range of activities, such as students using the Centre as a venue for affordable therapy for local residents, and Business School students studying Charteris’ work as part of their studies on social change.
Stronger connections
Alongside the wider University, Edinburgh Futures Institute has built strong links with Charteris and has helped connect the Centre with colleagues and students across the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
One example is a project with Edinburgh College of Art Textiles students, who designed new cushion covers for the Centre’s seating. The covers are now being sewn together ahead of installation.
Charteris also hosted the finishing of the Edinburgh Seven Tapestry, with members of the public working alongside University staff and students.
The tapestry, which commemorates the first women to matriculate at a university in Britain, is now installed at the Futures Institute.
A renewed commitment
The new agreement commits the University and Charteris to exploring collaboration on:
- Experiential learning, with students addressing real-world community needs as part of their studies
- Social enterprise
- Social responsibility
- Community building and spaces
- Engaged research involving communities and community organisations
- Digital inclusion, supporting communities to access the online world
Professor Sarah Prescott, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, signed the agreement on behalf of the University:
“The Centre’s ethos as a ‘centre for community’, rather than community centre, aligns with the ‘Thriving Communities’ priority of the University’s Community Plan 2025-30. Charteris is a near neighbour to our central and Holyrood campuses; we hope our collaboration will be to the benefit of communities in these areas and beyond, both within and beyond the University.”
The agreement’s new areas of focus are highly relevant to Edinburgh Futures Institute. Dr Patricia Erskine, Head of Culture and Community, Edinburgh Futures Institute said:
“This Memorandum of Understanding represents a great opportunity to develop further connections between the Greyfriars Charteris Centre and Edinburgh Futures Institute, across social enterprise, digital inclusion and engagement with the local community.”
Daniel Fisher, Chief Executive Officer of Greyfriars Charteris Centre, said:
“The University of Edinburgh is an important anchor institution in the city, and we are pleased to act as a connecting point between the University and the communities, charities and social enterprises we work alongside. I see the signing of this agreement as a celebration of those existing connections, as much as a commitment to developing new ones.”
Launch
The renewed partnership will be launched at the Edinburgh Social Enterprise Network Winter Networking event on Thursday 12 November 2026, by Daniel Fisher and Gemma Gourlay, Head of Social Impact at the University of Edinburgh.
Related links
University renews partnership with Greyfriars Charteris Centre
University staff and students interested in working with Greyfriars Charteris Centre can contact the University’s Community Team at local@ed.ac.uk.
Organisations connected to Charteris who would like to collaborate with the University can contact Daniel Fisher at info@charteriscentre.com.
