By Shona Hilton, Deputy Director of the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit.

A roundtable took place at the University of Glasgow on 23rd August, co-hosted by the Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken, and Vice Principal (Research) Professor Chris Pearce, with the co-leads of GALoPP, Professor Shona Hilton, and Dr Duncan Booker of Glasgow City Council. The event aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by policy partners in the Glasgow City Region, for promoting inclusivity and sustainability.

In his opening address, Prof. Chris Pearce highlighted the institution's commitment to solving societal challenges through research and innovation, stating that: “The GALoPP project is a catalyst for real-world innovation and solutions, and I am pleased to co-host the roundtable and bring together key leaders from the Glasgow City Region to discuss how we can better work together to create a more sustainable future for all.”

Councillor Aitken added to this by stressing the importance and challenge of partnerships translating aspirations into outcomes for citizens, and of listening to the voices of the community, especially those facing deeply entrenched challenges of inequalities.

A group of people sitting round a table with GALoPP logo on a big screen

Nineteen senior leaders from the public, third and private sectors attending the roundtable then discussed two questions:

  • What do leaders across Glasgow City Region need to do to ensure that major economic investments meet the needs of all citizens, leaving no one behind? 
  • How can educational institutions and employers be the most effective civic partners to Glasgow City Region in achieving its inclusivity and sustainability goals around future skills?

The insights gleaned from this roundtable event are set to chart the course for the Phase 2 bid and GALoPP’s ongoing collaborative endeavours. In Prof. Chris Pearce's closing address, GALoPP was praised for its work in bringing together an impressive local policy partnership to contribute to Glasgow City Region’s grand vision by 2030 of becoming "the most innovative, inclusive, and resilient economy in the United Kingdom." 

First published: 28 August 2023

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