Scotland's international framework 2017

Our Strategic Objectives

Our Strategic Objectives:

• Relationships & Partnerships
  Strengthen our external relationships, roles and networks
• Reputation & Attractiveness
  Build our reputation and international attractiveness
• Global Outlook
  Enhance our global outlook to set the domestic conditions for success
• European Union
  Protecting Scotland's place in Europe

Relationships & Partnerships

Local knowledge:
We will work with our people, diaspora and partners outside Scotland to share local knowledge and build long-term relationships and networks.

Multilateral engagement:
We will seek to have international influence and communicate our shared interests through engagement in multilateral forums such as the European Union and the United Nations.

Bilateral relationships:
We will continue to value and build our bilateral relationships, working with others to pursue our international and domestic objectives and share best practice.

Collaborative working:
We will develop One Scotland Partnerships and Innovation and Investment Hubs to promote and deliver greater coordination and collaborative working, investment, innovation and knowledge exchange.

Good global citizen:
We will continue to make distinctive contributions in addressing global challenges, sharing our knowledge, skills and technical expertise for global good: through our international development work we will contribute to alleviating poverty and achieving the UN Global Goals in our partner countries and we will provide ethical leadership and a positive voice in the world on global issues such as solidarity, tolerance, human rights and climate change.

Reputation & Attractiveness

International promotion:
We will use our overseas presence to promote and celebrate our culture, education, values, heritage, landscape and economic strengths and to build the Scottish brand to support greater exports, inward visitors and investment in Scotland.

Cultural relations:
We will showcase our culture and heritage to strengthen our international relationships and to better share ideas and enhance cooperation.

Trade and Investment:
We will deliver the actions in our Trade and Investment Strategy, which sets out our approach to international trade and investment, ensuring Scotland remains an attractive location for investment, and to boosting Scotland's export performance.

Research excellence:
We will continue to invest in and promote our universities, helping them to build educational links and research collaborations across the globe.

Global Outlook

Embed internationalisation:
We will embed internationalisation across our areas of responsibility to ensure that Scotland continues to be attractive and our people are able to seize new opportunities and participate in a globalised world.

Knowledge exchange:
We will gather and share knowledge intelligently to help businesses, institutions and individuals navigate, make connections and understand Scotland's place in the world.

Targeted support:
We will provide targeted support and advice to assist our people, businesses and institutions identify and seize international opportunities, helping them capitalise on international opportunities through developing domestic capability.

Coherent approach:
We will work collaboratively to maximise our international efforts and understand the impact of our work on others.

European Union

Protecting our place in Europe:
Although the UK as a whole voted to leave the EU, Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain.

EU membership brings many benefits; economic, social and cultural, and the Scottish Government is committed to exploring all available options to protect our place, and interests, in Europe.

Committed partner:
We remain committed partners in Europe and we wish to continue to contribute meaningfully to collective goals.

We believe that through solidarity, support and collaboration we can achieve far more than individual states acting alone ever could.

Protecting and Strengthening Partnerships:
We are determined to protect and further strengthen our relationships with European partners to develop and deliver mutually beneficial outcomes, policies and programmes in pursuit of our objectives.