In this special Scotland’s Future Series recording, host Stephen Gethins speaks to the convener and deputy convener of the Scottish Parliament committee on the Constitution, External Affairs, Europe and Culture, during their visit to the University.

The discussion with Clare Adamson MSP and Donald Cameron MSP included talking about the committee’s most recent Inquiry into the Scottish Government’s International Work as well as Scotland’s place in the world and what ‘soft’ powers can be used to promote Scotland ‘the brand’.

The recording followed two meetings held at the University earlier in the day – one with staff from the School of International Relations and one with a group of students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, including students from Ukraine, Germany, Romania, the US, and Scotland.

These discussions were, according to both Clare and Donald, very helpful to the committee and they said it was interesting to hear the students in particular talk about how they see Scotland on the international stage, the importance of the Scottish diaspora in building links across the globe, as well as the value of cultural exchanges where international students can learn more about Scotland while they are here and take this knowledge with them.

Participants in the podcast also discussed the significance of the Scottish Council on Global Affairs in promoting Scotland as a centre of political knowledge and insight, St Andrews’ role in this, and the importance of providing a forum for wider debate on issues including the High North, particularly in relation to defence and security in Europe, as well as the development and encouragement of feminist foreign policy.

This Scotland’s Future Series podcast recording looks at the cost-of-living and energy crisis and asks what support is being given to help St Andrews students and staff during this exceptionally challenging time.

Host Stephen Gethins speaks to Student President Juan Rodriguez, Director of Wellbeing and Equality Emma Craig, and Dr Fiona Whelan, Assistant Director of Student Services, about the work going on across the University and what we can all do to support those worst affected.

This week the University launched its discounted bus travel scheme in conjunction with Stagecoach. Fares for all staff and students will be subsided by 75 per cent. The Students’ Association has also been active in offering a raft of support to students. Initiatives include a cost-of-living guide to signpost students and their families to the help they may need.

The University is also doing what it can to support the wider community and the latest round of the University Community Fund focuses specifically on supporting organisations across Fife directly helping those most affected by the increase in the cost-of-living and energy bills.

Tune in to find out what help and advice is available.

In this recording, Scotland’s Future Series looks at the University Community Fund and the importance the University places on supporting the St Andrews and wider Fife community.

In this episode, the University’s Vice-Principal (Communications), Niall Scott, and Community Engagement and Social Responsibility Officer, Lesley Caldwell, talk to host Mike Gettinby, the University’s Deputy Legal Officer, about why the University Community Fund was launched, the groups it has helped over the past two years, the networks it has helped build, and why the most recent funding round is specifically focused on supporting local organisations and groups directly helping people affected by the cost of living and energy crisis.

In this Scotland’s Future Series discussion host Professor Stephen Gethins talks to Professor Ali Ansari from the University’s School of History and former refugee and author Dina Nayeri, from the School of English, about the current protests in Iran and what’s driving women across the country to say enough is enough.

In the last few months, protests have escalated across Iran as people, especially women, stand up to four decades of this repressive regime, its enforcement of Sharia law, and the impact of strict rules including the re-veiling of women and girls in public.

Dina Nayeri talks about her childhood in Iran, which coincided with the early days of the Islamic Republic, her experience as a refugee after her family fled Iran, and the perspective of the current generation of Iranians living in “confusion” between the strict rules imposed on their own lives and the “maleocracy” of their government, juxtaposed with the free world they can see beyond its borders.

Ali Ansari, who is the Founding Director of St Andrews’ Institute for Iranian Studies, talks about the process of change in Iran and how the end of the Islamic Republic and a return to a more liberal society may take time.

In this special interview for the Scotland’s Future Series, Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko talks about the impact of the Russian invasion not only on the freedom, democracy, human rights, and liberties of those living in Ukraine, but also of everyone living across Europe.

Speaking on a visit to the University of St Andrews, where she met with Ukrainian students and took part in a public event on the situation in Ukraine, Ms Vasylenko said that while the war being waged by Russia since 2014 affects the people of Ukraine most, the escalation of Russian aggression since February of this year has far-reaching consequences for the whole “democratic and freedom-loving global family”.

We are grateful to alumna and recent Honorary graduate Dr Fiona Hill for allowing her interview with Professor Stephen Gethins to be recorded and distributed as part of the University’s Scotland’s Future podcast series.

Dr Hill is a voice for our time: a specialist in foreign affairs, an experienced public servant, and a former Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for European and Russian affairs at the National Security Council.

Now a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, Dr Hill is one of the world's foremost experts on Russia, particularly in the context of European and transatlantic security arrangements, and her wisdom, expertise, and rigour are in global demand.

Dr Hill graduated from the University of St Andrews with a Master of Arts with Honours in Russian and Modern History in 1989 - a fact she recounted while testifying during the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in November 2019. She returned to St Andrews in June to receive an honorary doctorate during the University's summer graduation session.

Following the graduation ceremony Dr Hill took time to share her views with the St Andrews community and to discuss her superb new memoir, There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century, published in autumn 2021. Many members of staff, students and members of the public attended the on-stage conversation hosted by Professor Stephen Gethins from the School of International Relations.

This episode is a recording of the first event to be funded by the University’s innovative Scotland’s Future Series which brought staff, students and members of the wider St Andrews community together to discuss how we can listen better and debate more collaboratively.

Organised by the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland (YAS) and the University’s Ethics Cup team, the ‘Responsible Debate’ event focused on the importance of using civilised and constructive techniques to discuss issues, particularly in an increasingly polarised world.

The event was hosted by YAS member Dr Alice König, of the School of Classics, and chaired by Ben Sachs, Senior Lecturer in philosophy and organiser of the Ethics Cup. The panel comprised Dundee West MP and St Andrews alumnus Chris Law, the University’s Head of Mediation and Wellbeing, Ruth Unsworth, Professor Stephen Gethins from the School of International Relations, and YAS member Peter McColl of The Consultation Institute.

In Episode 5 of our podcast series Professor Stephen Gethins meets Dr Milinda Banerjee, Lecturer in Modern History in the School of History and Sociologist Dr Jo Mhairi Hale, lecturer in Geography and Sustainable Development, to talk about the interdisciplinary project they are embarking on as part of Scotland’s Future Series with their colleague, Isabel Robinson, Research Fellow in Modern History.

Called ‘For Freedom: Scotland and the Making of a Decolonised World’ their project looks at Scotland’s role in the anti-colonial movement. During the discussion, they talk about how 2022 marks a century since the formal independence of Egypt, and 75 years since the independence of India and Pakistan and how, on these anniversaries, the project aims to follow two main pathways connecting Scotland to pasts and futures of decolonisation in Asia and Africa.

In Episode 4 of our new podcast series, we hear from the first students to be awarded funding from the University’s Scotland’s Future project.

Second-year students Svenja Schulz and Hayden Siratt have been awarded £3,300 for their project which will see them seek to give students and other young people a voice in the political policy-making process.

Svenja, who studies Management and International Relations, and Hayden, who studies Economics and International Relations, were the winners of last year’s Global Challenges Programme run by the School of International Relations which aims to support students’ personal and academic development and their ability to work collaboratively, effectively and creatively. The overall Programme supports the University strategy and consists of an undergraduate student competition and targeted skills workshops.

The theme of last year’s Global Challenges competition was policymaking and the need for more evidence-based work so countries can react to crises in a more timely manner.

Svenja and Hayden now wish to take their research further through the formation of the Political Institute of Action Research.

In the discussion with host Professor Stephen Gethins, Svenja and Hayden explain their project will look at issues affecting the local community, inform policy, and advocate for change.

Episode 3 of the Scotland’s Future podcast series features self-confessed “podcast geek”, Mike Gettinby, the University’s Deputy Legal Officer.

During his conversation with host Stephen Gethins, Mike talks about how he grew up tuning into debate and discussion on Radio 4 and is now an avid fan of podcasts on everything from cycling to music. As soon as he heard about the Scotland’s Future Series project, he very quickly suggested it included podcasts.

Explaining why he felt podcasts would add value to the project, Mike said: “Whenever the SFS programme came up I thought this was a great opportunity to use a podcast to get the message out to the world about what we are doing at St Andrews, both within the community and the wider University community, alumni etc, and to draw on the deep well of knowledge and understanding we have.”

Drawing on his own experience as a lawyer, Mike goes on to talk about the importance of productive and respectful debate so that policy and legislative developments make the world a better place for all.