Our Programmes

Scotland needs to pursue policies that increase economic competitiveness within the current framework of devolution by using all the powers at its disposal.

New thinkers and new ideas are needed to face the stark economic challenges of Scotland’s high youth unemployment which blights the chances of this generation of young people for decades into the future. Internal transport will be studied along with the potential for infrastructure and economic development.

We need to invest in our people, in our infrastructure, and our productivity. This programme looks at how to optimally balance available investment capital into training world-class business and civil administration leaders and how do develop the physical infrastructure to serve the needs of Scotland’s future economy.

Currently, social mobility lags behind much of the developed world and Scotland needs solutions that go beyond religion and race to combat family breakdown, violence, poverty and inequity. And almost every marker of social deprivation has risen in recent years. Unemployment rates which were once lower than the UK average, are now higher. More children are estimated to be living in poverty today than ten years ago. There has been an increase in low-paid employment and in the proportion of babies born with a low birth-weight.

The human services safety net must be strengthened for low-income families with an understanding of the civic and economic benefits of enabling everyone to exercise their rights, fulfil their responsibilities and realise their full economic and social potential.

The Scotland Institute will research, examine and develop new programmes for literacy and employment development and those that develop social capital in the broadest sense to address the challenges and opportunities faced by communities in Scotland.  Areas of research will include health and social work, education and training, local government and housing.