International network: annual report 2022-2023

Understanding Scotland’s International Network

Scotland’s international network of offices directly engages with governments and organisations in their respective countries to learn from others’ experience and share our knowledge, skills and technical expertise in areas of devolved responsibility for the benefit of people in Scotland and for the global good.

The network facilitates high-level engagement opportunities abroad for Scottish Ministers in support of the Government’s domestic policy objectives and of Scottish business. It provides a platform for Scottish public sector and commercial stakeholders to interact with their international partners. The network also engages extensively with Scotland’s diaspora, embracing opportunities to strengthen international relationships through in-person events such as St Andrew’s Day and Burns Night, as well as through digital platforms and social media channels.

Scotland’s international network comprises:

• two Scotland House offices, in Brussels and London
• seven Scottish Government international offices in North America, Europe and Asia
• over thirty Scottish Development International (SDI) offices across the world.

Scotland House Brussels and Scotland House London are both standalone sites operated by the Scottish Government in conjunction with key partners including SDI and others. They provide a platform for businesses and organisations to develop networks, work, do business and stage events to drive their growth. Both Scotland Houses generate income from events and membership services.

There are seven further Scottish Government international offices. All these offices are based in British Embassies or High Commissions and are a joint presence with SDI. Like the other devolved governments, as well as UK departments with an overseas presence, the Scottish Government pays an annual platform charge to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for access to facilities and local support in the Embassy or High Commission.

SDI is the international arm of Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s national economic development agency, and has over 30 international offices staffed by over 100 officials based in 23 countries. These local trade and investment specialists provide support to companies and ensure that business relationships formed, or investment created, helps to build Scotland’s international connections, positively impacts Scotland’s economy, and SDI’s aim is to grow Scotland’s exports, increase inward investment to Scotland and secure new capital investment to fund a just transition to net zero.

SDI delivers international business support in collaboration with the Scottish Government and other public sector entities, including Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise.

Office Profiles

Scotland House Brussels

Scotland House Brussels (SHB) leads Scotland’s engagement with the European Union (EU) and is a convenor of relationships between Scottish, European and international partners. It protects and promotes Scotland’s interests and values with the EU and its member states and enhances Scotland’s international collaboration using collective networks, insights and expertise – working as a trusted, engaged and reliable partner – to advance both domestic and international priorities, and our commitment to EU alignment.

The Scottish Government’s EU office in Brussels was established at the heart of the EU quarter, in 1999. The office brings together the Scottish Government EU Directorate, comprising eleven civil servants and six country-based staff, with Scotland Europa, a membership-based organisation that promotes Scotland’s interests across the institutions of the European Union, and to the representatives of Europe’s regions and Member States. The team has expertise and experience in EU affairs, economic development and diplomacy. This is underpinned by a rich programme of policy and cultural events and strong working relationships with the UK Mission to the EU.

USA

The Scottish Government Office in the United States was established in 2001 in Washington, DC, and comprises two Scottish Government staff posted from Scotland and two country-based staff. In addition, as a priority market, SDI currently employs 34 staff across the broad range of trade and investment priorities within offices located in Chicago, Houston and San José together with staff working in other locations across the USA.

China

The Scottish Government Office in China, works in partnership with SDI to strengthen political, economic, cultural, education and social relationships with China in keeping with Scotland’s values. Based in Beijing, the Scottish Government Office comprises four full time members of staff – one posted from the Scottish Government and three country-based staff. The Scottish Government has had a presence in China since 2005.

Ireland

The Scottish Government Office in Ireland was established in Dublin in early 2016 and provides dedicated support for building on the existing links between Ireland and Scotland. The Ireland team comprised two Scottish Government staff posted from Scotland and one country-based staff member, along with two SDI trade specialists.

Scotland House London

Established in 2017, Scotland House London (SHL) is a unique collaboration between the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise (including Scottish Development International), Visit Scotland and Highland and Islands Enterprise.

It is a permanent home for 14 staff from Scottish Government as well as partner organisations in London, and also serves as a base for visiting Ministers and officials. It is used to support trade and investment, strengthen government to government relations and facilitate collaboration on a wide range of policy priorities in one of the world’s most important centres. SHL also provides the platform to showcase the best of Scotland to key London and international audiences. The team develops relationships through the community of London-based embassies, and organises activities and events in support of Scotland’s trade, investment, research and innovation strategies.

France

Team Scotland France consists of the Scottish Government France Office and SDI France. Established in 2018, the Scottish Government Office has a team of three – two from Scotland and one country-based – that leads on our diplomatic and political engagements in France as well as cultural diplomacy. The SDI team comprises nine colleagues who lead on economic aspects such as trade promotion and developing investment opportunities across a range of sectors including energy, life sciences, new technologies, textiles, and food and drink.

Germany

The Scottish Government Office in Germany was established in Berlin in April 2018 and works in partnership with SDI to strengthen Scotland’s political, economic and cultural relationships with Germany. Collaboratively, the team in Germany promotes engagement across devolved matters and supports collaboration between Scottish and German business, innovation and research, educational and cultural organisations. The Scottish Government Office in Germany comprises three full-time members of staff – two posted from Scotland and one country-based.

Canada

Team Scotland in Canada comprises a Scottish Government Office established in 2018, with three staff based in the British High Commission in Ottawa – two diplomats and one country-based colleague. In addition, SDI trade and investment staff are situated in key locations across the Americas including a physical presence in Calgary and Toronto.

Nordics

The Scottish Government Office in the Nordic region is the latest addition to our international network of offices. Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the office became operational in May 2022 and officially opened in August 2022. Complementing the existing SDI presence, the Nordics works to promote partnerships between Scotland and five nearby small, open and similar countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway – as well as offering Scotland a strong platform for engaging the multilateral institutions based in Copenhagen, including the United Nations and its agencies. The Nordics Office is made up of two Scottish Government civil servants and one country-based staff member.

Working collaboratively as Team Scotland

“Our network of overseas offices is vital to promoting Scotland’s international profile and protecting and enhancing Scotland’s interests in the EU and beyond. We will continue to invest in international relationships, enhance our communications activity, and unlock new economic and trading opportunities.” Global Affairs Framework^[5]

Scotland’s international network comprises a broader range of partners, all supporting our efforts across trade, investment and diplomacy.

Managed by Scottish Enterprise, the GlobalScot network^[6] is an international business network of business leaders which has been supporting Scotland’s economic vision for over 20 years. GlobalScots are influential senior business leaders located throughout the world, motivated to give something back to Scotland. They provide insight and thought leadership on key priority areas for Scotland’s enterprise agencies and for Government. They support companies by advising and mentoring – giving companies the benefit of years of experience. With over 1,200 GlobalScots worldwide across 64 countries, this network helps achieve our ambitious economic vision for Scotland’s future.

The Directorate for International Trade and Investment (DITI) leads the Scottish Government’s drive to internationalise the Scottish economy by building our trade capacity and presence in international markets, and by increasing exports and inward investment. A key strand of this work is the Trade and Investment Envoy Network. Established in 2017, the network is made up of appointees who represent the Scottish Government in a non-political capacity. They represent the Scottish Government at events, support trade missions, provide business insights, and strategic connections in their locales and fields of expertise. Most of the Trade and Investment Envoys operate in the country where they are based and add value by drawing on connections from their personal networks in-country and day-to-day business activities. Other Envoys focus on a specific sector – e.g., International Higher Education or Capital Investment.

Since the launch of the Scottish Government’s export growth plan, A Trading Nation^[7], in May 2019, the number of Envoys has increased from four to eleven, all of them GlobalScots. They are located in Indonesia, UAE, Spain, Singapore, Poland, Scotland, London and the East and West Coasts of the US.

Brand Scotland^[8] is the cross-organisational partnership which brings together the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland, Universities Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Creative Scotland and Scotland Food and Drink.

The purpose is to join up all marketing and communications output that touches an international audience, delivering and executing a collaborative, audience-first nation brand strategy. Brand Scotland channels deliver year-round marketing output targeted at key international markets, with the aim of enhancing Scotland’s international reputation as a great place to Live/Work, Visit, Study and Do business.

Brand Scotland works in close collaboration with our network of international offices, by providing branded communications and marketing support, so that offices can bring their activities to life in line with our brand values and ensuring that in-country activities are aligned with the positive, unified vision of Scotland that we display to the world. This cohesive approach amplifies the collective impact of all of our international activity and ultimately helps improve Scotland’s reputation abroad in support of economic growth.