List of principals of the University of Aberdeen
University head position
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The principal of the University of Aberdeen is the working administrative head of the university, acting as its chief executive. He is responsible for the overall running of the university, presiding over the main academic body of the university, the Senatus Academicus.[1] The principal is normally also created Vice-Chancellor of the university, enabling him to perform the functions reserved to the Chancellor in the latter's absence, such as the awarding of degrees.
University Court
Senatus Academicus
Hector Boece (King's College)
Robert Howie (Marischal College)
| Principal of the University of Aberdeen | |
|---|---|
since 1 November 2025 | |
| Member of | General Council University Court Senatus Academicus |
| Appointer | Appointed by the University Court |
| Constituting instrument | Universities (Scotland) Act 1858 |
| First holder | Reverend Peter Colin Campbell (University of Aberdeen) Hector Boece (King's College) Robert Howie (Marischal College) |
| Website | www |
History
The present office of principal dates to 1858 with the passage of the Universities (Scotland) Act 1858.[2] The position was created with the amalgamation of the two existing ancient universities in Aberdeen, King's College (est. 1495) and Marischal College (est. 1593) in 1860, which had previously appointed their own individual principals.[3] The installation is presided by the Chancellor of the university.[4]
Professor Pete Edwards succeeded George Boyne as principal on 1 November 2025.[5]
List of principals of the University of Aberdeen
| No. | Principal | Term of office | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Colin Campbell | 1865–1876 | First principal of the newly merged university, died in post | |
| 2 | William Robinson Pirie | 1876–1885 | Died in post | |
| 3 |  |
Sir William Duguid Geddes | 1885–1900 | Died in post |
| 4 |  |
John Marshall Lang | 1900–1909 | Died in post |
| 5 |  |
Sir George Adam Smith | 1909–1935 | |
| 6 | Sir William Hamilton Fyfe | 1936–1948 | ||
| 7 | Sir Thomas Murray Taylor | 1948–1962 | Died in post | |
| 8 | Sir Edward Maitland Wright | 1962–1976 | ||
| 9 | Sir Fraser Noble | 1976–1981 | ||
| 10 | George Paul McNicol | 1981–1991 | ||
| 11 | Maxwell Irvine | 1991–1996 | ||
| 12 | Sir Duncan Rice | 1996–2010 | ||
| 13 | .jpg) |
Sir Ian Diamond | 2010–2018 | |
| 14 |  |
George Boyne | 2018–2025 | |
| 15 | Peter Edwards | 2025–present | ||
List of principals of former constituent colleges
Principals of King's College, Aberdeen
| No. | Principal | Term of office | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Hector Boece | 1500–1534 | |
| 2 | Alexander Anderson | <1561–1569 | Principal from at least 1561, deposed in 1569[6] | |
| 3 | Alexander Arbuthnot | 1569–1583 | Died in post | |
| 4 | Reverend David Rait | 1598–1632 | Died in post | |
| 5 | William Leslie | 1632–1640 | Expelled from post by covenanters. | |
| 6 |  |
William Guild | 1640–1651 | |
| 7 | John Row | 1652–1661 | ||
| 8 | Alexander Middleton | 1662–1679 | ||
| 9 | George Middleton | 1689–1716 | ||
| 10 | George Chalmers | 1729–???? | ||
| 11 | .png) |
John Chalmers | ????–1800 | Held position for 'nearly threescore years',[7] died in post[8] |
| 12 | .png) |
Roderick MacLeod | 1800–1815 | Previously sub-principal, died in post |
| 13 | William Jack | 1815–1854 | Died in post; subsequently left unfilled due to impending merger | |
Principals of Marischal College
| No. | Principal | Term of office | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Howie | 1593–1598 | Later principal of St Mary's College, St Andrews | |
| 2 | Gilbert Gray | 1598–1614 | Died in post | |
| 3 | David Wedderburn | 1614–1615 | Interim | |
| 4 | Andrew Adie | 1616–1620 | Forced to resign by town council | |
| 5 | .jpg) |
William Forbes | 1620–1621 | Later the first Bishop of Edinburgh |
| 6 | _-_Artist_Unknown_-_ABDAG003638.jpg) |
Patrick Dun | 1621–1649 | |
| 7 |  |
William Moir | 1649–1661 | |
| 8 | James Leslie | 1661–1678 | Died in post | |
| 9 |  |
Robert Paterson | 1678–1717 | Dismissed due to Jacobite sympathies |
| 10 | .jpg) |
Thomas Blackwell (primus) | 1717–1728 | Father of secundus, died in post |
| 11 | John Osborne | 1728–1748 | Died in post | |
| 12 | Thomas Blackwell (secundus) | 1748–1757 | Son of primus, died in post | |
| 13 | Robert Pollock | 1757–1759 | Died in post | |
| 14 |  |
George Campbell | 1759–1795 | Retired in 1795, died following year |
| 15 |  |
William Laurence Brown | 1796–1830 | Died in post |
| 16 |  |
Daniel Dewar | 1832–1860 | Final principal of Marischal College before it merged with King's College, subsequently retired |