A university constituency is a constituency, used in elections to a legislature, that represents a university rather than a geographical area. University constituencies may involve plural voting, in which eligible voters are permitted to vote in both a university constituency and a geographical constituency, or alternatively they may only be entitled to vote in one. Historically university constituencies existed in the United Kingdom from 1603-1950, in the Kingdom of Ireland from 1613-1800, and in the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1936. University constituencies have also existed in Japan and in some countries of the British Empire such as India. Today in the Republic of Ireland there are two university constituencies in Seanad Éireann, the Irish senate. A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures, goals or loyalty. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees at all levels (bachelor, master, and doctor) in a variety of subjects. ... King James I of England/VII of Scotland, the first monarch to rule the Kingdoms of England and Scotland at the same time Events March - Samuel de Champlain, French explorer, sails to Canada March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James I of... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Capital Dublin Head of state King of Ireland Kings representative: Variously called Judiciar, Lord Deputy or Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Head of government: Chief Secretary for Ireland Parliament: Irish House of Commons and Irish House of Lords The Kingdom of Ireland was the name given to the English-ruled... Events January - Galileo observes Neptune, but mistakes it for a star and so is not credited with its discovery. ... 1800 (MDCCC) was an common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was (1922–1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The British Empire was, at one time, the foremost global power, and the most extensive empire in the history of the world. ... The Seanad Chamber The Seanad meets in the former picture gallery in Leinster House. ...

United Kingdom

King James I of England, on ascending the English throne, brought to the English Parliament a practice which had been used in the Scottish Parliament of allowing the Universities to elect members. The King believed that the Universities were often affected by the decisions of Parliament and ought therefore to have representation in it. James VI of Scotland and James I of England and Ireland (Charles James) (June 19, 1566–March 27, 1625) was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland. ... The Parliament of England can trace its roots back to the early medieval period. ...

Cambridge University and Oxford University were therefore given two seats each from 1603. The voters were the graduates of the university, whether they were resident or not, who had the vote for their University in addition to any other vote that they might have. After the Act of Union 1800 with Ireland, the University of Dublin (Trinity College), which had elected two MPs to the Parliament of Ireland since 1613, was allowed one member from 1801 and two from 1832. The University of Cambridge (often called Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin or more commonly Trinity College, Dublin was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, and is the only constituent college of the University of Dublin, Irelands oldest university. ... This article is about the legislature abolished in 1801. ... The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... 1832 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

The University of London was enfranchised with one member in 1868, along with the four ancient Scottish Universities at the time - Glasgow and Aberdeen electing one member, and St. Andrews and Edinburgh electing another. The list of Universities was further enlarged in 1918, including the Queen's University of Belfast and the National University of Ireland. These both, as well the University of Dublin, also received four seats in the Stormont Parliament and the Southern Ireland Parliament respectively that were established in 1920 and elected in 1921. Also in 1918, the Scottish Universities switched to all electing three members jointly (see Combined Scottish Universities). Senate House, designed by Charles Holden, home to the universitys central administrative offices and its library The University of London is a federation of colleges and institutes which together constitute one of the worlds largest universities. ... 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... The University of Glasgow, founded in 1451, is the largest of the three universities in Glasgow, Scotland. ... The University of Aberdeen is one of the ancient universities of Scotland. ... University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews was founded between 1410-1413 and is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the United Kingdom. ... The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The Queens University of Belfast (QUB) is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland; the Irish translation of the name is Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste. ... The National University of Ireland (NUI) is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997. ... Stormont is Stormont, a suburb of Belfast Stormont Castle, a castle in the area Parliament Building of Northern Ireland, known as Stormont a nickname for the former Parliament of Northern Ireland and its unionist-dominated executive, the Government of Northern Ireland Stormont County an old county that is now a... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Capital Dublin Head of State King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Head of Government Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Chairman of the Provisional Government from Jan 1922. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Combined Scottish Universities was a university constituency in both the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950). ...

In 1918 all the English Universities (except for Cambridge, Oxford and London) were enfranchised with two seats, as Combined English Universities. They were Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (from August 1928), and Sheffield. Combined English Universities was a university constituency represented in the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950). ... The University of Birmingham is the oldest of three universities in the English city of Birmingham. ... The University of Bristol was founded in 1876 as the University College, Bristol. ... Durham University is a university in England. ... University Tower, University of Leeds The University of Leeds (United Kingdom) is amongst the largest of British universities and the most popular by applicants, with 52,444 applicants in 2003 for 7,228 places (UCAS). ... The University of Liverpool is a university in the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. ... University of Manchester Motto: Cognitio Sapientia Hvmanitas Knowledge, wisdom, humanity. ... The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading. ... University of Sheffield Rerum Cognoscere Causas (To discover the causes of things) Shield image © University of Sheffield The University of Sheffield is a university located in Sheffield, England. ...

The University of Wales also received one seat in 1918. The University of Wales, or Prifysgol Cymru in Welsh, is a federal university founded in 1893. ...

The Labour government in 1930 attempted to abolish the University constituencies but was defeated in the House of Commons. Although the members for the University Constituencies were usually Conservatives, in the later years Independent candidates began to win many of the seats. In 1948 the Labour government abolished the University constituencies, with effect from the dissolution of Parliament in 1950, along with all other examples of plural voting. The Labour Party has since its formation in the early 20th century been the principal left wing political party of the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The plurality electoral system (or first past the post electoral system), is a voting system for single-member districts. ...

The Members for the University constituencies include many notable statesmen: William Pitt the Younger and Lord Palmerston both served as MPs for Cambridge University, and Robert Peel and William Gladstone each served as MP for Oxford University for portions of their careers. In his last years Ramsay MacDonald was MP for Scottish Universities after losing his seat in the 1935 general election. Many criticised this as he had previously sought to abolish the seats when Labour Prime Minister and many now felt the seats were being used to provide a failed politician with a seat he could not find elsewhere. The Right Honourable William Pitt, the Younger (28 May 1759–23 January 1806) was a British politician during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. ... Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (October 20, 1784 - October 18, 1865) was a British Prime Minister and Liberal politician. ... This article is about the British Prime Minister. ... William Ewart Gladstone (December 29, 1809 - May 19, 1898) was a British Liberal politician and Prime Minister (1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886 and 1892-1894). ... James Ramsay MacDonald, PC (12 October 1866–9 November 1937), British politician, was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. ... The UK general election held on 14th November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Stanley Baldwin. ...

The Queen's University, Belfast survived in the Northern Ireland Parliament until it was abolished in 1968 (with effect from the dissolution of Parliament in 1969) by the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 (1968 c. 20, Act of the Stormont Parliament). This was part of a series of measures by the-then Northern Ireland Prime Minister Terence O'Neill to reform elements of the election franchise and deal with many long standing civil rights grievances. Queens University, Belfast was a university constituency in both the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950) and the Parliament of Northern Ireland (from 1921 until 1969). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Stormont is Stormont, a suburb of Belfast Stormont Castle, a castle in the area Parliament Building of Northern Ireland, known as Stormont a nickname for the former Parliament of Northern Ireland and its unionist-dominated executive, the Government of Northern Ireland Stormont County an old county that is now a... Captain Terence ONeill, Baron ONeill of the Maine (September 10, 1914 - June 12, 1990), was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. ...

Summary

Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950. ... Oxford University was a university constituency electing two members to the House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950. ... Dublin University was a former United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland. ... Edinburgh and St Andrews Universities was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1918. ... Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1868 until 1918. ... Å“/lkjljhlkj;lkjlkjlkj;lj;lj;lj;lj;lkj;lkj;lkjlkj;lkj;lkj;lkj;kj;j;lkjlj;lkjlk;lkj;lkj;lkj;lklkj;lkj ... Combined English Universities was a university constituency represented in the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950). ... The Combined Scottish Universities was a university constituency in the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950). ... The National University of Ireland was a single member, non-territorial University constituency which was (in theory) represented as a UK Parliament constituency 1918-1922. ... Queens University, Belfast was a university constituency in both the United Kingdom Parliament (from 1918 until 1950) and the Parliament of Northern Ireland (from 1921 until 1969). ... University of Wales was a university constituency electing one member to the House of Commons, from 1918 to 1950. ...

Republic of Ireland

Today there are no university constituencies in the Republic's lower house of parliament, Dáil Éireann, but two constituencies are used for elections to Seanad Éireann, the weak upper house. These are University of Dublin and the National University of Ireland. The two electorates consist the graduates of each university. Each is a three seat constituency elected under the Single Transferable Vote. The Dáil Chamber Dáil Éireann is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland. ... The Seanad Chamber The Seanad meets in the former picture gallery in Leinster House. ... An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. ... This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ...

The Parliament of Ireland that existed until 1801 included the university constituency of Dublin University. This constituency continued to exist when, in 1801, the Irish parliament was abolished and Ireland became part of the United Kingdom. When the Irish Free State seceeded from the UK in 1922, its new lower house of parliament, the Free State Dáil, continued the use of the two university constituencies already in existence, Dublin University, and the National University of Ireland constituency, which had been established in 1918. However voters registered in a university constituency were not permitted to also vote in a geographical one. Both university constituencies were ultimately abolished by the Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act, 1936 and the Electoral (University Constituencies) Act adopted later in the same year. Later the two constituencies were recreated as senatorial constituencies when the modern Seanad was establish in 1937, under the Constitution of Ireland. This article is about the legislature abolished in 1801. ... The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was (1922–1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British and... The Dáil Chamber The chamber was remodelled in the early 1920s. ... The National University of Ireland was a single member, non-territorial University constituency which was (in theory) represented as a UK Parliament constituency 1918-1922. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Constitution of Ireland is the founding legal document of the state known today as the Republic of Ireland. ...

Other countries

• Japan: University constitutencies existed during the Meiji Era. For instance Gakushuin University used to be a special Dietary constituency of the now defunct House of Peers.
• India: India had university constituencies before independence, but these were abolished with the adoption of the modern Constitution of India. Nonetheless, today the President of India has the authority to appoint not more than twelve scientists, artists, or other persons who have special knowledge in similar fields, to the Rajya Sabha.