Scottish Government Social Research Five Year Plan 2026-31 Summary Edition

The challenges we must respond to

Scotland is facing a period of profound change. Trust in public institutions is under pressure. Political debate can be polarised. Mis- and disinformation can travel quickly, making it harder for people to know what to trust. At the same time, many households and public services continue to feel the strain of tight budgets, inequality, demographic change and insecure housing. Alongside all of this, digital technologies and AI are changing how evidence is produced, shared and used.

For social research, these changes create both risks and opportunities. We need to work harder to engage people in research and make sure participation remains inclusive. We have to show clearly why evidence matters and how it improves decisions. We need to adapt methods so they remain relevant in a more digital society. We must make use of new tools without compromising quality, ethics or public trust. And we need to make the best possible use of limited capacity and resources while ensuring our workforce remains supported, resilient and able to perform at its best over the long term.

These pressures are connected. Lower trust can reduce participation in research. Tight finances can increase demand for evidence about what to prioritise. New technologies can improve speed and efficiency, but only if used well. The right response is not to narrow our ambitions. It is to sharpen them: to focus on the contribution social research can make, and to organise our effort around a clear set of goals.

The next five years will also place greater emphasis on demonstrating impact. Policy teams and ministers will increasingly need evidence that is timely, practical and able to support difficult decisions in real time. This can create pressure to move quickly. Our challenge is to help government move at pace without sacrificing quality, inclusion or independence. That balance will be central to the profession’s credibility.

We also need to respond to shifts in the wider research landscape. Participation patterns are changing. Some groups are harder to reach through traditional methods, while others are more active in online spaces that require new forms of engagement and interpretation. New tools can help us adapt, but only when accompanied by clear standards, training and careful judgement.

This strategy therefore centres on five goals. Together they will help the profession stay relevant, credible and useful over the next five years. This summary sets out the profession’s strategic direction and intended areas of action for 2026–31. Delivery will depend on resources, workforce planning, and the wider priorities of the Scottish Government and we expect to need to adjust to operating with constrained resources. Implementation affecting staff roles, ways of working or workforce planning will be taken forward through normal SG partnership and consultation arrangements and delivered in an internal annual action plan.