A Culture Strategy for Scotland

Culture’s ability to transform lives and empower people is the focus of A Culture Strategy for Scotland, published yesterday.

The document, which was developed through public engagement and consultation, outlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening the sector in order to value, protect and nurture culture.

As part of the strategy, which is supported by almost £1.25 million funding, the Scottish Government will:

• Establish a new National Partnership for Culture, an advisory group led by the former Edinburgh International Festival Managing Director Joanna Baker to support delivery of the strategy’s aims and advise Scottish Ministers on matters affecting culture

• Build an Arts Alive programme to bring up to 250 cultural sessions to schools and communities, including five artists’ residencies

• Support a pilot project with Museum Galleries Scotland to recruit volunteers from diverse backgrounds and help them achieve an SQA accredited qualification

• Develop the Arts, Culture, Health & Wellbeing Scotland Network to advocate for cultural approaches to prevent poor health and promote cultural intervention to tackle health inequality and support rehabilitation

• Encourage community-led and participatory arts activity through the Creative Communities programme, which has been match-funded this year by proceeds of crime to support projects for young people at risk of re-offending

• Help schools engage more with the arts through the Supporting Expressive Arts in the Curriculum programme

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop (above) said: “Culture is central to who we are. It is Scotland’s strength. This is why it must be valued first and foremost in and of itself – that is to say culture is worth more than any financial value that can be placed on it.

“A key pillar of the strategy is the recognition that we need to do more to nurture artistic talent and support artists and to add value, recognise and champion artistic excellence. We want to harness the power of culture to transform lives, to improve health and wellbeing, to contribute to the growing economy, and to bring creative approaches to design better communities.

“I am grateful to everyone who has helped to shape this strategy as part of our national cultural conversation – which will continue to grow and evolve. It places culture at the heart of Government, and sets a shared vision which I hope will inspire all those with an interest in its future in Scotland.”

Ms Baker said: “A Culture Strategy for Scotland is a powerful assertion of the importance of culture and creativity to the lives of everyone, and of the positive contribution that a rich diversity of cultures and artists makes to Scotland’s place in the world.

“I welcome the opportunity to work alongside colleagues from across the country and from many different sectors to help to shape the future of support for culture in Scotland.”

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Bravery and Excellence Awards celebrated at Tulliallan

The commitment, initiative and bravery of Police Scotland officers and staff, as well as partner organisations and members of the public, were recognised and celebrated yesterday at the Police Scotland Headquarters, Tulliallan.

Held as a joint event for the first time, the Chief Constable’s Bravery and Excellence Awards was attended by senior officers, politicians, stakeholders and family members.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM presented 29 Bravery awards to 34 police officers, 24 members of the public – and two police dogs. Among those receiving Bravery awards were:

  • PC Paul O’Donnell, and Police Dog Remo were on duty in Ayrshire when they traced an individual who became very aggressive. He hit both PC O’Donnell and Remo in the face with a metal pole, before biting the dog’s ear. Despite their significant injuries, they were able to restrain their attacked until additional officers arrived and arrested him.
  • Elizabeth Hutchison, who was driving in Edinburgh when she saw a woman in a distressed condition, walking without shoes in torrential rain, who made her way to a bridge and threatened to jump.

  • Elizabeth (above) was able to help the woman down and alert police, before restraining her when she tried to run off. As a result of Ms Hutchison’s actions, a very vulnerable member of the public was able to receive the necessary treatment at hospital.
  • Member of police staff, Alan Rae, was delivering a driving course to police officers in Aberdeen when a van with no-one inside began to roll backwards down a hill towards university and mosque buildings. He was able to catch up to the moving vehicle, get inside and bring it to a stop, avoiding a potentially serious incident.

Mr Livingstone also presented Excellence awards in 11 categories, including Greatest Contribution to Policing Priorities and Policing Partner of the Year, as well as a number of individual awards.

Police Officer of the Year was named as Inspector Kieran Dougal from City of Edinburgh Division, who, on transferring into community policing, made an immediate impact by taking ownership of key problems in the area, including road safety, hate crime, theft and domestic abuse, and is considered a valued leader among his peers.

Policing Partner of the Year was presented to Sarah Finnegan from Barnardo’s for the RISE Project, a two-year pilot project in Dundee and Aberdeen designed to address the Scottish Government’s National Action Plan to prevent and tackle child sexual exploitation. She has been instrumental in transforming local services and designing a more trauma informed approach to children and young people at risk in Dundee.

Police Scotland’s Unsung Hero was named as Detective Constable Iain McKinlay from Greater Glasgow Division for his unstinting work relating to the investigation of vehicle crime. He has established critical partnerships within the UK and abroad to identify organised crime groups involved in car theft and provided advice and assistance to officers across Scotland.

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Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM said: “Policing is a challenging and rewarding vocation, which unites us through a shared sense of public service, and I hear, every day, about the work of professional and compassionate people who are dedicated to improving the lives of their fellow citizens.

“I believe this to be the single most important thing we must all remember as police officers and staff: we are there to serve the public. We are the public and the public are the police.

“Therefore, it is absolutely right and proper for the dedication of our officers and staff to be publicly acknowledged, and at the same time commend members of the public for the selfless acts of bravery and courage which have made a significant contribution to others and their communities.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and nominees today and thank them all for their efforts.”

The event was sponsored by Police Mutual, an organisation which has supported the police family for more than 150 years, providing financial services and wellbeing support.

Police Mutual’s Chief Executive, John Perks, said: “It’s a huge privilege to work alongside the police service and we are immensely proud to sponsor this event. 

“These awards not only shine a light on projects across various areas, celebrating successes that have been achieved amidst a backdrop of increasing challenges for the police service, they are also here to recognise the bravery of officers, where ordinary days turned into extraordinary days.

“All the nominees and winners should be immensely proud of their achievements – they have shown themselves to be dedicated to keeping the public safe through outstanding work and extraordinary levels of professional commitment, in line with Police Scotland’s values.

“We are always humbled by your outstanding demonstrations of courage and I am delighted to also be able to recognise Excellence in Policing. They are not only a credit to their families, friends and communities, but also to Police Scotland and the wider Police Service.”

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I congratulate all of those who have been honoured with this year’s Awards.  While the acts of bravery that are being recognised are exceptional, courage is often present in policing across the country. Police officers and staff are ordinary men and women who go above and beyond what is expected of them, often facing challenging and difficult situations.

“I have been struck by the incredible professionalism, dedication and expertise demonstrated in these awards. Whether call-handlers, cyber specialists, forensic experts, special constables, full-time officers, or members of the public, the people here today have played a role in keeping our communities safe. It is important to recognise this and the work that goes on across Scotland.”

David Crichton, Vice Chair of the Scottish Police Authority said: “We know our officers and staff are undertaking courageous, innovative and high quality work in the communities of Scotland.

“Today’s award ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate just a few of the selfless acts which help keep the citizens of Scotland safer. It is also an opportunity to recognise those members of the public who have helped us in that task.

“Congratulations to all today’s winners and to all those who were nominated for awards.”

Yappy Ever After!

FURRY-TAIL DAY FOR INSEPARABLE CANINES

A special ceremony took place on Sunday 23 February for two loved-up pups at a Wedding Showcase event in Edinburgh.

Dachshunds Nova and Ottis proved to be the paw-fect pair after winning a social media competition run by DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre to find an adorable four legged couple.

Since winning, the doggy duo have taken part in a puppy proposal photoshoot and enjoyed a specially catered dog-friendly afternoon tea when visiting the hotel to have the final touches for their big day put in place – arranged by the hotel’s wedding planner.

The public have been able to follow the journey of Nova and Ottis on social media with through the #skyBARKwedding hashtag.

On Sunday Nova and Ottis celebrated their love at SKYbar against the picturesque backdrop of Edinburgh Castle and the cityscape.

Among the wedding witnesses were representatives from a national Dachshund owners’ group and newly engaged couples who were touring the hotel and SKYbar as a prospective venue for their own special day.

Marcello Ventisei, General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre, said: “Couples are spoiled for choice with wedding venues, so we wanted to showcase a unique take on the full journey from proposal to vows at DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre with adorable canines.

“We’ve loved this journey with Nova and Ottis and we hope our guests enjoyed being part of this picture-perfect day too.”

Aldi takes the lid off

Aldi is removing all plastic lids on its own-label fresh and cultured cream products and ready-to-drink coffee products, as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce single-use plastics.

From March, Scotland’s fourth largest volume retailer will stock these products without unnecessary plastic lids in its 91 Scottish stores.

This initiative will remove over three million pieces of single-use plastic from the market.

In addition to this, Aldi will trial the removal of plastic lids from its large Greek-style flavoured yogurt pots in England and Wales. If successful, this will be rolled out across all 500g yogurt pots, eliminating a further 34 million pieces of plastic across the UK.

These moves are the supermarket’s latest steps to scrap unnecessary plastic as it works towards reducing plastic packaging by 25% by the end of 2023.

Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “We are committed to cutting the amount of plastic that Aldi and our customers use, particularly unnecessary, single-use plastic like secondary lids.

“Every step like this brings us closer to our target of reducing the amount of plastic we use in packaging by 25%.”

Aldi is on track to have all own-label packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022. Since 2018, it has removed more than 2,200 tonnes of plastic and replaced almost 3,000 tonnes of unrecyclable material with recyclable alternatives.

For several years Aldi has led the way with local sourcing and the retailer has built strong relationships with over 90 Scottish suppliers.

Last year, the supermarket was crowned Scottish Sourcing Business of the Year at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards. To aid Aldi’s expanding footprint in Scotland, the supermarket has invested in a new £25 million freezer and chill facility in Bathgate, which will be operational in spring this year.

Edinburgh Scientist Urges City To Walk All Over Cancer

AN Edinburgh woman who was inspired to become a cancer scientist after her grandmother’s life was extended following pioneering treatment, is calling on men and women to Walk All Over Cancer and help raise money for vital research.

Kristel Sepp, a PhD student at the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, is urging people to sign up now and get sponsored to walk 10,000 steps a day in March.

Scientist Kristel, aged 28, from Leith, knows first-hand how important research is to people with cancer after losing her beloved grandmother to the disease.

Senta Sosi died from pancreatic cancer aged just 63 years old, while Kristel was studying for a degree in chemistry at the University of Edinburgh.

It was saying goodbye to her grandmother that drove Kristel, originally from Kuressaare in Estonia, to become a cancer scientist. After completing her undergraduate degree, she joined the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre to study for a PhD in optical medical imaging.

Kristel said: “My grandma was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer before I started high school. It was really hard for all the family. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat and we didn’t know what to expect.

“But, after surgery and chemotherapy, she lived for another five years. I’m so grateful that thanks to her treatment we got to spend more time with her – and that she got to see the birth of another granddaughter, my cousin.

She continued: “It was research that developed the treatment that gave my grandma more time with her family. That’s why I decided I wanted to become a cancer researcher, and why I’m calling on people in Edinburgh to sign up with me to Walk All Over Cancer and raise money to help more people have more time with their family and friends.”

Kristel works at the Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre on a technique called stimulated Raman scattering microscopy (SRS), which allows her to study how drugs behave in cancer cells in real time.

She explained: “To be able to study a drug in this way, we get a better understanding of where the drug goes in cancer cells – does it go where we expect it to go in order to kill the cancer cells? This has been a big challenge for scientists up until now.

“I’ve been studying how drugs behave in chronic myeloid leukaemia cells. Some patients with this type of blood cancer stop responding to treatment because their cancer becomes resistant to the drugs.

“I’ve been using SRS to look at how one drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukaemia behaves in cancer cells that are sensitive to the treatment, compared to cancer cells that are resistant to it.

“By understanding clearly how drugs behave in cancer cells in real time, it could help scientists to develop better cancer treatments more quickly and at less expense.”

As well as working on ground-breaking cancer research, Kristel enjoys keeping fit and tries to walk 10,000 steps every day as part of her exercise plan. She uses a fitness tracker on her wrist to keep track of how many steps she’s taken.

She said: “I like to walk because I enjoy the fresh air and the health benefits of walking. If it’s the weekend, I like to walk to the top of Arthur’s Seat. Day to day, I’ll do things like walk to the gym and back to try to get in as many steps as I can.”

She continued: “If you take on the Walk All Over Cancer challenge, it’s up to you how you reach 10,000 steps per day. You could take on the challenge on your own or with family, friends and colleagues. And you can try to find ways to fit your steps in around your other daily activities. For example, I like to walk when I’m Skyping my mom. That way I can get my steps in and catch up with what’s going on back home in Estonia at the same time.”

Keeping check on the number of steps taken each day has never been easier, with many smartphone apps, pedometers and wearable activity trackers.

Victoria Steven, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for Scotland, said: “Signing up to Walk All Over Cancer is a great way to kick-start a healthier lifestyle, now that Spring is just around the corner.

She added: “Walking 10,000 steps is equal to about five miles, based on the average person’s strides. That’s quite a challenge for many people. But adopting small lifestyle changes – from walking to work or taking the stairs instead of the lift – can help make the goal feel achievable.”

In Scotland, a fifth (20 per cent) of people are getting less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.

Not only will taking on the challenge help raise money, it has health benefits as well. Moderate exercise can help build stamina, burn excess calories and protect against a range of diseases including cancer.

Victoria continued: “By signing up now, there’s time to plan ways to fit in some extra steps in March. Everyone who gets sponsored to go those extra miles will be making a real difference to the 88 people diagnosed with cancer every day in Scotland. 

“Cancer survival has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress – but every step our doctors, nurses and scientists take relies on donations from the public and the tireless fundraising of our supporters.” 

To sign up now, visit www.cruk.org/walkallover.

Locals celebrate Postcode Lottery win

Two people in Edinburgh are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcodes.

EH3 6NE (Bellevue) and EH4 5HL (Silverknowes) were both anounced as winners with People’s Postcode Lottery yesterday. There was one winner at each postcode.

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt (above) sent her well-wishes to the winners. She said: “What great news to get along with your breakfast! Congratulations to our winners.”

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.

This draw was promoted by the Wildlife Trusts which have received over £11.3 million in funding from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The Wildlife Trusts look after more than 2,300 nature reserves and operate more than 100 visitor and education centres across the country. The Trusts work to make life better for wildlife, people and future generations.

Many good causes close to the winners have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can next apply for funding in August.

For more information on People’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook  and Twitter.

Council launches £100,000 BAME arts fund

A new £100,000 fund to support Edinburgh-based Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) artists, practitioners and producers in the Capital’s arts and culture sector opens for applications.

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Diversity & Inclusion Fund will focus on projects that promote greater creative collaboration between black, Asian and minority ethnic artists, practitioners and producers and Edinburgh-based cultural organisations.

Grants of up to £5,000, £10,000 and £20,000 will be awarded to organisations or individuals based in the Capital to help with the costs involved in developing new performing artwork (music, dance, spoken word and theatre), film making and screenings, digital art, cultural events and creative writing.

This is the first of two cultural project funding opportunities in Edinburgh, established through the creation of the Flexible Fund as part of the new approach for Third Party Cultural Grants agreed by the Council last year. Details of a second Flexible Fund opportunity, currently planned for Arts and Health Projects, will be announced in May 2020.

Cllr Donald Wilson, Culture and Communities Convener for City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh has a long and strong reputation for creativity and excellence in the arts and we must continue to identify new and collaborative ways of resourcing the sector, and this fund will go some way to support new talent.

“As part of our policy of widening and deepening engagement with artists and communities across the city this fund is targeted at Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic artists and Edinburgh-based cultural organisations.

“We are committed to promoting stronger collaboration, developing new partnerships and creating new funding streams. The creation of our new Flexible Fund will help nurture more new work and emerging artists and enable greater access to our funding programmes for previously unfunded groups or those who have found it difficult to access mainstream funding in the past.”

A Panel of industry specialists will review applications for Diversity & Inclusion Fund grant awards in April 2020.

Further information on Diversity & Inclusion Fund

Who can apply?

Projects involving Edinburgh-based artists and practitioners and taking place within the City of Edinburgh boundary. Grants will be awarded to projects that promote greater collaboration between minority ethnic artists/practitioners, and Edinburgh-based cultural organisations. Projects should reach, involve, benefit and engage BAME artists and/or cultural organisations and creative practitioners.

Projects and activities could include: visual and performing arts (music, dance, spoken word and theatre), film making and screenings, digital art, cultural events and creative writing.

A total Fund budget of £100,000 is available for projects developed in financial year 2020/21 offering:
6 grant awards of up to £5,000;
3 grants of up to £10,000; and
2 grant awards of up to £20,000

The deadline for submissions is 3 April 2020 (23:59 GMT).

An online application form and further information about the fund can be found via the consultation hub.

You can also register your interest in attending information sessions.

LOVE Gorgie Farm to reopen tomorrow

LOVE Gorgie Farm, formerly Gorgie City Farm, is set to reopen this Saturday with a huge celebration and range of family-friendly activities.

A number of local celebrities including Hearts and Hibs footballers, Edinburgh and Scotland rugby players, politicians and Council representatives will also be attending the festivities.

From 11am-3.30pm children (and even adults!) will get the chance to feed the animals on the farm, which include pigs, sheep and goats, and can even take some newly arrived  alpacas for a stroll.

There will also be face-painting and a henna tattooist on hand, as well as entertainment for all, including tombola, music, a photo booth and much more.

Education and social care charity, LOVE Learning, took over the site of the former Gorgie City Farm in January after it went into liquidation in November 2019.

LOVE Learning has also organised a community consultation event, from 12pm-2pm, where visitors can tell the new owners about their hopes for the future of the farm.

The Farm has been opened earlier than expected thanks to the assistance of hundreds of volunteers who assisted in the two weeks running up to the reopening.

After the site opens its doors to the public it will remain open seven days a week and will be free for visitors. LOVE Learning intends to keep using the site as a city farm as part of their portfolio of environmental projects.

In addition, LOVE Gorgie Farm provides educational services to children through animal and forest therapy. It also provides a range of professional apprenticeships and Scottish Qualifications Authority awarded qualifications, as well as looking to be involved in organising social prescribing and wellbeing therapies in partnership with the NHS in the future.

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning said: “We are incredibly excited to be opening LOVE Gorgie Farm much earlier than we anticipated and we are hoping for a great turnout on Saturday.

“This will also provide the chance through our consultation exercise for the local community to provide its views on what people would like to see the farm used for in the future.

“I would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers who have given up their valuable time to help get the farm up and running earlier than anticipated. We could not have done it without their crucial role.

“Not only will the farm remain open seven days a week and remain free, but we will provide a range of exciting education, environmental and social care programmes supporting vulnerable individuals.”

Sandy McCall Smith, author of the No. 1 Detective Agency and 44 Scotland Street books, among others, said: “I am aware of the major role that Gorgie City Farm, now LOVE Gorgie Farm, plays in the local community.

“It is wonderful news that it has been rescued. It brings animals and the countryside into the lives of so many children, young people and adults, who might otherwise feel cut off from such things. Put simply, LOVE Gorgie Farm does a great deal of good.”

Mr McCall Smith has generously donated signed copies of his books for Saturday’s opening event.

A Tale of a Divided Britain

  • New polling for the UPP Foundation sheds light on the public’s domestic priorities following the election
  • People who live in Scotland among the most positive about their local area
  • Access to NHS, cost of housing, and declining high streets are seen as the biggest challenges
  • People are positive about the role universities can play in their area, but awareness is limited, and almost a third of people in Scotland have never visited their local university
  • By over a 4.1 ratio, people from Scotland would prefer that graduates return to their local area after graduation – by far the most in the UK

New polling for the UPP Foundation, the registered charity founded by University Partnerships Programme (UPP), carried out by Public First, shows a stark divide between the various communities in Britain as to how they feel their local areas have fared over their time living there.

At a time when much political attention is being given to how to ‘level up’ areas of the country that have fared less well in recent years, the polling shows a great divide between how different parts of their country see their everyday lives.

A divided Britain – and the view from Scotland

There are sharp differences in how people view their community by the type of area they live in, by their age, and by their financial circumstances.

  • Across Britain, while 30% of people who live in cities say that their local area has improved (39% the same, 25% worse), this figure decreases to 22% of those who live in large towns, and only 17% for those who live in small towns – almost half of the figure for those who live in cities.
  • Across Britain, younger people are the most positive. 31% of those aged 18-24 believe their local area has improved (38% think it is the same, 21% has got worse), but only 26% of 35-44 year olds, and 14% of 55-64 year olds – fewer than half as many seeing improvement as the 18-24s.
  • Scottish residents are among the more positive, with 25% of residents thinking their area has improved during the time they have been living there – and only 18% say it has got worse. (Nationally, respondents in London, Scotland, and Wales are most likely to feel that their local areas had improved in recent years, and those in the East of England, East Midlands, and the South East are the most likely to believe there has been decline.

Priorities for improving their local area

With the new government making bold statements about regional infrastructure, transport links such as HS2, and relocating major civic institutions such as the House of Lords to ‘level up’ across the country, this polling also sheds light on the public’s real priorities for improvement in their area.

When asked about their various priorities for improving their local area, people across Scotland thought that:

  • 56% of people thought that high streets in decline was one of the most important issues in Scotland – the second highest in the UK after the North East
  • 44% of voters stated that access to local NHS services was a key priority
  • 48% said the cost of housing was one of the most important issues

These are going to be important issues to many voters – and their new MPs – in the coming years.

Effectiveness of civic institutions in improving local areas

Although voters across Scotland are familiar with the local civic and other institutions active in their local area, they have typically low levels of satisfaction with how well they are performing to improve a local area.

  • Local MPs / MSPs  – 22% of respondents think they’re doing a good job for their local area
  • Local government / council – 21%
  • Local businesses – 30%
  • Local cultural institutions (museums, galleries etc) – 39%
  • Local universities – 44%
  • Local sports clubs and teams – 34%
  • Local hospitals – 37%
  • Local charities – 37%

The role of universities in improving local areas

Universities have been increasingly focussed on the role they can play in their local area in recent years. Despite the expansion of higher education, the public’s overall awareness of the 19 universities across Scotland – who between them educate over 240,000 undergraduates a year is relatively low, but people are optimistic about their potential.

  • Almost a third of people (31%) have never visited their local university in Scotland
  • 44% of people in Scotland think that the universities are doing a good job to improve the local area
  • 65% of respondents in Scotland want universities to play a greater role in their local economy, and 53% of the public agree that universities can and should be involved in the delivery of government services in a local area.

One of the issues often raised in policy debates is whether it is better that graduates return to their home communities after studying, or whether it is better if they migrate to the UK’s larger cities. This research shows that by an over a 4:1 majority – 50% to 12% – people in Scotland would prefer graduates to return to their local area after studying.

The polling was conducted as part of a project looking at the role of universities, as part of their civic responsibilities, to help address the government’s levelling-up agenda. A final report will be published in the Spring.

Richard Brabner, Director of UPP Foundation said: “Our post-election polling points to a divided Britain and underlines the need for the government to double down on its focus on towns to help ‘level up the country’. But although Scotland has its own government for many areas, the Westminster Parliament and Scottish MPs, and MSPs, will need to think about how to improve Scotland as well as other areas in Britain.

“Organisations embedded in their communities will be key to revitalising areas across Scotland. Local institutions and civil society should be supported by government to deliver this agenda.

“Taking the higher education sector as an example, it is clear that there’s a real appetite amongst universities to support  ‘left behind’ places in their regions, and the public is extremely positive about the role universities could play too.

“However, with a third of people having never visited their local university in Scotland, there is much for our sector to do to engage all parts of our society.

“To grow trust and support, universities should be particularly focussed on demonstrating their public value to areas which do not benefit from having a university on their doorstep.”

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