About Us

• Premise

  • The creation of the Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh is based on an unexpected opportunity

• St Swithin's Eve (14 July) 2022

  • The founder of the VSE joined VERO due to the 'TikTok-ification' and the increased algorithmic feed of Instagram

• 8 August 2022

  • A comprehensive plan was drafted for the VERO Club of the University of Edinburgh (VCUE) which this day marks the creation of the entire project

• 28 August 2022

  • A masterplan was drafted for the Edinburgh University VERO Club (EUVC) and the larger VERO Club of British Universities (VCBU)

• 24 October 2022

  • The Edinburgh University VERO Syndicate became known in the university

• 31 October 2022

  • The Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh is established with our Twitter account and started the expansion to advocate other social platforms

• 10 March 2023

  • The Constitution of the Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh starts to be written

The Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh is composed of 3 main parts: the 'advocacy group'. 'tech support group', and the 'community'. 

• The advocacy group informs students about The Visionary Platforms and community aspects of the Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh. 

• The tech support group helps students to use the social platform they adopted.

• The community holds fun events and meeting for the members of the Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh.

As our society is quite niche, our members generally take part in all 3 activities.

The Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh acts as the unified body for similar activities in other universities in the UK and around the world. Each Visionary Syndicate in an university / higher education institution / a student city is autonomous to some degree, following the framework established by the Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh.

Example:

• Visionary Alliance of Global Universities (VAGU)

  • Visionary Alliance of British Universities (VABU)

    • Visionary Alliance of Scottish Universities (VASU)

      • Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh (VSE)

        • Edinburgh University Visionary Syndicate (EUVS)

or

• Visionary Alliance of Global Universities (VAGU)

  • Visionary Alliance of American Universities (VAAU) [Non-existent yet]

    • Visionary Supercommunity of California (VSCal) [Non-existent yet]

      • Visionary Supercommunity of the University of California (VSUC) [Non-existent yet]

        • Visionary Supercommunity of UC Berkeley (VSUCB) [Non-existent yet]

In general:

• Global

  • (National)

    • (Regional)

      • (Metropolitan)

        • University

Original Objectives

• Get students to join VERO to escape Instagram's 'TikTok-ification' and increased algorithmic feed

• Expand to students from universities around the world through semi-autonomous communities

• Students socialise with other students from other universities through VERO

2022 Objectives

• Advocate alternative social platforms to university students around the world

  • Escape TikTok-ification, algorithmic feeds, exclusionary interests, centralization, data harvest, personalised ads

  • Embrace social networking, chronological feeds, diverse interests, decentralization, data privacy, no ads

• Expand to students from universities around the world through semi-autonomous communities

• Students socialise with other students from other universities through any Visionary Platforms

Current, 2023 Objectives

• Advocate alternative social platforms to university students around the world

• Expand to students from universities around the world through semi-autonomous communities

• Students socialise with other students from other universities through any Visionary Platforms

• Prepare students to be 'ready for decentralised social networks' and Web3-ready

• Discuss with members about the future of social media, networking, and leisure

Free

8 August 2022

24 October 2022

The Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh for Futuristic Social Media, Networking, and Leisure

The future is at everyone's fingertips

The Visionary Syndicate of Edinburgh is neither affiliated nor sponsored by the companies of the social media platforms we advocate to students and universities.

• Open-mindedness

  • Refers to the willingness to consider new ideas, perspectives, and ways of thinking. It's a trait that allows individuals to be receptive to different perspectives and to be willing to change their own views when presented with new and compelling evidence. Open-minded individuals tend to be more flexible, curious, and willing to learn from others. They are not easily influenced by dogma, stereotypes, or preconceptions and are willing to entertain alternative perspectives even if they might be initially uncomfortable with them. Open-mindedness is important for personal growth, problem-solving, and decision-making. It allows individuals to be more creative, to find new solutions to problems, and to make better decisions by considering a wide range of options. In a group setting, open-mindedness can foster a more inclusive, collaborative and innovative environment.

• Respect & Trust

  • Respect is a positive feeling or attitude towards someone or something, characterized by admiration, consideration, and high regard. It is demonstrated by treating others with dignity, kindness, and courtesy, and recognizing and valuing their unique perspectives, experiences, and needs. Respect is an essential component of healthy relationships and is an important aspect of diversity and inclusion. It is a two-way street, it's not only about receiving respect but also giving it.

  • Trust is a belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. It is the feeling of security and confidence in another person or organization. Trust is built on honesty, integrity, and consistency. It is an essential component of relationships and interactions, both personal and professional. Trust allows individuals to feel secure in their interactions, to be more open to sharing information and to be more willing to collaborate and cooperate. Trust enables individuals to take risks and to rely on others to follow through on their commitments. Trust is a key factor in building and maintaining relationships, fostering teamwork and creating a positive work environment. It can take time to build and is easily broken, but it can be repaired with effort and consistency.

• Innovation

  • Refers to the process of creating new ideas, products, services, or processes that improve upon existing ones. It is the introduction of something new, whether it's an idea, technology, product, or method of doing something. Innovation can come in many forms, such as incremental improvements to existing products or services, or radical breakthroughs that completely change the way things are done. It can be driven by individual creativity or by a team effort, and can be found in all areas of society, including business, technology, education, and government. Innovation is key for progress and growth in any field, it's the ability to adapt and change to the ever-changing environment.

• Assertiveness

  • The ability to express oneself in a direct and honest manner while standing up for one's own rights and needs. It is the ability to communicate one's thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in a clear and confident way without being aggressive or passive. Assertive people are able to express their own needs and wants while also being considerate of the rights and needs of others. They are able to say "no" when necessary, and are able to negotiate and compromise when needed. Assertiveness is a key skill in personal and professional interactions as it allows for effective communication, clear boundaries and the ability to advocate for oneself.

• Individualism

  • Individualism is a cultural and political ideology that emphasizes the importance and autonomy of the individual. It is the belief that individuals should be free to think, act and pursue their own interests and goals without interference from the state or society. Individualism promotes self-reliance, self-expression, and self-determination. It values the unique qualities and talents of each person and encourages the development of one's own personal identity. Individualism is often contrasted with collectivism, which emphasizes the importance of group goals and values over those of the individual. In a society that values individualism, individuals are encouraged to think and act independently, while in a society that values collectivism, individuals are encouraged to think and act in the interest of the group.

• Collaboration

  • The process of working together to achieve a common goal or objective. It involves the collective effort of individuals or groups to share knowledge, skills and resources to achieve a shared purpose. Collaboration is characterized by open communication, mutual trust, and shared decision-making. Collaboration requires active listening, the ability to compromise and a willingness to consider different perspectives. It can be applied to various settings such as workplaces, classrooms, community, or virtual environments. Collaboration is a key skill for teamwork, problem-solving, and innovation, as it allows for the pooling of different talents, skills and experiences to achieve a common goal. Collaboration can also promote creativity and productivity, as well as foster a sense of community and belonging.

• Decentralization

  • Refers to the transfer of power, decision-making authority and responsibility from a central authority to local or regional governments or organizations. This can include the transfer of decision-making, administrative, and financial responsibilities from a central government to local governments or from a central organization to its subsidiaries or units. Decentralization aims to increase the participation of members in the decision-making process, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government, and promote the development of local communities. Decentralization can take many forms, it can be political, administrative, or functional. It can be complete or partial and it can be done in a regulated or unregulated way.