| Honorific Prefix: | Sir |
| James Donaldson | |
| Principal of the University of St Andrews | |
| Term Start: | 1886 |
| Term End: | 1915 |
| Predecessor: | Reverend John Tulloch |
| Successor: | Sir John Herkless |
| Birth Date: | 1831 4, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Education: | Aberdeen Grammar School |
| Alma Mater: | Marischal College, Aberdeen Berlin University |
| Profession: | Classical scholar, theological writer |
Sir James Donaldson (26 April 1831 - March 1915)[1] was a Scottish classical scholar, and educational and theological writer.
Donaldson was born in Aberdeen on 26 April 1831. He was educated at Aberdeen Grammar School, Marischal College, Aberdeen, New College, London, and Berlin University. In 1854 he was appointed Rector of the Stirling High School where he remained for two years, before leaving for the Royal High School of Edinburgh, of which he was appointed Rector in 1866.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1867, his proposer being Alexander Keith Johnston.[2]
He became in 1881 Professor of Humanity in the University of Aberdeen, and in 1886 Principal of he United Colleges of St Andrews (renamed the University of St Andrews in 1890 by the Universities (Scotland) Act).
He was knighted by Edward VII in 1907, and was awarded an LL.D. by the University of Glasgow and an honorary Doctor of Divinity by the University of Aberdeen in recognition of his work in Church history.
He died on 9 March 1915.[3] and is buried with his wife in the churchyard of St Andrews Cathedral. He also has a memorial in the Church of St John the Evangelist, Edinburgh. He was succeeded in his role as Principal by Very Rev Prof Alexander Stewart, but Stewart died only a few months later.[4]