Program Our home in Edinburgh

An event strikes root and grows into a legend, when it has happened amongst congenial surroundings.

-- from Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes, by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1879.

The move to Edinburgh

TEDGlobal has successfully taken place three times in Oxford, UK (2005, 2009, 2010). We love the city and its great beauty and rich historical and cultural roots. We are proud of the events we've held there, and grateful to all those who've helped us make them happen. However, Oxford's infrastructure was increasingly limiting our intentions to develop TEDGlobal in new, imaginative ways. After an extensive analysis, we have found in the capital city of Scotland an exciting and flexible venue, the Edinburgh International Conference Center (EICC), and have decided to make it the new home of TEDGlobal.

Why Edinburgh?

When we started considering a move, we looked at several other UK cities. Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, topped our analysis. Its old town is one of the best-preserved European medieval cities. The town's cultural life is vibrant and far-reaching (think of the Edinburgh Festival). The city and its university was one of the major centres of the Enlightenment. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, and poet Walter Scott were born in Edinburgh. Its tradition includes being the home of philosopher David Hume and of economist Adam Smith (and of Harry Potter author JK Rowling, too), among many others. If you are not familiar with the city, do spend a few minutes reading through the Wikipedia page, which also includes many photographs. We firmly believe that Edinburgh will be a fitting home for TEDGlobal, as much as Oxford has been -- just with improved facilities and infrastructure. (And the whole of Scotland to explore, for those among the attendees who combine TEDGlobal with a few days of early summer vacation.)

Getting there

Edinburgh is located about 380 miles north of London. If you plan to attend and have some flexibility, consider travelling by train from London's Kings Cross: it's a beautiful 5-hour train ride across the British countryside (with trains every hour or more often during daytime). If you prefer flying, it's a 1h20 flight from London airports. Edinburgh's airport is well-connected internationally. More details >>

The EICC theatre

The Edinburgh International Conference Center, which hosts TEDGlobal, is a stunning piece of event architecture. It features a great, intimate theatre (with surprising features) and enough space and flexibility for arts and tech exhibits, simulcast lounges, networking spaces and more. Across the street, the classic Lyceum Theatre will host TED University; the TED Fellows presentatios will be held nearby at the Sheraton. Your experience will make the best use of the many possibilities offered by this infrastructure.

Special events

Evening events will take place at intriguing landmarks around Edinburgh. The city is dominated by a castle and features great museums and other monuments. To deepen the sense of place, attendees will be offered a series of optional pre- and post-conference visits and special programs. These will be announced in the coming months.