Connected Scotland

A connected approach to support the development of international opportunities for Scotland’s Higher Education sector.

Connected Scotland aims to build on existing sector collaboration and identify additional opportunities of scale. The aim is to develop new collaborative ventures for Scotland’s higher education institutions, and support them in responding to new opportunities and challenges. Connected Scotland supports the sector’s aspirations for globally-connected research, attracting investment and diverse and talented people.

Connected Scotland is a partnership bringing together universities and partner organisations since 2014.

 
 

Together we work to:

  • Promote Scottish Universities’ excellence in teaching, research, and knowledge exchange by co-ordinating collaborative activity abroad with partner organisations, including Scottish Government to position Scotland and the higher education institutions as partner of choice  

  • Contribute to increasing awareness of the Scottish higher education brand

  • Enhance the sector’s success at home and abroad through sharing resources and providing networking opportunities in established and emerging markets

  • Develop new opportunities to contribute to the sector’s growth and the Scottish Government’s export ambition in the areas of

    • TNE transnational education

    • collaborative research and knowledge exchange

  • International student recruitment and mobility facilitate partnerships with other key Scottish sectors and organisations in developing mutually beneficial links internationally

Our Values:

Scotland’s higher education sector has a long history of being valued as an important part of our nation’s success by making a significant economic, cultural, and social contribution to the country.

Universities’ international links are critical to the success and global standing of the sector. They enrich institutions’ teaching and research activities, create important cultural connections, and increase financial impact not only for Scottish institutions but for business and the economy through securing major export income and investment.

As autonomous institutions, Scotland’s universities are ambitious and innovative in their creation and development of international links. Alongside the many connections forged by institutions working individually across the globe there is a long track record of institutions’ collaborative work both with each other and with key partners in Scotland:

British Council Scotland, Scotland’s Enterprise Agencies, Scottish Government, Universities Scotland, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Scottish Funding Council.

Higher Education is a notably internationalised marketplace which is marked by strong competition.  Whilst some of our institutions have been internationally active for over 500 years, and all have a range of well-developed international partnerships and projects, Scottish institutions’ success can be supported most strongly by working in collaboration across the sector and key Scottish stakeholder organisations.