Scottish Council on Global Affairs scga.scot

🔈 This week, our director @caileangallagher.bsky.social joined the panel at @scga.bsky.social State of the World: Emerging & Disruptive Technologies.

"The challenge is to make the degeneration of work by AI-driven platforms only a temporary disruption of workers' power and rights."

Call for expressions of interest: G20 Discussion Forum The International Affairs and National Security (IANS) Hub, a policy group within the UK House of Commons Administration, is forming a G20 Discussion Forum.

The International Affairs and National Security (IANS) Hub, a policy group within the House of Commons Administration, is forming a G20 discussion forum. It is seeking 8-10 experts on countries that are members of the G20. post.parliament.uk/call-for-exp...

Connecting Europe Fair Drop in anytime between 10am – 5pm to this all day free event. A variety of stallholders will be on hand to provide information and answer questions on their opportunities for young people (aged 16 – ...

Day 3, May 9. 10 am, Future of UK-EU-US Relations festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/the-future-of-uk-eu-us-relations; 2 pm, The High North, Scotland & Europe’s Arctic Frontier with @scga.bsky.social; all day, "Connecting Europe Fair" www.festivalofeuropescotland.org/event/connecting-europe-fair/...

@sarahcdunstan.bsky.social

Global Democracy & Human Rights SCGA & Glasgow host a roundtable on global democracy and human rights, exploring today’s “democratic recession” and what it means.

State of the World – Global Democracy & Human Rights
20 March, 3-5.30
Glasgow University Union, 32 University Avenue, G12 8LX
Scottish Council on Global Affairs and the @uofgnews.bsky.social host a roundtable discussion on the state of global #democracy and #humanrights.

scga.scot/2026/03/03/g...

Scotland and the State of World Trade Global trade is shifting fast. This SCGA workshop unites experts and policymakers to shape sustainable, inclusive trade for Scotland’s future.

Scotland and State of World Trade
20 April, 10-5, Edinburgh
Global trade environment is undergoing rapid transformation. Two expert panels discuss latest developments in international trade system and what they mean for Scotland and UK.
scga.scot/2026/03/03/s...
@juliacalvert.bsky.social

The programme for the 2026 Festival of Europe Scotland is now out. 24 events so far throughout Scotland - Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kirkcaldy, Dumfries, Stirling - more be announced! Conferences, talks, music, film, art, family events. For details & to book places: festivalofeuropescotland.org/events/

Scottish and Irish perspecitives on Globla Tensions The Scottish Council on Global Affairs (SCGA) was pleased to support and collaborate on the recent roundtable that brought together Scottish and Irish perspectives on global tensions and their implica...

Report of the event, "A Scottish and Irish perspective in an era of Global tension", co-authored by Nicholas Estée, Lucy Harrow and Magali Courades of UN House Scotland, concludes that strengthening state–UN relations requires more than diplomatic alignment.
scga.scot/2026/02/26/s...

Scottish and Irish perspecitives on Globla Tensions The Scottish Council on Global Affairs (SCGA) was pleased to support and collaborate on the recent roundtable that brought together Scottish and Irish perspectives on global tensions and their implica...

🆕Scottish & Irish perspectives on global tensions. How today’s geopolitical instability is reshaping peace, security and international cooperation.
scga.scot/2026/02/26/s... @unhousescotland.bsky.social @rhyscrilley.bsky.social

Is Foreign Aid still relevant? - Glasgow, 10 March
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-foreign...
#internationaldevelopment

For an insight into who we are, here’s a sample of events from the 1st festival in 2024. We'd love you to join in & grow this #festival to celebrate & foster #peace #democracy #freedom #connection. 2026 programme out on 27 Feb. @scga.bsky.social @euromovescotland.bsky.social @scottishgov.bsky.social

Just a reminder that this roundtable discussion on #peace and security takes place on Monday 24 February @stir.ac.uk @rhyscrilley.bsky.social Sign up here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scga-state...

Thanks to Grant Jarvie , Alice Calder and @bencoulson.bsky.social of @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social chaired by Brian Whittle MSP

Sport and the power of soft power - #FestivalofPolitics at @parliament.scot
This panel looked at powerful role of #softpower and #paradiplomacy and took questions on international comparisons, national policy and the role of sport in community integration.

#FOP

Save the Dates! for Scotland's Festival of Europe. 7-10 May 2026. Talks, walks, film, music and more. Follow @festivalofeurope.bsky.social for news, updates and pass it on! @europeanmovement.co.uk @euromovescotland.bsky.social @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social @europestreet.bsky.social @scga.bsky.social

Opportunities and challenges posed by developments in AI and advanced digital technologies for Scotland and world:
Chris Boyland – Head of AI and Digital Economy, Scottish Government
Dr Cailean Gallagher – Business School, University of St Andrews
Prof Marion Thain – Edinburgh Futures Institute

Emerging & #disruptivetechnologies are radically reshaping societies. Ubiquity of digital data and proliferation of artificial intelligence ( #AI ) transforming economies, social interactions, privacy, government services, policing, intelligence & military capabilities, urban & natural environments

The State of the World: Emerging and Disruptive Technologies This expert roundtable brings together leading voices to assess the opportunities and challenges posed by developments in AI and advanced digital technologies for Scotland and the world.

Emerging and Disruptive Technologies in Scotland and the World
2 March, 5.30pm-6.45pm
Edinburgh Futures Institute, @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social
scga.scot/2026/02/09/t...

SCGA The State of the World: Pandemic Preparedness Roundtable on pandemic preparedness in Scotland: what it should look like, how to achieve it and what Covid-19 teaches us for future plans.

Dr Ben Kasstan-Dabush, lecturer in Global Health Policy at the @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social & SCGA management team member, is organising a State of the World Pandemic Preparedness event at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, 2 March.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1981856658... @benk-d.bsky.social

Scotland’s new government bonds policy and the changing development aid regime @jkaarbo.bsky.social @bencormier.bsky.social @juliacalvert.bsky.social vert.bsky.social @maharafiatal.bsky.social

Speakers discussed current challenges in the global multilateral trade regime, the energy transition in the global economy, the UK’s trade strategy, and the consequences for Scotland, as well as sovereign debt

Ben Cormier, Juliet Kaarbo, Julia Calvert and Maha Rafi Atal on the panel at a talk about international trade

Frances Guy of the Scottish International Development alliance talks about international aid at a SCGA organised event

Full house at last night's The State of International Trade, Finance and Development event, organised by SCGA & Department of Government Public Policy @unistrathclyde.bsky.social

@rcpedin.bsky.social

long-term disruption. Learning from Covid-19 isn’t about replaying the past. It’s about building the conditions for a faster, more coordinated, and more equitable response next time.” #health #globalhealth

Dr Kasstan-Dabush said: “Covid-19 was a stark reminder that pandemics don’t just test health systems—they test trust, governance, inequality, and our ability to act quickly under pressure. Pandemic preparedness matters because the cost of being unready is measured in lives, livelihoods and

Drawing on insights from across the social sciences and public health, this roundtable is organised in collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and interrogates these questions to formulate priorities and possibilities for pandemic preparedness in Scotland.

The free event asks what a state of pandemic preparedness looks like, how should such a state be attained, and how can learning from Covid-19 responses inform plans for the future.

SCGA The State of the World: Pandemic Preparedness Roundtable on pandemic preparedness in Scotland: what it should look like, how to achieve it and what Covid-19 teaches us for future plans.

Dr Ben Kasstan-Dabush, lecturer in Global Health Policy at the @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social & SCGA management team member, is organising a State of the World Pandemic Preparedness event at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, 2 March.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1981856658... @benk-d.bsky.social

Defence in the High North - Committees - UK Parliament The inquiry will examine the current and emerging threats in the region. It will ask what the UK’s defence and security interests are, and whether we have the correct str...

Defence in High North
@ukparliament.parliament.uk Defence Committee will examine current & emerging threats - ask what UK’s defence & security interests are, whether we have correct strategies, capabilities & alliances to counter threats
committees.parliament.uk/work/9588/de...
#highnorth #defence

Looking forward to hosting this workshop with my colleague Clare Frances Moran, funded by the SCGA as part of the State of the World project.

Registration open now and spaces are free: scga.scot/2026/02/10/o...