ies ' ▁Edu c ational ▁Association ▁( E LE A ), ▁campaign ed ▁for ▁higher ▁education ▁for ▁women ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁when ▁Scottish ▁ ▁univers ities ▁started ▁to ▁admit ▁female ▁students . ▁For ▁nearly ▁a ▁quarter ▁of ▁a ▁century ▁it ▁arranged ▁its ▁own ▁classes ▁for ▁women ▁with ▁lect ur ers ▁from ▁Edinburgh ▁University , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁connected ▁with ▁a ▁wider ▁campaign ▁across ▁Europe ▁to ▁open ▁univers ities ▁to ▁women ▁students . ▁▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁- ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁The ▁E LE A ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Mary ▁Cr ud el ius , ▁with ▁Sarah ▁M air ▁and ▁others , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁just ▁before ▁Soph ia ▁J ex - B la ke ▁started ▁pressing ▁Edinburgh ▁University ▁to ▁admit ▁medical ▁students . ▁J ex - B la ke ' s ▁campaign , ▁covered ▁by ▁the ▁press ▁in ▁both ▁London ▁and ▁Scotland , ▁made ▁Edinburgh ▁a ▁visible ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁nation wide ▁movement ▁demand ing ▁higher ▁education ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁women . ▁Cr ud el ius ▁wished ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁E LE A ▁separate ▁from ▁the ▁controvers y ▁ra ging ▁over ▁the ▁women ▁asp iring ▁to ▁become ▁do ctors , ▁and ▁she ▁built ▁up ▁support ▁amongst ▁male ▁academ ics , ▁with ▁strong ▁encourag ement ▁from ▁David ▁Mass on , ▁Professor ▁of ▁Rh et or ic ▁and ▁English ▁Liter ature , ▁who ▁offered ▁the ▁first ▁university - level ▁lect ures ▁to ▁Edinburgh ▁women ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ,