A year in reflection: Scottish Cities Alliance 2024 highlights
In light of this year’s Scottish Cities Week we want to use this as an opportunity to take a look back at the Scottish Cities Alliance 2024 highlights.
Scottish Cities Week
In January 2024, the SCA hosted its second annual Scottish Cities Week in London, building on the success of its debut. The event provided providing a focused opportunity for the Scottish cities to showcase their investment potential to an audience of over 120 investors, developers, agents and other built environment professionals. With positive feedback underscoring the events success in attracting investment, a third installment is set for January 2025.
Alliance Peer-to-Peer launch
We launched our Peer-to-Peer Knowledge Exchange Network with an event at Codebase Stirling highlighting the importance of embracing Scotland’s unique culture in city-centre recovery post-pandemic. Representatives from Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness, Glasgow, Dundee, Hull and Liverpool came together to discuss the importance of creating a creative space for the creative industry in their cities.
“Joining the Dots“
Run by the Connected Places Catapult, “Joining the Dots” is aimed at helping city leaders connect on shared challenges and opportunities to strengthen economic links and drive regional growth. March 2024 saw the team participate in the “Joining the Dots” event in Dublin, which gathered city representatives from across the UK and Ireland to discuss strategies for enhancing economic, political, and cultural development through effective place branding. Later in the year, Aberdeen played host to “Joining the Dots”. Organised by the SCA and partners, the event highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships, cultural integration, and innovative regeneration strategies, illustrated by Aberdeen City’s visionary plan to revitalise through community-driven initiatives.
Investor Networking Reception in Perth
The Scottish Cities Alliance also hosted an investor networking reception at the newly opened Perth Museum for cities to reconnect with key investors and developers established during Scottish Cities week at the same time as celebrating the museum’s role in enhancing Perth’s cultural landscape.
Showcasing Investment at UKREiiF 2024
A standout of 2024 was the SCA’s return to the UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), showcasing investment opportunities across Scotland’s eight cities. The event featured panel discussions, networking receptions, and partnerships with key stakeholders, emphasising Scotland’s commitment to attracting strategic investments. The Alliance highlighted significant projects, including Green Freeports and investment zones and since, the SCA has expanded its partnership with UKREiiF to drive further investment into Scotland’s cities as part of a Team Scotland pavilion at UKREiiF 2025.
Liveable City Conference
In a significant milestone for international collaboration, Glasgow and Stirling hosted the Liveable City Conference in partnership with the Royal Danish Embassy and Creative Denmark. The event focused on urbanism and creating vibrant public spaces, led by Cllr Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, and H.E. René Dinesen, Danish Ambassador to the UK. This conference underscored the strong cultural and environmental ties Scotland has internationally, and how city leaders can enhance the liveability of Scotland’s cities.
Delivering Retrofit at Scale Roundtable
The SCA, in partnership with Arup, hosted a roundtable at Dundee’s V&A focused on “Delivering Retrofit at Scale in Scotland.” City leaders and representatives from 3Ci, SNIB, and the Scottish Futures Trust discussed strategies for large-scale decarbonisation. This included Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, joining as the guest of honour, offering valuable perspectives and best practices from London. This collaborative effort positioned Scotland as a leader in the transition to a net-zero economy, with ongoing discussions set to continue at Scottish Cities Week 2025.
Unlocking Research-Policy Engagement
Hosted by the SCA in collaboration with the Scottish Policy & Research Exchange (SPRE), “Unlocking Research-Policy Opportunities & Capacities with Scotland’s Cities.”, brought together a series of experts to discuss the challenge of bridging the gap between research and local policymaking.
The core of the event focused on presentations from leading researchers and local government officers involved in successful research-policy collaborations:
- Aberdeen Health Determinants Research Collaboration: How the partnership between Aberdeen City Council, Robert Gordon University, and NHS Grampian aims to address health inequalities in the city.
- Urban ReLeaf: Prof. Mel Woods from Dundee University shared insights into their project that explores innovative urban greening and its impact on well-being and climate resilience.
- GALLANT: In Glasgow University’s strive to develop nature-based solutions to tackle climate challenges in Glasgow, collaboration between researchers and the Glasgow City Council is making a real difference in local environmental policy.
- Scottish Climate Intelligence Service: Jamie Brogan, Head of Climate Partnerships, Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI), shared the pioneering work of the Scottish Climate Intelligence Service, which supports policymakers with crucial data and insights to combat climate change across Scotland.
As we reflect on a year of remarkable achievements for Scotland’s cities, the Scottish Cities Alliance has been proud to play a supporting role in driving growth, innovation, and sustainable development across Scotland’s cities.
Heading into 2025, the Alliance remains dedicated to ensuring that Scotland’s cities continue to thrive as dynamic, resilient, and vibrant hubs of economic and cultural activity.
