Are you working on an international activity or project in a Scottish university or college, local authority, the third sector or a professional association? The European and External Relations Committee would like to hear about your work and experiences.
The Committee has launched the second strand of its inquiry on ‘Connecting Scotland: how Scotland can engage most effectively in a globalising world’. The Committee would like to find out how Scottish organisations like universities and colleges, local authorities, the third sector and professional associations engage internationally.
The three main aims of this inquiry are to:
- map international activities carried out by Scottish organisations,
- understand how these activities contribute to international engagement, and
- understand how these activities provide opportunities for learning and exchange.
Examples of this kind of activity and engagement are:
- Scottish universities and colleges linking with other universities and colleges elsewhere. For example, international cooperation, joint research projects, how universities link to economic, cultural or social development.
- International engagement by local authorities such as cultural initiatives, twinning, policy learning.
- Scottish third sector and civil society international engagement, working with overseas organisations collaboratively, or delivering services overseas.
- Professional associations that are part of a wider or international umbrella body.
The Committee has identified three main areas of questions for its inquiry and invites you to send your views to us (see below for more detail).
It would be helpful for the Committee if you could answer some or all of these questions, but you can also tell us about other points which you think are relevant.
Questions
What international activities are happening now in your sector and/or organisation? Please describe how and why these activities take place. Are other sectors or organisations involved? What do these activities contribute or achieve?
Do you think your sector and/ or organisation is effective in participating in international activities? If not, what would help you to make improvements? What prevents you from making improvements now?
What should organisations in Scotland do to be effective internationally? Are you aware of any good examples of this from Scotland or another country?
How to submit written evidence
Evidence should be reasonably brief and typewritten (preferably normally no more than 4-6 sides of A4 in total).
The deadline for receipt of written submissions is 17 April 2015. Owing to the timescale normally required for the processing and analysis of evidence, late submissions will only be accepted with the advance agreement of the Committee Clerking team.
The Committee prefers to receive written submissions electronically and in a form accessible by MS Word. These should be sent to: [email protected]
You may also send a hard copy of written submissions to:
European and External Relations Committee
Scottish Parliament
Holyrood
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
How we handle written evidence
Before you submit your written evidence, please read our policy on treatment of written evidence. We will follow this policy when we handle your written submission.
If you use any tables or graphics in your submission, please include a short paragraph explaining what the table/graphic shows. This helps readers with visual impairments to understand your submission.
How to submit a video as evidence
We welcome videos as a form of evidence. Please read our guidance before sending a video.
Contact
For details about the Committee’s work on this inquiry please contact Jenny Goldsmith, Assistant Clerk to the Committee, tel 0131 348 5226 or [email protected].