Michael Swann Building

The Swann lecture theatre, one of the largest on campus is in this building.

The Swann Building is named after Michael Swann, the molecular and cell biologist. Initially he was a Professor of Natural History and later he was the Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh. This building is mainly used for research by our academic staff but there is a large lecture theatre on the ground floor and some teaching rooms on the top floor which have great views out over Edinburgh.

Swann Lecture Theatre

This is one of the largest lecture theatres at the King's Buildings Campus with seats for around 370. This can be quite full in the early years of the degree as students from other schools may choose to take Biological Sciences courses alongside our own students. Class size tends to get smaller as the courses become more specialised.

Lectures are usually recorded (slides and audio) and uploaded onto the University's virtual learning platform afterwards. This is really useful if you have had to miss a lecture for some reason or to use for revision. Lecturers may use an app called "WooClap" to ask questions during the lecture, and you can access this on your phone or computer. This isn't a test, it's mainly to check the understanding in the room and adapt the lecture slightly if needed. You are welcome to ask questions at the end of the lecture and, depending on lecturer preference, sometimes during the lecture too.