“The fact that three institutions – the universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh – came together to found the Council is very good practice and not something I have seen in any other jurisdictions.”
Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of Ireland from 2017-2020 and 2022-24.
Scotland’s First Minister and the former Prime Minister of Ireland helped St Andrews celebrate taking over the chairmanship of the international relations think tank, the Scottish Council on Global Affairs (SCGA) at an event held in St Andrews on 6 February.
The First Minister John Swinney MSP and former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joined Principal Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, at an event held in the School of Medicine’s Booth Lecture Theatre to mark the transition of SCGA from the University of Glasgow to St Andrews for the next two years.
Welcoming students, staff and invited guests to the event, Professor Mapstone said the University of St Andrews saw its role on the SCGA “as a central part of our strategic and academic mission”.
In her introduction, Professor Mapstone also thanked colleagues from SCGA partner institutions attending the event including University of Glasgow Principal Professor Anton Muscatelli, and University of Edinburgh Provost, Professor Kim Graham, as well as Irish Consul General of Ireland to Scotland, Jerry O’Donovan.
In his speech, the First Minister talked about the important role Scotland and the SCGA can play in meeting current and future challenges to global security.
Wealth of insight and experience
He said: “As First Minister I want to ensure we are always able to draw on the council’s wealth of insight and expertise when it comes to considering international affairs. And we are engaging directly internationally as well as through that expertise here at home. That engagement enables is us to attract international investment, boost export growth of Scottish firms, and attract the talent that drives our nation’s productivity and innovation.
“In Scotland, we are fortunate that we enjoy a strong and distinctive international profile, but there is immense value in knowledge exchange and learning from the good work of other countries to improve policy and public services here at home.”
The First Minister went on to say, “There is no independent country closer to Scotland either geographically or culturally than Ireland” adding, “If you will permit a moment of envy. We have seen the central role Ireland has played in European institutions and the way it has enhanced its sovereignty, influence and indeed its wealth through those institutions.”
‘Shared commitment’
The First Minister also reflected on the “shared commitment” of Scotland and Ireland to international development and “the recognition of the basic injustice at the very heart of climate change”, stating: “Both our governments have been at the forefront of funding innovative research that will help shape the global conversation on loss and damage.”
Leo Varadkar, who served as Taoiseach – or Prime Minister – of Ireland from 2017-2020 and again from 2022-24 and helped lead Ireland through the Covid Pandemic, Brexit and maintaining Ireland’s place at the heart of the European Union.
Mr Varadkar, who stepped down following the most recent General Election, said he was delighted that he could come to St Andrews on his first visit to Scotland.
His talk focused on how nations like Scotland and Ireland can provide a hub for debate and discussion on international affairs, and the importance of SCGA – Scotland’s only international relations think tank – in meeting current global challenges, particularly European security and stability.
Worked noted
Commenting on the SCGA and the role of smaller states like Ireland and Scotland in international affairs, Mr Varadkar said: “The fact that three institutions – the universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh – came together to found the Council is very good practice and not something I have seen in any other jurisdictions.”
He noted the work SCGA has done on Russia, Ukraine and the Just Transition, saying it had been, “impressive”.
He went on to say: “As smaller countries, we are deeply affected by global developments. All the major crises and situations I was involved with – the global financial crisis and banking collapse, Brexit, the pandemic, climate change, migration and inflation – all originated outside of Ireland…. Our problems are local and global And the solutions, therefore, must be local and global too.”
Questions from the invited audience were answered by both speakers.
Dr Mateja Peter, Executive Director of SCGA, offered a vote of thanks to the speakers, university members of SCGA, and to the Scottish and UK governments, noting the bonds of partnership both between nations and universities that were represented. She noted the support of the University of Glasgow in providing the first leadership of SCGA, and looked forward to the future leadership of the University of Edinburgh.
A recording of the event is available here , you can listen to a podcast of the event here and you can read the full text of the First Minister’s speech below.
