Over the last couple of months, we have seen the launch of a number of Scottish Government strategies and reviews which set out recommendations and actions across key themes for the economy, innovation, skills and entrepreneurship all in support of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation which was published in March 2022.  

For the many playing a role in Scotland’s innovation ecosystem, these recent reports, outline an ambition and blueprint for us all to work towards. 

There are a few key reports for Interface to engage with:

National innovation strategy 2023 to 2033 – published 9^th June – outlines the Scottish Government’s vision and roadmap for Scotland to become one of the most innovative small nations in the world. Importantly it emphasises future national and regional economic success is only possible with a fully functioning and cohesive innovation ecosystem.

Entrepreneurial Campus: The higher education sector as a driving force for the entrepreneurial ecosystem report – published 27^th June- provides an Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint. While this blueprint identifies numerous potential actions for individual institutions, it challenges us collectively to shift our mindset about how we view entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial learning, innovation and knowledge exchange.

Fit for the Future: developing a post-school learning system to fuel economic transformation – published 7^th June. Informally referred to as the Withers Report, this report provided an independent review of the skills delivery landscape. There is a strong argument for greater devolution to the regions for skills planning and delivery, and importantly it highlights the central role that colleges and universities can play in this process.

We are excited to be part of this collaborative landscape and look forward to the contributions that we can make in support of this ambition in bringing together Scotland’s academic and business resources to support the delivery of economic, environmental, and social prosperity.