The Scottish Parliament's think-tank
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of Scotland’s Futures Forum and the final stages of this session of the Scottish Parliament, prior to the election in 2026. We are looking for ideas on topics that the Forum could usefully highlight, through publishing short pieces of research, commentary and blogs, or explore by hosting events like seminars and workshops.
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Friday 23 August 2024, at the Scottish Parliament Part of the 2024 Festival of Politics, this panel discussion explored the challenges and opportunities artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology present to democracies. The panel included…
Tuesday 17 September 2024, at the Scottish Parliament This event, held on 17 September 2024 at the Scottish Parliament, showcased innovative approaches to integrating AI in education, highlighting its potential to enhance learning, foster creativity,…
Friday 23 August 2024, at the Scottish Parliament As part of the 2024 Festival of Politics, Scotland’s Futures Forum helped the Scottish Parliament mark its 25th anniversary with a panel discussion reflecting on its achievements,…
Are creative humans still relevant. This Festival of Politics debate in August 2024 explored the impact of AI on Scotland’s creative sector.
Tuesday March 19 2024 This event continued our critical conversation on the policies, strategies and practices shaping artificial intelligence’s future in Scottish schools. It brought together educators, academics and other experts and provoked discussions on…
22 April 2024 Scotland aims to achieve ‘net zero’ by 2045, but the Scottish Government announced, in April, that the interim 2030 target is unreachable highlighting the significant challenges ahead. By bringing together MSPs and…
How are parliaments changing to respond to the climate and biodiversity emergencies? How are they supporting their elected members to deal with the issues..
Malini Mehra, chief executive of GLOBE International, joins parliamentarians in the COP pavilion to provide an update on how conference negotiations are going.
Following our public panel discussion in October 2023 on inequality in Scotland, event attendee Neil Gilmour shared his thoughts on the event and the question.
This seminar in November 2023 explored the levers that we can use in education and learning to make the best use of artificial intelligence.
This event in October 2023 explored how we can use our land to underpin food security, maintain sustainable communities, & meet climate & biodiversity targets
This blog by David Waite, Richard Crisp and Anne Green reflects on different ideas of economic change and where they’ve come from.
An update from the Scottish Parliament’s think-tank on its work in autumn 2023. This includes information about a public debate in October.
With AI growing in importance throughout our lives, this blog explores a free-market future for education and schools. It accompanies our event report: “AI and Education with the Goodison Group”
This panel discussion in October 2023 explored how fair Scotland is as a country. Complete equality of outcome is impossible – so what does success look like?
What can be done to tackle the giants of 21st century poverty? This seminar in August 2023 with the David Hume Institute and Professor Danny Dorling explored whether Scotland is providing some answers.
If all political parties in Scotland are committed to tackling poverty, why has more progress not been made? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored Scotland’s poverty problem.
Post-pandemic and in a cost-of-living crisis, how can new economic ideas help us shape the future? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored how our economy could and should work.
How can Scotland create fair and sustainable communities? This Festival of Politics debate in August 2023 explored the role of and future for our land in Scotland.
An update from the Scottish Parliament’s think-tank on its work in summer 2023. This includes information on the Festival of Politics in August.
With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate emergency and rising inequality, this seminar in June 2023 explored business purpose and making a good living.
This seminar in June 2023 explored the disruptive effect of artificial intelligence on education and skills. How could & should AI influence learning?
Blog in May 2023 by Robbie Scarff on Artificial Intelligence and Skills: what impact will AI have on what it means to be a worker?
Blog in May 2023 by Robbie Scarff on Artificial Intelligence and Education: what tools are available and what issues do they raise?
What effect will AI have on democracy? This podcast, recorded in May 2023, explored the potential impact of AI on our lives and how we should react.
Three blogs by 16 and 17-year-old students submitted to the Goodison Group in Scotland ahead of an event on AI and Education in 2023.
This blog offers ideas for how AI can help unlock education for millions of people worldwide. It is reproduced to accompany our event report: “AI and Education with the Goodison Group”
This blog offers a scenario of the future in which students use AI to learn about the past. It is reproduced to accompany our event report: “AI and Education with the Goodison Group”
This blog offers thoughts on how AI could be used within education to benefit both students and teachers. It is reproduced to accompany our event report: “AI and Education with the Goodison Group”
A half-day conference in May 2023 with the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee on the relationship between local and central government.
With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate and ecological emergency, rising inequality and an ageing population, this seminar in April 2023 explored the idea of a just transition.
Scotland’s Futures Forum: the Scottish Parliament’s think-tank. Explore our work since 2007 by category: technology, economy, society, democracy and more.
With Scotland facing the challenges of a climate and ecological emergency, rising inequality and an ageing population, this seminar in February 2023 explored the idea of a wellbeing economy
A review of Scotland’s Futures Forum’s work over 2022, bringing people together with the Scottish Parliament to explore democracy, education and tax.
A toolkit with seven key questions to scrutinise the design and use of artificial intelligence – for parliaments and others.
A contribution to the National Discussion on Scottish education from the Futures Forum and Goodison Group in Scotland.
Event in November 2022 with the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee on taxation in Scotland.
Blog by Alison Payne of Reform Scotland on Scotland’s tax system and the report “Taxing Times: Why Scotland needs new, more and better taxes”.
A forum debate in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 8 November 2022 on Scottish education as part of the National Discussion on Education.
Podcast of “Data Vultures Destroying Democracy” debate, from the 2022 Festival of Politics, on the increasing role of data in our society and the implications for democracy.
A Futures Forum debate at the Festival of Politics on 11 August 2022 on disinformation, new media and democracy. In partnership with the CPG on Tibet.
An update from the Scottish Parliament’s think-tank on its work in summer 2022. This includes information on the Festival of Politics in August.
A summary of the Futures Forum’s work on the future of democracy from 2021 and 2022: Environment, Technology and Participation.
This report uses events at COP26 to identify a pathway for Parliaments in tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies.
This seminar in June 2022 focused on what happens when decisions made by algorithm don’t work as intended: who is accountable and how are they held accountable?
A short review of the responses of Parliaments around the world to the development of artificial intelligence [AI].
A discussion on 7 June 2022 with the Goodison Group in Scotland on building a compelling vision for Scottish education.
An update from the Scottish Parliament’s think-tank on its work in spring 2022. This includes a chance to share your views on what we should be doing.
To mark Seachdain na Gàidhlig in 2022, the Futures Forum asked several Gaelic speakers to share their views of the future. These are their blogs.
A blog by artist and teacher Críostóir de Piondargás on Gaelic visual arts. Written originally in Gaelic for Seachdain na Gàidhlig in 2022, this blog imagines a successful sector in 2045.
In this blog, Tòmas MacAilpein looks at rewilding – in the Highlands, in the Lowlands for nature and people. Read this blog in Gaelic… I remember walking through a bright wood and into a dark…
A story by Iain Finlay MacLeod about Scotland in 2035 and beyond. Written originally in Gaelic for Seachdain na Gàidhlig in 2022, “2035” is a darkly comic tale of our future.
A blog by Rhoda Meek, a crofter and businesswoman, on Scotland in 2045. Written originally in Gaelic for Seachdain na Gàidhlig in 2022, the blog explores how housing is central to islands communities.
In this blog, Green Instagrammer Iona Whyte tells us how community power and environmental initiatives can come together for the good of Scotland in 2045. Read this blog in Gaelic… Scotland and our public are…
In this blog, broadcaster and ‘gardener of sorts’ John McDiarmid looks at how allotments contribute to community, wellbeing and the environment in the city, and the benefits of growing our own food. Read this blog…
In this blog, musician and broadcaster Mary Ann Kennedy looks back at the life of renowned Gaelic singer Jessie MacLachlan and asks what we can learn from her for the future. Read this blog in…
In this blog, writer and publisher Màiri Kidd looks at how the translation of literature between languages – large and small – can give us other windows on the world. Read this blog in Gaelic……
Gus seachdain na Gàidhlig 2022 a chomharrachadh, iarr Fòram Alba air Thoiseach air grunn luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig na beachdan aca a thoirt dhuinn mun àm ri teachd. Tha am pròiseact, a chaidh a ruith le taic…
Gus seachdain na Gàidhlig 2022 a chomharrachadh, iarr Fòram Alba air Thoiseach air grunn luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig na beachdan aca a thoirt dhuinn mun àm ri teachd. Tha am pròiseact, a chaidh a ruith le taic…