Maggie Chapman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maggie Chapman
|
|
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2021
|
|
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) |
|
| Assumed office 6 May 2021 |
|
| Co-Convenor of the Scottish Greens | |
| In office November 2013 – 1 August 2019 Serving with Patrick Harvie
|
|
| Preceded by | Martha Wardrop |
| Succeeded by | Lorna Slater (as Co-leader of the Scottish Greens) |
| Councillor, City of Edinburgh Council | |
| In office 3 May 2007 – June 2015 |
|
| Constituency | Leith Walk |
| Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen | |
| In office April 2015 – 31 March 2021 |
|
| Preceded by | Maitland Mackie |
| Succeeded by | Martina Chukwuma-Ezike |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 June 1979 Salisbury, Zimbabwe Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) |
| Political party | Scottish Greens |
| Education | Dominican Convent School, Harare |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh University of Stirling |
| Profession | Teacher |
Maggie Chapman, born on June 27, 1979, is a Scottish politician and lecturer. She is a Scottish Green Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Scotland. From November 2013 to August 2019, she was a co-convenor of the Scottish Greens, working alongside Patrick Harvie. She was also the party's main candidate for the 2019 European election.
She served as a councillor for the Leith Walk ward in The City of Edinburgh Council from 2007 to 2015. She also represented the Scottish Greens on the Smith Commission, which looked into giving more powers to the Scottish Parliament. Maggie Chapman was the Rector of the University of Aberdeen from 2015 until March 2021. She became the Rector of the University of Dundee on August 1, 2025.
Contents
Maggie Chapman's Early Life and Education
Maggie Chapman was born in 1979 in Salisbury, Zimbabwe Rhodesia, which is now Harare, Zimbabwe. Her family moved there in 1978 because her father became the director of a music college. She grew up in Zimbabwe, attending a school with students of different backgrounds. Zimbabwe gained independence from the United Kingdom when she was a baby. Her mother worked as a nurse and a midwife.
Moving to Scotland for University
Maggie moved to Scotland to study Zoology at the University of Edinburgh, finishing her degree in 2001. She then earned a Master's degree in Environmental Management from the University of Stirling in 2003. After that, she returned to Edinburgh University to start a PhD in Geography, though she did not complete it. During her time as a student, she was an active member of the Edinburgh University Students' Association.
Maggie Chapman's Professional Career
Before becoming a full-time politician, Maggie Chapman worked in different roles. She worked in Environmental Management in western Scotland. She also worked as a community carer in Edinburgh, helping people in their homes.
Teaching and Community Work
Until June 2015, she was a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University. She taught subjects like cultural geography, environmental ethics, and social justice. She still supports teaching through her involvement with the Educational Institute of Scotland. In mid-2015, she started a new job at the Muslim Women's Resource Centre in Dundee.
Maggie Chapman's Political Journey
Maggie Chapman began her political career as a councillor. She was first elected for the Leith Walk ward in the 2007 City of Edinburgh Council election. She was one of the first three Green councillors in Edinburgh. She was re-elected in 2012. Later that year, she became the first leader of the council's Petitions Committee.
Key Issues as a Councillor
As a councillor, Maggie Chapman supported several important causes. She advocated for the living wage, which ensures workers earn enough to live on. She also supported participatory budgeting, where local people help decide how public money is spent. Other causes she championed included better rights for people renting homes and more support for non-profit groups. She also spoke out and voted against selling off council services and cutting public services. In June 2015, she decided to step down as a councillor to focus on the Scottish Parliament election.
Leading the Scottish Greens
In November 2013, Maggie Chapman was elected as the female co-convenor of the Scottish Greens without anyone running against her. She took over from Glasgow councillor Martha Wardrop. She was re-elected to this position in 2016. She was the main Green candidate for the Scotland constituency in the 2014 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom, but she was not elected.
Political Beliefs and Campaigns
Maggie Chapman is known for her beliefs as a socialist, environmentalist, and feminist. She has also been active in campaigns against cuts to public services and for peace. She was involved in the Radical Independence Campaign. In September 2014, she became a member of the Smith Commission, which looked at giving more powers to the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Parliament Elections
In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Maggie Chapman was the lead candidate for the North East region. Even though the Greens gained more MSPs, she was not elected that time. In 2019, she was again the lead candidate for the European Parliament election for the Scotland constituency, but she was not elected. In the 2019 Scottish Greens co-leadership election, she lost to Lorna Slater.
Becoming an MSP
In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, Maggie Chapman led the North East regional list for the Scottish Greens. She was successfully elected to Holyrood on May 8, 2021. This made her the first Green MSP in the North East since Shiona Baird in 2007. When she was sworn in, Maggie repeated her affirmation in Shona. In July 2025, the Scottish Greens announced their candidates for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. Maggie Chapman was placed second on the list for North East Scotland, behind Guy Ingerson.
Maggie Chapman's Role as Rector
In November 2014, Maggie Chapman was elected as the Rector of the University of Aberdeen by the students. She officially started her role at a ceremony in March 2015. She was re-elected for a second term in February 2018, after an earlier election was re-run. Her term as Rector ended on March 31, 2021. In March 2025, Maggie Chapman was elected to become the Rector of the University of Dundee. She officially took up this role on August 1, 2025.
Maggie Chapman's Personal Life
Maggie Chapman's father, Neil Chapman, was a professional classical musician. She has a sister named Catherine. Maggie enjoys playing the fiddle and exploring different parts of Scotland.
