UofG Centre for Public Policy

Agenda

09:15am – Registration Opens/Coffee on arrival

10:00am – Welcome Address: Jim McCormick, Chief Executive, the Robertson Trust

10:10am – Keynote: Joe Griffin, Permanent Secretary of the Scottish Government

11:00am – Keynote Address – Our Fiscal Challenge: Professor Graeme Roy, University of Glasgow and Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission. Including Q&A chaired by Professor Kezia Dugdale

11.45am – What's Next: Professor Nicola McEwen, Director of the Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow

12:00pm - Lunch

13:00pm – Introduction to the afternoon: Professor Kezia Dugdale, Associate Director of the Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow

13:05pm - Lightning Talks - What Should we be stopping?

These are designed to be quick fire provocations from leaders in this space, challenging attendees to think about what’s not working and should be stopped.

Talks from Shelter, Aberlour, Scotland Inclusive Growth and NESTA

13:25pm – Panel in Response: Panel of experts reflecting on what we’ve just heard and how we might achieve it, including audience Q&A.

Reflections from Sir Anton Muscatelli, Emma Jackson – CAS, Lorraine Sanda - Clackmannanshire Council

14:10pm – Lightning Talk - What should we start?

This second set of lightning talks will focus on what works and what we should be doing more of, drawing on real success stories.

Talks from Carnegie UK, Marie Curie and two expert voices from the University of Glasgow.

14:30pm – Panel in response

This panel will reflect on how we achieve these changes and what the enablers are for change, including audience Q&A.

Reflections from Angela Scott - Aberdeen City Council, Fiona Duncan - Independent Strategic Advisor to the Promise Scotland, and Professor Ruth Dundas.

15:15pm - Comfort Break/Coffee

15:35pm – Political Panel – Challenging our Political Leaders, chaired by Professor Kezia Dugdale, Associate Director of the Centre for Public Policy. Including audience Q&A.

• Michael Marra MSP - Scottish Labour
• Alison Thewliss - SNP
• Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP - Scottish Conservatives
• Graham Simpson MSP - Reform UK
• Jamie Greene MSP - Scottish Liberal Democrats
• Gillian Mackay MSP - Scottish Greens

16:15pm - Closing Address

16:30pm – Close

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Event information

The University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy invites you to join us to explore Scotland’s progress towards public service reform.

• How healthy are Scotland’s public finances and what big decisions face the next Scottish Government administration?
• What policies are delivering for Scotland, what ones are getting in the way and why?
• If resources are tight, what must we as a country stop doing in order to create the space and the capacity for more of what will help Scotland achieve its goals. Are we agreed what those goals are?

Join us for a day of provocation and deliberation with leaders from across Scotland’s public policy landscape and research community.

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First published: 11 December 2025