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ANNEX C EVALUATION EVIDENCE ON INDIVIDUAL EVENTS

1. Public Lecture and Seminar on Brain Science
2. Cancer Seminar - Radiotherapy: Planning for the Future
3. Drugs and Substance Abuse/ Prostitution Learning Journey
4. Access to Justice Conference, Leiden and associated study visit
5. Evening of Scottish Culture
6. Wee Stories Theatre Group's performance of Tam O'Shanter
7. East Glasgow Youth Theatre/ ISH Theatre Visit
8. National Arts Education Network ( NAEN) study trip and Cultural Jongeren Paspoort/ cultural entitlement seminar
9. Landforms Exhibition and Study Tour

1. Public Lecture and Seminar on Brain science

C.1 The public lecture was delivered by Professor Richard Morris, Edinburgh University at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences on the evening of 30 September, 2004 and the Seminar on Brain Science involving researchers from Scottish and Dutch institutions was also held at the same venue on 1 October. The British Ambassador to the Netherlands addressed the audience at the Public Lecture and hosted a dinner for seminar participants.

Pre-event

Origins

C.2 The Royal Society of Edinburgh ( RSE) is represented on the Scottish International Forum and therefore has an understanding of the Executive's higher level objectives in promoting Scotland internationally, if an imperfect understanding of the details of strategy to meet these objectives. Our consultee in the RSE was not involved with the decision to choose the Netherlands, but considers it to have been a good choice.

C.3 The pre-event phase started with an approach to the RSE by an official in the Executive. Staff in the RSE consulted Fellows on the opportunity to contribute to the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. A number of options were discussed with the Executive on what contribution the RSE might make. The Executive suggested brain science as a suitable topic. The British Embassy in The Hague supported this choice of subject: it was keen to promote links in brain science research with the Netherlands.

Objectives

C.4 Both the Public Lecture and Seminar were devised with the themes of raising public awareness of brain science research and promoting research collaboration in mind. The objectives set for the events included: to demonstrate to the corresponding scientific communities the nature and scope of current research; to exchange views on likely future developments, including an examination of the results of the UK's national Foresight exercise; to identify possible future research collaborations; and to stimulate public discussion of the social implications of scientific developments in neuroscience.

Organisation

C.5 There was an early recognition of the need for an appropriate Dutch partner organisation. (The RSE has had bad experiences in other overseas initiatives where an appropriate in-country partner was not in place.) The British Embassy and The British Council were consulted and an approach made to the Dutch academy, KNAW. This led to the establishment of a joint Scientific Programme Committee which met once in person. Prior links between the University of Edinburgh and researchers in Amsterdam in neuroscience were already in place and this helped the process.

C.6 The Scientific Programme Committee ensured a good level of knowledge of what research was going on in both countries. Invitations to individual researchers flowed from nominations emerging from this Committee. A logistics/planning committee was also established.

C.7 Although the budget provided by the Executive proved to be adequate to meet all costs, the key and scarce resource was that of senior academics' time to help with the scientific programme.

C.8 An event evaluation questionnaire for participants in the Brain Science Seminar was designed by the RSE and approved by the Executive. This was issued at the event.

C.9 The key success factor in the pre-event phase is considered to have been the engagement of "high quality" people in the academic community in Scotland in the programme planning process. Our consultee emphasises the importance of direct people contact and the value of visiting the overseas location during the pre-event phase. The enthusiastic support of the Dutch partner organisation was an additional key success factor.

C.10 With hindsight, there was scope closer engagement between the RSE and the Executive in examining potential value in linkages between different activities in the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme, during the pre-event phase, notably with the Evening of Scottish Culture.

Event

C.11 The RSE's expectations for both events were realised. Feedback from KNAW has indicated that it had received the best response to a public lecture the Academy can recall in recent years. The RSE was very happy with the size and "quality" of the audience for the lecture. However, our consultee noted that such an event may not be appropriate in other countries - a Dutch audience was able to follow the lecture in English. The only caveat from the RSE is that more had been hoped for on Foresight-related issues in both lecture and seminar: in the view of our consultee, this was probably the least well addressed part of the objectives.

C.12 Our own observational research confirms the nature of the audience. However, the exhibition of research activity/capability which was held around the public lecture was disappointing in terms of content. Scottish, as distinct from UK, research activity and capability had a low profile. The exhibition was not about Scotland and therefore of marginal relevance to the event. It was an exhibition provided by the British Embassy and was regarded as appropriate for the purpose by officials in the Executive. The use of this Embassy-sponsored exhibition was considered appropriate given the presence of the British Ambassador at the public lecture and as host of a dinner for seminar participants.

C.13 The original plan was for a ministerial presence from Scotland. This did not happen. However, the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland did address the Brain Science seminar, speaking about high tech equipment in diagnostic centres. His address, in the view of our consultee, was well received.

C.14 Strengths in the conduct of the two events were in the commitment and seriousness of the Dutch partner organisation and in the quality of academic participation both in the pre-event design phase and in the events themselves.

Post-event

C.15 The RSE has undertaken its own evaluation of the Brain Science Seminar which has been reported to the Executive. A post-mortem meeting between organisers in Scotland and the Executive is recommended on a future occasion.

C.16 The RSE conducted a survey of the views of Brain Science Seminar participants using a questionnaire completed immediately after the event. Customised questionnaires were issued to Dutch participants and to delegates from Scotland. We were provided with copies of the raw information collected by the RSE. In the tables below we highlight responses to a sub-set of the questions posed.

C.17 Overall the results paint a positive picture, both in terms of re-inforcing or creating contacts and in showcasing the strengths of Scotland's science base. There is evidence of intentions to follow-up contacts made during the event which if realised offer the prospects of sustainable benefit for the two scientific communities.

Table C.1: Responses from Dutch participants in the Brain Science Seminar (where n= number of responses)

Table C.2: Responses from participants in the Brain Science Seminar from Scotland (where n= number of responses)

C.18 Operationally, the RSE would ensure more influence over the content of matters such as exhibition material used in and around any future event.

C.19 A number of follow-up activities are being pursued by the RSE which offer the prospect of achieving more sustainable benefits from their participation in the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. There are now discussions taking place around joining with the Dutch in a consortium initiative aimed at China. There are discussions also ongoing with The British Council in the Netherlands relating to initiatives in support of young academics. Exchange visits by Dutch and Scottish academics with RSE support will take place. A graduate summer school for Dutch participants is being considered.

C.20 The events have opened up channels of communication: Dutch researchers have been invited to visit the labs of researchers in Scotland as a result of new contacts made.

Results of telephone survey

C.21 Nine Dutch participants in the Brain Science Seminar were interviewed by Dutch staff of SQW's sub-contractor, TNS. The interviews were conducted during February 2005. The views of the respondents are summarised below.

Overall evaluation of the Seminar

C.22 For most respondents the opportunity to meet and exchange knowledge with highly qualified colleagues was one of the most positive aspects of this event. To meet highly respected researchers from Scotland, people like Emma Wood, Richard Morris, David Andersson and Bob Loghie, was for many respondents extremely interesting and greatly appreciated.

C.23 The papers were considered to be of very high quality and some respondents expressed surprise at the excellent quality of research being conducted in Scotland.

C.24 Apart from the good lectures and the interesting people they met, participants also praised the excellent organisation, the beautiful location and the very good food.

C.25 Respondents were however disappointed that more was not done to assure further follow-up activity: some respondents viewed the event as too "non-committal". They wished to see for example the event leading to a joint application for grants which could make further forms of collaboration possible: some feel the event should at least have led to a document defining in what fields co-operation would be possible and how this could be financed. Also, a discussion about the possibility of exchange students would have been highly appreciated.

C.26 A few participants felt that the aim of the meeting could have been clearer. Discussions could have been more structured. Sometimes participants mention that they would have liked to have had more time for personal contacts. The seminar was interesting, but the programme was very full and not all papers were interesting to all participants. They suggest the possibility of fewer sessions with small group sessions for scientists working in similar fields.

C.27 However, the overall view of the seminar is very positive and many participants feel that it will leave a lasting positive impression.

Exchange of practice

C.28 Although most participants did not establish new contacts, many were happy to renew existing ones. Two respondents, however, noted they had met scientists they had wanted to meet for some time.

C.29 Even those who were well informed about what is happening in the field of brain research in Scotland were impressed by the high quality of research practice in this country. The seminar improved the knowledge of Dutch researchers on who is presently doing what and at what location in Scotland. Some respondents, who had had no contacts with this country before the event, expressed their admiration for the level and quality of research in Scotland, far higher than had been envisaged forehand. In the words of one respondent:

"I now have a much better opinion of what is happening in Scotland and I'm really impressed."

C.30 Respondents felt that the meeting encouraged the wish for closer collaboration in research and exchange of practice. However, the lack of financial means is seen as a major hurdle.

Collaborative links with Scotland

C.31 A number of specific links have been strengthened or established. There are some plans for joint working and joint publications. Four respondents already had collaborative links with Scottish scientists. One reports that her university receives annually three to four Scottish students and would like to expand this number, but finance is the limiting factor. As a result of the event, another participant has exchanged papers and is planning a collaboration in the future. Another has plans for collaboration with two researchers from Scotland attending the event.

C.32 Although some respondents feel that the event can possibly make a significant difference to their future activities, none are totally sure of this. Much seems to depend on whether funds become available.

Changing perceptions of Scotland

C.33 Although some respondents were already aware of the excellent quality of the Scottish universities and the high level of research taking place there, the seminar reinforced the positive image of developments in Scotland. Some were impressed to learn of Scottish scientists work on the development of psycho-pharmaceuticals for Organon.

C.34 One respondent states that he always had a very high opinion of Edinburgh University but learned during the conference that other Scottish universities are at the similar high level. Another who knew little about Scotland stated:

'I thought that is was a backward area. That's something I will never think again."

Business, cultural and tourism links

C.35 Two respondents will visit Scotland in the coming months to visit contacts they already had before the seminar. Another is having to visit Scotland for reasons outside his field of research, but will take advantage of the trip to contact somebody he met at the seminar. The others have no plans to visit Scotland in the near future, although a few remark that if budget was available, they would certainly do so.

Conclusions

C.36 The relationship the RSE now has with the Dutch academy, KNAW would not have been formed without the Brain Science events. The RSE plans to sustain a collaborative relationship with its Dutch counterpart now in other fields.

C.37 The Brain Science Seminar in particular seems to have engendered a number of new and valued research contacts. New collaborative initiatives are under active consideration, but Dutch participants would have preferred to see a more explicit consideration of potential for follow-up and collaboration at the Seminar.

C.38 The Public Lecture raised awareness of the excellence of scientific research in Scotland before a large and informed Dutch audience.

C.39 Reflecting on involvement in the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme and based on considerable experience of promotional work internationally, one of our consultees advised that a major factor in changing perceptions of a country is the impact of visiting that country. The Executive is recommended in future to consider activities that bring people such as the Brain Science Seminar participants to Scotland. Also, the importance of being able to consider in discussion with potential overseas partners the possibility of a reciprocal, "in Scotland" event should not be underestimated as a major bargaining point.

2. Cancer Seminar - Radiotherapy: Planning for the Future

C.40 A seminar on radiotherapy services for cancer patients was held in Edinburgh involving delegates from the Netherlands, Scotland and the rest of the UK. The seminar was originally planned to be held in the Netherlands, but it became apparent that it was more convenient for everyone involved if it was held in Scotland, and at lower cost to the Scottish Executive.

Pre-event

Origins

C.41 The subject for this event was selected because of a report to be produced by January 2005 which would set out plans to address future demand for radiotherapy services in Scotland.

C.42 At the outset it was known that the Netherlands is re-modelling its radiotherapy strategy to meet future cancer patient demand. In the SEHD there was knowledge of and learning gained already from the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology ( ESTRO) and its "Quartz Project". ESTRO is a European-wide society rather than solely Dutch focused.

C.43 In addition to liaison with the Promotion of Scotland staff, the event was developed with the office of Professor Harry Bartelink, Head of the Radiotherapy Department, The Netherlands Cancer Institute.

Objectives

C.44 The objectives set for the seminar were:

• to learn from the Dutch model of healthcare provision in radiotherapy
• to help inform a forthcoming Scottish Executive report on how best to meet growing demand for radiotherapy services for cancer patients in Scotland in the future.
• to exchange information and views on latest findings and explore the potential benefits of increased collaboration.
• to inform the work of the Radiotherapy Activity Planning Action Group and their review of radiotherapy services in Scotland.

C.45 More specifically, the SEHD wished to learn the following:

• is a centralised approach to providing radiotherapy services helpful
• what planning horizons should be used
• what learning can be shared across national boundaries
• what are the essential components of a national programme.

Organisation

C.46 Departmental team meetings were held regularly every second week to discuss the seminar, including the logistical issues involved. The process is considered to have been managed effectively. Due to the regular departmental meetings everyone with an interest in the event was kept well informed.

C.47 In the view of our consultee, the key strengths of the pre-event phase were that objectives were clear from the outset and the seminar linked closely with current work in the SEHD.

C.48 In terms of lessons for pre-event activities in future, an issue of detail such as obtaining the proper translations of the Dutch attendees' occupation and position was raised. For example, a Dutch radiographer would have a slightly different translation in English. Learning their actual occupational titles was essential as the correct occupational title would be lost in translation causing some confusion. This language issue contributed towards less effective networking, especially when trying to introduce Dutch scientists with their Scottish counterparts from the same field, e.g. instead of introducing Dutch physicists to Scottish physicists, they would be wrongly introduced to Scottish radiographers.

Event

C.49 The event focused on the complexities of planning to meet growing demand for radiotherapy services for the next 10-15 years. Experts from Scotland, rest of UK, Netherlands and other European countries presented a variety of different radiotherapy planning models.

C.50 The immediate objectives appear to have been met well. There was a notable amount of discussion generated. The presentation on "Where should radiotherapy services be placed" by Dr Brian Cottier, National Health Services Analysis Unit, Department of Health (England) was acknowledged as a powerful contribution which sparked a lot of discussion and thus increased awareness and understanding.

C.51 One of the delegates at the seminar had some experience of an Australian model and was able to articulate this on the day

C.52 The seminar enabled exchange of information and views on latest findings and explored potential benefits of increased collaboration. It also informed the work of the Radiotherapy Activity Planning Group and their review of radiotherapy services in Scotland.

C.53 Operationally, everything went well at the event, with one exception - the level of noise from the building work being carried out on the new Scottish Parliament next to Dynamic Earth where the event was held. At the pre-event stage this problem was anticipated and it is normal policy that on the day of a meeting/event at Dynamic Earth the builders stop working. But for some reason this did not happen on the day of the seminar. The builders were eventually asked to stop working.

C.54 On the day of the seminar, a record was kept of the discussions. These were subsequently placed on the web, accessible for all.

C.55 In the view of the organisers, the investment of time and attention to the pre-event phase paid dividends in ensuring an effective event.

C.56 In addition to useful exchange of practice and learning, we understand the event resulted for example in valuable contact between the Vice President of the Dutch Federation of Cancer Patients and the Patient Representative on the Scottish Cancer Group of the Scottish Executive. Networking was also one of the original objectives.

C.57 A day prior to the seminar, some of the Dutch participants were taken on a tour of Edinburgh and a dinner was held. This created greater interest in Scotland as a tourist attraction and consequently some of the Dutch delegates stayed longer in Edinburgh.

Post-event

C.58 We have been informed that officials learned a considerable amount that is of value to the work of the Executive on radiotherapy services provision. The main medium/long term outcome will be derived from the contribution of the seminar to a report on cancer patient needs in Scotland in relation to radiotherapy. This report was due for completion in early 2005 and would be submitted to the Health Management Board. The seminar helped towards understanding the long term model to be used in Scotland.

C.59 There would have been an awareness of other studies apart from the Dutch model. For example, a literature review may have been carried out which would have highlighted the Australian model in coping with the health/patient needs of cancer sufferers.

C.60 A number of new or enhanced network relationships have been formed as a result, notably with Brian Cottier, NHS Analysis Unit, Department of Health (England) who has supplied information on accelerator machines. The organisers have received e-mails from Dutch participants indicating that they would recommend visiting Scotland to their colleagues.

C.61 In terms of learning on post-event phase activities, a de-briefing meeting is recommended in future.

Conclusions

C.62 The objectives for this activity were focused on learning from Dutch policy and practice to feed into current work within the Executive. They were closely tied to current issues under consideration in the SEHD. We understand that in these terms the seminar was a success. New contacts with key individuals in the Netherlands and elsewhere in the UK were made. Although the event itself did not have explicit promotional objectives, awareness was raised of status of practice in Scotland with Dutch and other UK counterparts.

C.63 There is no evident downside from convening this event in Scotland rather than in the Netherlands.

3. Drugs And Substance Abuse/ Prostitution Learning Journey

C.64 In September 2004, the lead policy officers within the Scottish Executive Criminal Justice and Substance Misuse divisions participated in a learning journey to the Netherlands. They were accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Justice. The Minister has a remit covering both drugs and prostitution policy issues in Scotland.

Pre-event

Origins

C.65 Early in 2004, a meeting was held by the Promotion of Scotland team with the Substance Misuse Team ( SMT) to discuss the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. This centred on the topic of improving Scotland's knowledge of relevant policy in neighbouring countries and on learning lessons from the experience of other governments to inform domestic policy making. The initial idea was to organise a conference or seminar on drugs-related issues. At this stage, there was a possibility of including prostitution issues in the Access to Justice Conference being planned as part of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme.

C.66 The SMT considered that it had much to learn from Dutch experience on drugs-related issues. The decision was taken that a learning journey would be more beneficial in informing longer term policy than a conference-style event: the opportunity to view Dutch innovations and resource deployment first hand was considered to be the better option. This would also enable a two-way flow of information.

C.67 Subsequently, the close link between the sex and drugs issues in the Netherlands was recognised by and the opportunity to work in partnership with colleagues in the Criminal Justice Division of the Executive with a remit for policy on prostitution was realised.

Objectives

C.68 The aim set for the learning journey was to examine the innovative and radical practices adopted by the Dutch authorities in dealing with sex and drugs-related issues. Specific objectives set for the initiative were as follows:

• to gain a better understanding of how the Dutch authorities deal with de-classification of drugs and tolerance zones for prostitution
• to learn of the more innovative methods of accessing and treating those at risk
• to examine some of the more radical ways of controlling and managing the drugs and sex industries
• to investigate the links between drugs and the sex industry
• to look at the cross-over between prisons and drug services
• to understand how some of the successful policy outcomes, e.g. low drug-related deaths and less drug use amongst young people, may be transferable to the Scottish context and what potential barriers to achieving these may exist.

C.69 The outcome of the visit to the Netherlands was envisaged to be the acquisition of new knowledge and fresh, innovative ideas for ways of working and implementing policy and strategy. From the perspective of the Executive's policy teams, the objectives of the learning journey were clear although not amenable to setting measurable outcome or impact targets. Impact was not anticipated to be immediate, nor directly measurable. It was acknowledged that it may be difficult in future to attribute specific benefits that may arise to this one visit.

C.70 The Executive's policy teams have participated in international benchmarking work previously, including a number of overseas visits. The Substance Misuse Team has examined the situation in Finland and Sweden, and the Criminal Justice Team is aware of policy formation and implementation on prostitution issues in Sweden and Germany. However, most of these countries have similar attitudes to sex and drugs as the UK. The Netherlands situation is more or less unique within the European Union for its more relaxed and tolerant approach.

Organisation

C.71 Suggestions for the programme of visits were made by the Executive's policy teams based on prior awareness of innovative Dutch practices and existing contacts. The British Embassy in the Netherlands made all arrangements for the visit with the relevant Dutch authorities.

C.72 There are mixed views on the demand on resources for the visit. Regarded as reasonable by one Team, the other had to devote significant staff time to organising travel and accommodation within a relatively tight timescale. Travel, accommodation and subsistence for the participants from the Executive were the only costs incurred. It was felt that combining the visits for both policy areas was a cost-effective way of providing the Deputy Minister for Justice with a holistic view of the Dutch "system". The Criminal Justice/ Prostitution Team was only brought into the planning process in July/ August 2004: with the visit taking place in September, re-arrangement of work schedules and commitments had to be made at short notice.

Event

C.73 The learning journey included meetings with Dutch civil servants, officers in The Hague Police Force, staff in a drugs research institute, staff in Utrecht Prison and with people in The Hague's 'red light district' and tolerance zones plus visits to drug rehabilitation centres and injection rooms.

C.74 Overall, the participating policy Teams consider the visit to have been informative and very successful. Timing was very appropriate to both Teams. The report from the independent Expert Group on Prostitution was due in December 2004 and the Substance Misuse Team is currently re-evaluating its broad objectives, especially with regards to integrated interventions over drug treatments.

C.75 The SMT gained an immediate benefit during the visit which had not been anticipated: the visit instilled ' a degree of reassurance' that Scottish policy is on the right track. Dutch counterparts indicated that the Dutch public are less susceptible to media protests over approaches which do not adopt zero tolerance. Discussions with Dutch civil servants and police officers brought home the realisation that a 100% success rate from interventions designed to stop people taking drugs or trading in sex is unachievable in any country: it was clearly acknowledged that policy has to take account of this and work towards educating and informing people rather than preaching to them. The SMT was also interested to learn that despite very different approaches to weaning people off addictive substances, there is a relapse rate in the Netherlands not too dissimilar to that in Scotland.

C.76 Asked for recommendations on how this visit might have been improved, consultees indicated that one way would have been to speak to more participants on the Dutch programmes in order to gain direct insight into how the support centres and projects are functioning. The visit schedule was also very tight and an extra day would have allowed for a thorough de-brief following each visit and more time to reflect on what was being found.

Post-event

C.77 There were no measurable targets for outcomes or impacts set in advance against which to assess the effectiveness of this event. However, a number of qualitative outcomes were identified by consultees:

• the Executive is now better informed to respond to the Expert Group on Prostitution and has a better understanding of the issues faced in relation to drugs abuse and treatment
• the Substance Misuse Team has identified a number of care interventions which may be trialled within Scotland and its enhanced understanding will also contribute towards informing future policy on integrated interventions
• a number of new, useful contacts have been made within the Netherlands
• policy makers have renewed confidence in approaches being taken in Scotland
• a number of important research findings have been exchanged between the two countries since the visit which may not have happened without the personal contacts that were developed.

C.78 Both policy leads have moved to new posts within the Executive since the learning journey making it perhaps more difficult to sustain the new and not yet mature personal contacts/ networks developed as a result of the visit. This highlights the generic challenge of ensuring that newly acquired tacit knowledge is captured for future use.

Conclusions

C.79 The Drugs and Substance Abuse/ Prostitution Learning Journey fits with the high level objective of promoting Scotland's policy interests by inter alia developing co-operative links. Outcomes include helping inform best practice in Scotland. It achieved useful learning for the Executive at an appropriate time and may prove to have longer term benefits in forming future policy. It also raised awareness of Scottish policy perspectives and positioned Scotland as keen to learn from others.

C.80 Both policy Teams possessed a broad understanding of the overall objectives of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. They viewed their visit principally as an opportunity to learn from the experience of others: there was much less emphasis on seeking to influence others to the benefit of Scotland. This was not therefore an initiative to influence others nor to promote aspects of Scotland to others.

C.81 We make two additional observations. Firstly, alternative approaches to the design of this event may have been possible that would, in addition to what was achieved, have raised the international profile of Scotland's social policy interests, while still providing for a flow of information and learning to Scotland. However, this would have undoubtedly required additional resource and more time if the learning of Dutch practices was not to be diluted.

C.82 Secondly, this event was successful in achieving the desired learning outcomes for the participants from Scotland, but we envisage that it could have been devised and undertaken, with similar outcomes at any time. The significance of its association with the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme appears to be the latter's role in catalysing the joint activity at this time involving the two policy Teams.

4. Access to justice conference, leiden and associated study visit

The one-day Scottish-Dutch legal conference aimed to investigate the shared civil law heritage between Scotland and the Netherlands, and to examine what this means for current policies. It had a particular focus on access to justice issues.

C.83 Prior to the conference, a one-day Study Visit took place for Scottish legal policy makers and practitioners to learn about the recent developments in law and the delivery of the Dutch Legal Aid system.

Pre-event

Origins

The objectives for this activity in the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme were set by the Head of Division, Access to Justice Department in the Scottish Executive together with key Dutch academics from Leiden University. They were selected for their relevance to current policy work on the theme of access to justice.

Objectives

C.84 The objectives for the Access to Justice Conference were:

• to promote contact between Scottish and Dutch legal academics and practitioners
• to promote discussion on legal and justice development issues between Scotland and the Netherlands
• to build on historical links and share best practice on current development, with the focus on civil law.

C.85 The activities were designed to encourage networking and to exchange recent research and best practice.

C.86 The objectives for the Study Visit to The Hague were set as:

• to learn from Dutch legal policy makers and practitioners about legal aid and access to justice issues
• to use this learning to contribute towards plans in Scotland to take forward the strategic review of the delivery of legal aid.

C.87 The Study Visit was designed to enable the Scottish delegation to learn how Dutch legal aid policy has developed; to learn how it is delivered; and to bring key Scottish and Dutch stakeholders together to build new networking relationships.

Organisation

C.88 The Scottish Executive accepted an offer from the University of Leiden to handle all matters relating to organising the conference. This appears to have had benefits in terms of saving time and effort for the Executive, but resulted in a dilution of its influence over the event. Consequently, in the opinion of one consultee, the Conference proved to be less closely linked to policy objectives than it might have been.

C.89 The British Embassy acted as an intermediary between the Scottish Executive and Leiden University over organisational matters. The Executive formally invited the Scottish participants. This proved fairly straightforward as most relevant Scottish academics are known to the Access to Justice Department.

C.90 The organisational arrangements for the Study Visit proved to be effective. The Dutch Ministry of Justice, the Dutch Legal Aid Board and an Executive official in the Access to Justice Division devised the programme. Executive officials had significant control and influence over content, maintaining close contact with Dutch counterparts throughout the whole pre-event phase. An official was also involved in explaining to Dutch counterparts what was of interest to the Scottish delegation thus ensuring a programme geared to specific needs and objectives.

C.91 A number of lessons emerge from the evaluation of the pre-event phase of the Conference and study visit:

• officials in the lead policy department should remain closely involved in the pre-event phase to ensure events remain close to original objectives.

this has implications for the level of resource required to engage in this kind of activity

• it is important to bring key players together at an early stage in the pre-event phase in order to develop a "shared vision"
• when designing activities such as the study visit, more care should be taken over the duration of the visit. In the case of the visit to The Hague, one day proved to be too short.

Event

C.92 Organisational difficulties were experienced at the Access to Justice Conference. Some Scottish delegates were given wrong details about location and thus did not arrive at the correct venue. Two speakers from Scotland cancelled on the week of the conference. Between the efforts of the British Embassy and the Scottish Executive, replacements were found. However, there is some doubt if anyone conveyed information on the changes to the host, the University of Leiden. One key speaker from Scotland came very late to the conference.

C.93 Feedback from a number of attendees suggests there was not as much discussion as there could have been. There was too little in the programme that could be translated readily into a policy context. The conference became too focused on the historical links between Scotland and the Netherlands. However, the conference lunch and the accompanying speech by John Cairns (Edinburgh University) was deemed to be very successful and contributed greatly to the positive atmosphere. More opportunities for informal networking would have been welcomed.

C.94 The conference is considered in the view of our consultee, to have assisted in professional development, networking and encouraging joint working. It generated some interest among Dutch participants in Scotland and its devolved administration, and raised awareness of what that means in the context of the legal system.

C.95 With hindsight, consultees indicate greater benefits would have been gained by bringing together a wider cross-section of Dutch legal academics. The Dutch participants were all from Leiden University. This resulted in a quite narrow focus: other Dutch academics may have provided greater opportunity to discuss a wider range of recent developments in civil law.

C.96 Operationally, the Study Visit ran effectively and efficiently. All elements went well, notably the insight into the Dutch legal service delivery structure, the discussion sessions held during coach travel and the visit to the Dutch Legal Aid Board.

C.97 The learning by the Scottish delegation is considered by our consultee to have been very useful and practical, despite the visit being too short. Evidence suggests that immediate objectives were met. Although there was no formal process in place at the time of gauging reactions of participants to the activity, verbal feedback received by Executive officials from the Scottish delegation was positive and indicated that much had been learned that could be adopted in the Scottish legal aid system. However, it appears there remains scope for activities such as this to have a tighter focus on the policy angle.

Post-event

C.98 Although no formal monitoring of post-event outcomes is being undertaken by the organisers, letters received in the Executive from participants in the Study Visit suggests that objectives were fulfilled: feedback has been positive. There is evidence according to our consultee of new and ongoing contact between the Dutch and Scottish legal community since the visit.

C.99 As part of ensuring sustainable benefit from the new contacts that have been made, we understand the potential of inviting Dutch counterparts to Scotland when the UK has EU Presidency in 2005 is being considered. A conference may be organised on evidence in legal policy.

C.100 We received the recommendation for the future that a follow-up or debriefing session should be convened after such an overseas visit for participants from Scotland.

C.101 The views of 9 Dutch participants in the Access to Justice Conference were obtained through a series of telephone interviews conducted by Dutch staff of SQW's subcontractor, TNS. The interviews were carried out during the period February to March 2005. This provides useful additional, qualitative evidence on the event itself and also on the wider issue of Dutch participants' perceptions of Scotland.

C.102 The respondents to the telephone were all connected to the University of Leiden, some as professors, other staff members and some as PhD students. Many also had responsibilities outside the University as lawyers or judges. Two presented a paper during the conference.

Overall evaluation of the conference

C.103 Overall, the most appreciated aspect of the conference was the potential to exchange opinions with other participants. The international aspect, i.e. the comparison of different legal systems, was considered by many to be very interesting, especially because of the high quality of the papers presented. Speakers specially mentioned papers by Snijders and Nieuwenhuis as being very interesting. The conference had a very broad scope and dealt with a large variety of different subjects.

C.104 However on a less positive note, many participants who had hoped that the conference would offer possibilities for more personal exchange of ideas with others were disappointed in this respect. The programme was extremely full and left very little time for personal contacts. Even during the lunch, which could have been time for personal discussions, a paper was presented.

C.105 Only one respondent indicated that a new contact had been made during the conference. In order to be able to have a discussion with this participant, both skipped a paper. A majority of the participants say that they made no contacts whatsoever as there was little time to do so. A few who already had contacts in Scotland renewed these contacts.

C.106 Also, the number of subjects covered was so extensive that some participants found it difficult to sustain interest: some would have appreciated better information beforehand in order to choose which papers they wanted to listen to and which subjects were not in their own sphere of interest.

C.107 Furthermore, some respondents indicated that a clearer framework would have been beneficial in order to set out more clearly in what context the whole conference was placed. There would have been merit in centring the conference around one more specific theme.

C.108 One individual respondent mentioned that in his opinion the English papers were complicated, inaccessible and difficult to follow, and one noted that:

"I felt a bit lost. It looked like a tête-à-tête between people knowing each other."

C.109 Asked, at the end of the interview whether the event had left a positive, lasting memory, most respondents responded positively, although some feel that the expression 'lasting memory' is somewhat exaggerated. Many often attend international conferences and appreciate this 'Access to Justice' conference as interesting and well organized, but they are not sure that it will leave a long lasting memory. Two respondents remarked however that the event merits being repeated. Three respondents were less positive about sustainable benefit: they had already more or less forgotten the event and one of them left before the end of the conference.

Exchange of practice

C.110 However, on exchange of practice, about half of the respondents are of the opinion that the conference definitely helped them to get more information about activities in their own area of professional interest. An aspect which is thought to be extremely interesting is that, in the view of the Dutch respondents, the Scottish law system is becoming more and more independent from the British common law system. Also, in the academic sense Scotland is, according to some, gaining independence: the quality and size of the faculties is considered to be very significant and moreover Dutch jurists admire (and envy) the great mobility of academic professors and students.

C.111 The conference did, according to a majority of the respondents, encourage an exchange of practice and/or learning between participants from the two countries. However, some feel - and this leads back to the perceived lack of focus - that there was such a variety of different subjects that it was difficult to sustain interest. One respondent indicated:

"I had the feeling that each speaker talked about his own pet subject, there was no central theme in the whole thing."

Collaborative links with Scotland

C.112 On collaborative links, two respondents are already working jointly with Scottish academics. None of the others are planning any joint working initiatives with contacts in Scotland, although a few do not entirely exclude that this may happen in a couple of years.

C.113 Some respondents wish to intensify their contacts with Scotland but feel that this is only possible if funds are made available. They regret that the subject of obtaining European grants to encourage further exchanges between Scotland and the Netherlands was not brought up during the conference.

C.114 Although a few respondents repeated that on a personal level they found it interesting to participate in this event, none feel that it will make any difference to their future activities. One respondent stated that he wants to use the paper he gave at the conference in his own publications.

Changing perceptions of Scotland

C.115 The interviewers asked conference attendees about their perceptions of Scotland and about how attending the conference had influenced these.

C.116 For many it came as a surprise to learn to what extent the Scottish legal system is different and independent from the rest of the British legal system. Respondents also felt that Scotland is working very hard at positioning itself as an independent country - some respondents express admiration for the active manner in which the Scots are working at this.

C.117 A few respondents already had a good insight into what is happening in Scotland and the event did not really change their perception. Two respondents stated that they have little interest in Scotland and do not feel that their perception of the country has changed.

C.118 Whether Scotland itself has changed over the last year is sometimes difficult to say for respondents who have not really followed developments in the country. However, in general the feeling is that Scotland is more progressive and less traditional than was expected. Also, there is a clear impression that Scotland is rapidly developing an identity of its own.

C.119 Respondents view those from Scotland as very pleasant to work with: others in the UK are described as sometimes a "bit haughty" and more interested in large countries like the USA and Germany. Respondents felt that in Scotland there is an interest in Europe and a willingness to establish high-level contacts with other European countries, whether large or small.

Business, cultural and tourism links

C.120 Asked about other potential links, the majority of respondents do not expect to visit Scotland in the coming months as a result of attending the event. Some already have intensive contact with Scottish colleagues and will continue these.

Conclusions

C.121 During the Access to Justice Conference there were many references to and much discussion about Scotland from a legal, social and political perspective. There were frequent references to Scotland in the context of its new devolved status. Dutch participants gained new knowledge and understanding about Scotland. To this extent, one of the high-level objectives for Scotland in the Netherlands, namely to enhance the "profile of Scotland post devolution - its new governance and new politics" was achieved with a group drawn from the Dutch legal community.

C.122 The conference was less successful in developing new linkages. There is no clear prospect of new links being made in the short to medium term as a result of the conference, either in direct professional terms or with respect to other visits, apart from the possibility of a further conference being convened.

C.123 The Study Visit contributed more strongly towards the main objective of learning from the Dutch: the practical nature of this activity seems to have provided a more effective learning process for the Scottish delegation. As confirmed by the Head of Policy at Scottish Legal Aid Board who was part of the Scottish delegation, this will help translate the new learning into any future plans to take forward the strategic review of the delivery of legal aid in Scotland.

C.124 Operationally, maintaining more control of event planning in the pre-event phase in future will ensure closer links between event content and policy objectives. Maintaining good communication between all the parties is important in any future activity of this kind. Time commitment to the pre-event phase clearly pays dividends in term of optimising benefits from the subsequent event.

5. evening of scottish culture

Summary description

C.125 This was the central event of the Programme and the largest with 400 delegates attending. The evening was held in the former Amsterdam Beurs (Stock Exchange). Guests were piped into the building along a red carpet. There was a cocktail reception with classical music from the UK Young Musician of the Year 2004 from Scotland, Nicola Benedetti, a three course buffet featuring Scottish produce and whisky, a fashion show with clothes designed by Scottish students and contemporary Gaelic music from a well-known Isle of Skye band. Welcoming speeches were given by the British Ambassador in the Netherlands, Sir Colin Budd, and Ross Finnie, the Scottish Minister for the Environment and Rural Affairs.

Pre-event

C.126 The Cultural evening was central to the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. The objectives were to raise the profile of Scottish Culture, particularly in food and drink, music and fashion. The structure of the event and its planning is largely determined by practical and political considerations. We understand that following the In Sweden event, the Scottish evening was referred to as a "benchmark" for this type of overseas promotional activity.

C.127 The event was managed by Appletree and the feedback from the Executive is that it was well run. Timing was a major factor in the planning given the importance of the presence of the Minister and in avoiding the holiday period in the Netherlands. The shape of the event was driven by the aim of promoting Scotland and food and drink specifically.

C.128 The fashion show was based on the event held in Catalonia previously through Scotland the Brand and was also subsequently used again in Paris in June 2004 as part of a Best of British event along with Scottish food and drink. The shows have received very positive feedback in Catalonia and Paris and the same format was adopted in the Netherlands. The show was developed by students from four Scottish Colleges whose designs were presented by Dutch models. The Programme provided funds for three people from each College.

Pre-event survey

C.129 Prior to the evening, SQW conducted a short baseline survey to assess guest's perceptions of Scotland. This asked them to score Scotland against a range of characteristics. It also modelled the guests' current level of engagement with Scotland. The results of the pre-event survey have been used as a baseline against which a follow up survey can be compared and the results are set out in the post-event section.

C.130 The pre-event survey was e-mailed to 192 invitees and 82 responses were received. The questions covered four areas:

• perceptions of Scotland
• industries and business associated with Scotland
• culture associated with Scotland
• level of awareness/knowledge and interaction with Scotland.

C.131 The findings are discussed alongside the post event survey later in this section

• overall, the results painted a very positive picture of Scotland, prior to the event, in relation to a number of positive attributes, however, there tended to be stronger agreement on the more cultural or traditional characteristics than the business related ones.
• asked to name three industries which they most associated with Scotland, 60% mentioned whisky, other food & drink was mention by 43% and oil & gas and tourism/golf by 30% each. There was no mention of, for example, financial services, biotechnology or electronics.
• the cultural activities most associated with Scotland were music/dance and the characteristics of Scots people such as trustworthiness, integrity, friendliness and national pride. More modern aspects of culture such as sport (especially golf) and the annual festivals in Edinburgh were also mentioned.
• based on questions about their knowledge of Scotland, the research identified that only 6% claimed to have no knowledge of Scotland. Thirty seven percent had a limited knowledge and 9% were very knowledgeable but had not actually visited. These could be aggregated into two main groups which represented about 50% of the sample each:
• those with a limited knowledge of Scotland who are being encouraged to find out more and potentially visit for the first time.
• those that have visited and could be encouraged to develop a more sustained involvement with Scotland.

Event

Perspective on organisation of the event: Appletree

Background

C.132 Apple Tree Communications ( ATC), an international PR and marketing business based in Barcelona, won the competitive tender to deliver the Evening of Scottish Culture event in Amsterdam on behalf of the Scottish Executive. The event was held on 21st October 2004 at the Buers van Berlage on the Damrak in Amsterdam. The following chapter is the result of a post-event consultation with the key ATC contact for the project, Ms Carme Miró.

Evidence on pre-event phase

C.133 ATC's bid to organise and deliver the cultural evening event was selected as the best tender by the Executive. Having worked with the Executive on a number of previous occasions, including on the Scotland In Catalonia programme in 2003, ATC were well aware of the way that the executive works, and what it was trying to achieve through this event.

C.134 The package of the cultural event was very self-contained. There was no obvious overlap or format which cut across other Netherlands events and seminars. The evening aspired to be a purely cultural depiction of Scotland in the 21st century with no political angle attached. ATC understanding of the brief for the event was an overarching objective of educating Dutch consumers about the attractiveness of Scotland as a place in which to live and work.

C.135 ATC did not feel that there were any problems as regards the clarity of the instructions which were issued to them. The contract was cohesive and precise, and the reporting procedures and budget structure was clear cut. However, they were concerned about the timescales involved in the project. A number of internal project deadlines were a logistical problem for ATC. This was mainly caused by a significant delay between the job being awarded and the budget being approved by the Executive.

C.136 Whilst a short lead-in is a common problem for event organisers when an occasion requires ministerial presence, it makes the job a lot more difficult for the co-ordinators to get clarification and confirmation of requirements sufficiently in advance of the event. This issue is something which should be borne in mind when organising future events of this nature and profile.

C.137 There was close contact with the Executive throughout the entire pre-event process and regular meetings were held to discuss progress, and with the Executive at key points in the project. A database of guests for the cultural event was collated for specific segments or interest groups. For example, sectors included education, politics, culture, sports, multi national businesses, public sector agencies, SME's, artists and celebrities etc. These sectors were then populated with the names and addresses of as many relevant contacts as possible. The data was then loaded onto the software programme and managed via a local call centre team.

C.138 For the cultural event, there was a return of approximately 13% of the original number of people that they contacted. As there were just over 400 at the actual event, it can be assumed that around 3000 people were contacted via the database in the first instance. This is a good result from this type of invitation, and ATC estimate the average response rate that they would expect in similar projects would usually be between 5-10%.

C.139 The catering functions were sub-contracted to a local company which could meet the unusual demands of this event. The chefs were all from Scotland and the Dutch catering staff had to be able to work directly under this collection of individuals, who had been brought together especially to come up with an original and innovative menu of Scottish produce. As this is not the normal way of working within the events catering industry, the team had to be flexible and able to work under a different set up from that to which they were accustomed.

C.140 The main learning points to take from the pre-event experience were:

• the need for more time between issuing the invitations to guests and the date of the actual event. This problem relates back to the earlier point that delays in Scotland caused tight timescales for the ATC team.
• Secondly, there were some logistics problems with the food and drink and the fashion show items: the whisky did not arrive in time and a batch of fresh seafood got held back by customs and so there were insufficient scallops to cater for everyone at the event. The information on the sizing of outfits for the fashion show, which were due to be displayed by Dutch models, arrived too late and caused problems in matching the sizes to the models available.

C.141 These are relatively minor logistical issues which were managed and dealt with effectively by the team on the night and they are not generally things which could be foreseen, though there may be room for some contingency planning on the potential difficulties of exporting food and drink products in the future.

Evidence on events phase

C.142 The actual event ran very smoothly on the night. There were no major problems or complaints about the organisational aspects. The only negative feedback which was received, was that there should have been more seating and tables available considering that the event lasted 3 hours and the menu required cutlery. The reasoning behind the set up was that the Executive wanted people to mingle and mix.

C.143 The best part of the event was felt by the organisers to be the welcome ceremony with the pipers forming a guard of honour outside the venue. This added to the prestige and profile of the evening and made the guests feel special. The element of the evening which could have been done better was the protocol as regards the VIP area. Having such a prominent division between the guests was not conducive to making everyone feel important and welcome. The VIP section was necessary given the presence of the Minister and other high ranking officials, but it should have been located elsewhere in the building in a less obvious place

Evidence on post-event phase

C.144 The organisers believed that the Executive had received excellent value for money. Private companies can pay three times as much for similar promotions. The press and publicity for the event was the responsibility of the British Embassy in the Netherlands and while press invitations were issued in advance of the night, there was no subsequent follow-up, and no press release or story to accompany the promotion of the event. This is backed up by the lack of press cuttings sourced post-event and the lack of coverage on internet news sites.

C.145 It was suggested by consultees that a press officer should be allocated to each international event and be responsible for all liaison with journalists. As the whole objective of the cultural evening was to highlight the capabilities of Scotland to the Dutch people, a robust press and promotion coverage would have helped to spread the message beyond the immediate guests in attendance on the night and perhaps caught the attention of people who could not be there.

Summary

C.146 In summary, there are a number of learning points to bear in mind when undertaking future international promotions, including more attention to the lead-in time for event organisation, improved logistics procedures and a more comprehensive press and publicity package to take full advantage of the opportunities being developed.

C.147 The organisers felt that the promotion of Scotland on an international platform is second to none. No other region has managed to develop such a powerful message and delivery mechanism as Scotland and this is an advantage which should be capitalised upon. A 'promotion in a box' tool which explains and demonstrates how Scotland has developed and built upon their product and branding would be a valuable commercial activity for the future.

Post-event

C.148 Based on the evidence, this was an excellent event. Feedback from the observer and others has been very positive as were a number of e-mails sent to the organisers. It struck a careful balance between promoting Scotland through food and drink, fashion and music, without over selling. Indeed one e-mail suggests that there could be a harder sell. There were several minor issues around the way the space was set up, such as the availability of seating and the positioning of the VIP area.

Changes in perceptions

To assess the effect that the Cultural Evening, two further pieces of research were undertaken. A follow up to the e-survey was carried out to provide a broader overview of how perceptions have changed and more specifically a telephone survey of 30 guests was conducted by the TNS office in the Netherlands. Each of these are considered in turn.

Follow up e-survey

C.149 The post-event survey was sent to the same sample of 192 guests as the first survey, pre-event. A simple questionnaire was e-mailed. The aim of the survey was to provide evidence of whether, across the sample, perceptions there were any clear changes in perceptions of Scotland. The second survey was conducted in January 2005, which was considered to give sufficient time to capture the lasting perceptions, but a short enough period to limit the influence of other factors. It would be misleading to claim that the changes found in the survey can be solely attributed to the Cultural Evening, but it provides an indication of changes in perceptions among guests over the period.

C.150 There were 77 responses from Dutch guests to the post-event survey. The results are shown in Figure C.1 together with the results from the baseline survey conducted prior to the event to demonstrate change. The level of agreement is reflected by a set of scores, with high scores indicating greater agreement with the statement. ³ Figure C.1 shows the average scores for each statement.

Figure C.1: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

C.151 Figure C.1 shows that between the pre and post event surveys, there have been some relatively clear changes. Perceptions of Scotland as a patriotic country were very high in the baseline survey, but had fallen slightly in the post event survey. Perceptions of Scotland as a premier tourism destination had risen significantly as had perceptions of Scotland being a modern contemporary culture and a country with a strong knowledge base. We would caution against attributing all this shift to the Cultural evening, but we would expect it to be a significant influence on the results.

C.152 Figure C.2 shows the change in the percentage that agreed/strongly agreed with statements pre and post survey. If we assume that the major influence on these differences is the Cultural evening we can use this as a proxy for its effects on different perceptions. The biggest changes were in perceptions of Scotland as a country rich with modern and contemporary culture, certainly one of the main aims of the evening. This represents an increase of 25% in the number agreeing with this statement and in the context of the 400 people attending, would indicate a shift in perceptions of 100. Among the other statements, there was a similar increase in the number agreeing that Scotland is a premier tourism destination. The event also had a positive effect on perceptions of Scotland as a knowledge based economy and strength of academic base. There was a reduction in the number agreeing that Scotland was a globally connected nation, possibly not an attribute that was emphasised at the Evening.

Figure C.2: Change in the % that agree/strongly agree with statements between pre and post surveys

C.153 A second element of survey was to determine whether there was any direct shift in guests engagement with Scotland either through increased knowledge or directly, through visits. Figure C.3 shows the results compared with the baseline. There was an increase in those that reported a limited knowledge of Scotland and fewer that had no knowledge and these are probably the areas that we would expect to see some shift. A smaller proportion of the post event sample had actually visited Scotland which is likely to reflect differences in the pre and post survey.

Figure C.3: How would you describe your overall awareness of Scotland?

C.154 As part of the e-survey guests were also asked whether the cultural evening had encouraged them to visit Scotland, work on collaborative projects, exchange practice or make new contacts. The results are very positive. Thirty nine percent were encouraged to visit Scotland over the next year, 14% planned some form of joint working and 11% were encouraged to exchange practice.

Figure C.4: did attending the Evening of Scottish Culture, did the event encourage you to...

Perceptions of culture and business

C.155 The survey asked guests, before the event and in the post event survey, to name three industries that Scotland is associated with. The results are shown in Figure C.5. The percentages reflect the proportion of respondents that mentioned each industry. By far and away the most mentioned industry was whisky (80%). Among the other key industries, there were some interesting changes. The proportion mentioning wool/textiles, fishing and agriculture (more traditional industries fell, while services such as tourism and banking rose significantly. The increased mention of shipbuilding is more difficult to explain.

Figure C.5: Can you name three industries associated with Scotland

C.156 The cultural activities most associated with Scotland were music/dance and the characteristics of Scots people such as trustworthiness, integrity, friendliness and national pride. More modern aspects of culture such as sport (especially golf) and the annual festivals in Edinburgh were also mentioned.

TNS phone survey evidence

C.157 TNS was commissioned to carry out interviews with 30 guests at the Evening of Scottish Culture. These were to determine that attending the event has had on their perceptions of Scotland and any subsequent actions that they may have taken as a result of attending.

C.158 Six of the 30 interviewees reported that the Evening of Scottish Culture was directly related to their own professional interests. Three of them were working in the field of tourism, one was an author writing about Scotland, one was a specialist of whisky and one finally was one of the organizers of the Brain seminar. The others had no direct professional links with Scotland, but a few were regular visitors to Scotland.

Overall evaluation of the event

C.159 On the whole the evening was highly appreciated by almost all participants. It was described as very well organized and in a beautiful setting. The ambiance was very pleasant, the quality of food and drinks more than excellent, the programme was very varied and the performing artists of a very high quality. All felt that the hospitality was impressive:

"The hospitality was overwhelming. You always hear that the Scots are avaricious, but this evening proved the contrary. It was all very warm and generous."

C.160 It was a good occasion to make informal contacts with a lot of people and on the whole the event created a lot of goodwill for Scotland. A significant proportion reported that their image of Scotland changed as a result of this evening. The cultural side of Scotland is more varied and interesting than expected and many became aware of aspects of Scotland they had not known about before this event:

"Scotland is much more than wool and kilts, it has much more to offer."

"You have the image that Scotland is a sort of rough country where not much is happening. But it is much more modern than I expected, they are positioning themselves as an interesting country, where a lot is happening and with interesting industries and products."

C.161 One criticism made by four participants was that they did not understand the purpose of this event and wonder why so much money had been spent.

"Why did they invite me? The information about Scotland was fairly limited and I wonder why they spent all this money."

C.162 Three of the respondents felt that there was too little occasion for networking and the least appreciated element of the evening was the fashion show, which they considered of little interest and not very up to date or spectacular.

C.163 Four respondents felt that there were too few seats so that the food had to be eaten while standing. Also, for a small number the place was very big, which resulted in a high level of noise and made it more difficult to feel at ease. Five were of the opinion that the evening, above all, reinforced the existing image of Scotland and did not really try to change it by providing new information about recent developments. These criticisms were made by a small minority and most guests were very impressed and had no criticisms at all.

Exchange of practice

C.164 Few respondents were of the opinion that the Cultural Evening really brought them information about activities in their own professional field of interest, but seven stated that this was an opportunity to learn more about the opportunities offered in different fields of Scottish business and one respondent says:

Yes, it made me consider the possibility of buying products from Scotland rather than from the UK."

C.165 Another interviewee made contact with possible future relations, whom he will soon visit. Three participants were encouraged to explore the possibility of establishing future business contacts in Scotland. One reported making some interesting business contacts during the evening.

Collaborative links with Scotland

C.166 Six of the 30 respondents already have collaborative links with Scotland, mainly in the field of tourism. One participant will soon take part in culinary events in Scotland, another one is planning to finalize a book about this country.

"Perhaps you look more easily in the Scottish direction after an evening like this."

Changing perceptions of Scotland

C.167 One of the findings was that more than half of the participants considered their perceptions of Scotland to have changed. These 16 reported that they now believed that Scotland was far more professional and technically advanced than they had expected:

"I thought that it was a sort of Luxemburg, sleepy and indolent, but they are very active. A lot is happening in that country."

"They are much more modern than I expected. I prefer them to the rest of England."

C.168 Nine respondents reported that, in tourism, progress is rapidly being made and that the country is well organized in this respect. Some warned however that it should not become too popular, which could endanger its charm as an untouched country.

C.169 Six respondents, a fifth felt that the event did not change their perception of Scotland and even reinforced their perception of a traditional country of wool, kilts and whisky. But it did reinforce the impression of the Scots being extremely warm and nice people.

Changes in Scotland

C.170 Around half of the respondents had the impression that Scotland had changed considerably over the last years. What seems to have changed above all, is the view the Scots have of themselves: they give the impression of being more self-confident and in the process of positioning themselves as a modern country with an identity of its own. This is also seen in the fact that the Scottish Parliament is perceived as "searching independence from the UK".

C.171 Scottish society is seen as more professional and business oriented than was the case in earlier years, while at the same time the Scottish scientific world is gaining international renown. On the whole, Scotland seems to be very aware of the importance of international positioning: they are far more Europe-oriented and are actively positioning the country as an interesting partner with its own identity. In the cultural field there is a lot of renewal and - as one respondent says - even their footballers are better than they used to be.

C.172 Several respondents warned that the Scots should be cautious and not overdo it. The traditions such as the pipers and the kilts are part of their attraction as a tourist country and this traditional part of the Scottish identity should not be lost:

"They are positioning themselves as a modern country. But for heaven's sake, let them also keep the pipers and all that. These are just as important as wooden shoes and tulips in the Netherlands."

C.173 Tourism seems to be developing rapidly, which leads three respondents to say that here too they have to proceed with care:

"Scotland has been discovered, there are far more tourists. But they must be careful. It would damage tourism if the country became too crowded and if they changed too much."

Business, cultural and tourism links

C.174 More than half of the respondents intended visiting Scotland in the near future. For some of them this would be the case anyway, but a few have made definite plans to spend a holiday in Scotland after the event made them more aware and more enthusiastic about this country. Even among those who do not have the intention to visit Scotland in the coming months, three state that they have become much more interested in the (tourist) possibilities this country offers and do not exclude the possibility of a trip in the coming years.

Summary of perceptions work

C.175 The evidence from the pre and post event e-surveys and the TNS telephone interviews presents a consistent message that the Cultural evening has had a marked impact on perceptions of Scotland. The research allows us to be even more precise in how these perceptions are changing. The e-survey indicates that perceptions of Scotland as having a modern and contemporary culture, a strong tourism product and a developing knowledge economy have been strengthened. While whisky was by far the most dominant industry in the minds of most Dutch guests, there were indications that services such as tourism and banking were increasingly associated with Scotland. The comments from telephone survey support this. These interviews generally suggested that those attending the event did see Scotland as changing and that it was a more modern, international and diverse country than they had previously thought. Various comments also relate this to an ambition to become less dependent on England and the rest of the UK and to work more with European neighbours.

Conclusions on Evening of Scottish Culture

C.176 This study has generated a considerable amount of information on the Evening of Scottish Culture drawn from a number of sources. Observation and consultations with Appletree and others involved consistently indicate that this was a well run event. Feedback from guests makes clear that the quality of the event, the hospitality and its delivery were excellent. Information from the e-survey and telephone interviews demonstrates that it had an impact on perceptions of Scotland. Specifically, perceptions of Scotland's modern and contemporary culture, tourism and the developing knowledge economy have all been positively influenced. Perceptions of Scotland's industry have also shifted slightly from the primary sectors to the service industries that are increasingly important in the Scottish economy. Telephone interviews supported these views with qualitative evidence that more than half of those attending the event see Scotland as changing, becoming more self confident and strengthening its own identity. There was also specific evidence of activities encouraged by attendance at the evening.

C.177 Using the survey results, we estimate that the Evening:

• encouraged 156 to visit Scotland in the next 12 months
• 56 to plan joint working or collaborative ventures
• 44 to exchange practice
• 36 made or renewed contacts.
• around half (200) reported that they now have a more positive perception of Scotland
• 3% (12) had taken a holiday a trip to Scotland in the 4 months after the event
• 7% (28) had made a business trip since the event.

C.178 We would conclude that this event has made a significant contribution to improving the perceptions of Scotland among those that attended The results not only indicate high levels of satisfaction and positive impacts, but crucially that those attending were considered to be opinion formers in their own fields.

6. Wee Stories Theatre Group's performance of tam o'shanter

C.179 The children's theatre group, Wee Stories, staged two performances of Tam O'Shanter in the Netherlands, mixing theatre, music and storytelling. A Dutch storyteller, Ernst Weestra, worked with the group to provide a Dutch interpretation of the story. The performances were part of the Dutch Literature Festival and were attended by around 40 people. In addition, the group performed at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh to an audience that included a representative from the Dutch Embassy in the UK as well as other members of the Dutch community in Scotland.

Pre-event

Origins

C.180 The Scottish Arts Council provides core funding for the Wee Stories Theatre Group. When the decision was made to go ahead with the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme, the SAC proposed that the Group participate. A representative of the Wee Stories Theatre Group had already made a number of trips to the Netherlands and had formed links in the country. Despite this, it appears to be doubtful if a tour to the Netherlands would have taken place without the catalyst and the enabling support of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. The Group was already preparing to present Tam O'Shanter: this was judged to be an appropriate work to perform as it promoted Scottish literature and culture, albeit in this instance with a modern twist.

Event

Anecdotal evidence received by the organiser suggests that the performance was very well received, with the audience participating in the use of the Scots' language. Members of the audience were also given copies of the poem.

C.181 The production was attended by the NAEN Study Group and the East Glasgow Youth Theatre ( EGYT), both of which were in the Netherlands as part of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. There was relatively limited media coverage of the production, although it was featured in the Dutch Literature Festival Programme. There was some uncertainty over who was responsible for arranging media coverage for the arts-related activities and for the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme overall.

Post-event

C.182 The visit has brought some longer lasting benefit. The Wee Stories Theatre Group has been invited to return to the Netherlands in 2005 to appear at a Dutch Children's Festival. There may be opportunities for other Scottish groups to join them.

C.183 The production is viewed by those involved as helping generally to strengthen links between the Dutch and Scottish theatre groups.

Conclusions

C.184 Feedback suggests this was a successful event. Some linkage is evident to other activities in the Programme given the attendance of the NAEN and EGYT groups at a Festival performance. Related activity in Edinburgh helped reinforce a link with the Dutch community in Scotland. Other outcomes include an invitation to another Dutch festival. The relationships formed are thought likely to be more important in the longer term than in their immediate effect. Immediate impact, given the size of the audiences, is likely to have been fairly limited.

C.185 Those involved in organising the event had an implicit understanding that the purpose was to promote Scotland and Scottish culture although the links to the Executive's wider international strategy could have been made more explicit. However, there was little time to consider wider linkages within the overall Programme. As a result, scope to secure more publicity and to use the event more effectively as part of the Programme e.g. overlapping with the guest list for the Evening of Scottish Culture event, were not exploited

7. East Glasgow Youth theatre visit

C.186 The East Glasgow Youth Theatre ( EGYT) is supported by SAC and provides theatre activities for young people from disadvantaged areas. A group of 5, including 2 disabled actors, from EGYT were supported to join the ISH Theatre for a week in the Netherlands to exchange ideas and work together on a production. The ISH Theatre is a Dutch street dance/theatre group for young people.

Pre-event

Origins

C.187 When the SAC was asked to propose projects for the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme, members of staff had recently visited Utrecht and seen the work of the ISH Theatre. It represented a style and type of project that SAC is keen to support and the type of project that the Dutch are considered to do well. The ISH project was viewed as a good example of the type of activity that the SAC could develop in Scotland, notably given its objectives around cultural diversity.

C.188 Also, Dutch counterparts were known to be interested in Scottish projects that are developing theatre and drama groups to work with disadvantaged and disabled groups.

Event phase

C.189 The project lasted a week. The Scottish Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport visited the two groups at work. A final performance was attended by the NAEN Study Group members, participants in another of the Scotland in the Netherlands activities.

C.190 Despite concerns that members of the ISH group were only partly engaged, sometimes not turning up or working on other projects, anecdotal evidence reported to us indicates that the end of project show was a success and that EGYT members have a positive view of the whole experience. One of the underlying difficulties may have been that the Scottish group was younger than the ISH counterparts and therefore there was not as much social interaction as had been hoped.

C.191 There was some coverage in the Dutch press. This was helped by the Minister's visit.

Post-event

C.192 As a result of the visit and in particular through the involvement of NAEN members and of a representative of Youth Theatre Scotland, there are plans for the ISH Theatre to visit Scotland over the next couple of years to tour, perform at the Edinburgh Festival and possibly a undertake a residency project.

C.193 Although there has been no formal monitoring of other outcomes by the organisers, there is a strong view that the young people from Scotland benefited a great deal from the personal learning gained from the experience. The combination of dance and theatre experienced with the ISH group provided real inspiration for those participating. Feedback from the ISH Theatre indicates that they also learned from the Glasgow group. The project is viewed by those involved as a genuinely valuable exchange of practice and expertise. The experience is likely to shape the work that both theatre groups do in future.

C.194 At a more strategic level, it is envisaged that the visit will help shape the activities and projects that SAC supports in future. The experience of working with the Dutch group has provided new ideas for the SAC's own Youth Arts Strategy.

Conclusions

C.195 The Scotland in the Netherlands Programme provided the opportunity for this exchange: it was the catalyst which made it happen. The Scotland in the Netherlands Programme provided an opportunity for SAC to support an activity that was driven primarily by its own objectives.

C.196 Positive outcomes have been achieved at several levels - the learning experience of the young people directly involved; the likely impact on practice of the theatre groups involved; the contribution to the SAC's own thinking in terms of its Youth Arts Strategy. More generally, it showcased, albeit on a small scale, Scottish youth theatre and its links and commitment to aspects of social inclusion.

C.197 Follow-on activity is planned which will help to maintain the links that have been made.

C.198 Operationally, opportunities for higher profile may have been possible if a stronger overall media strategy for the Programme had been in place.

8. National arts education network ( NAEN) study trip AND Cultural Jongeren Paspoort/ cultural entitlement seminar

C.199 In September, 2004, members of the National Arts Education Network ( NAEN) made a study visit to the Netherlands. They were joined at a seminar on cultural entitlement for young people by representatives of the Young Scot scheme.

C.200 NAEN consists of a number of senior arts and culture education officers who work for various public agencies and other organisations throughout Scotland. Its members meet as a group approximately three times a year and also undertake one study visit per year. Their study visit is usually linked to a current arts-related policy issue and/or is used to inform NAEN members about new approaches to education in the arts and culture within the UK.

Pre-event

Origins

C.201 In April 2004, the Head of Drama at the Scottish Arts Council ( SAC) was approached by the Executive's Promotion of Scotland Team to consider involvement in a celebratory event being considered for autumn 2004 in the Netherlands. The SAC recognised the potential to link this with current interests in the issue of cultural entitlement.

C.202 Cultural entitlement is an area of current debate within Scotland, especially in relation to young people. In the Netherlands over the past five years the Cultural Jongeren Paspoort project has provided all Dutch school students aged 15 and 16 with vouchers totalling 22.70 euros per year which can be exchanged for tickets to artistic and cultural events and venues. Cultural education is part of the school curriculum in the Netherlands: students are expected to report back on a number of cultural visits during the school year and their work on this is assessed. Scotland has its Young Scot Programme which like the Dutch scheme is part of the European Youth Card initiative. The Netherlands version of the youth card is a working model of cultural entitlement which was deemed by the SAC as worthy of closer examination.

C.203 As both Young Scot and the Dutch project are part of the European Youth Card initiative and have similar cultural development roles to fulfil, those involved in organising the schemes already had good mutual contacts, but there had been no previous opportunity for this type of two-way exchange of practice.

C.204 There was some overlap between the NAEN study trip focussing on cultural entitlement and other cultural events being held as part of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme, as NAEN delegates visited a number of the associated activities supported by the SAC.

Objectives

C.205 At an initial meeting between SAC, Executive and British Embassy representatives, the overarching objective for including a cultural element in the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme was linked to the theme of positioning Scotland as an international cultural and creative "hub".

C.206 Planning and design for the activities in the Netherlands were done in collaboration between the Dutch and Scottish leads of the respective European Youth Card initiatives and the SAC. The British Embassy was involved in early planning. The Executive's Promotion of Scotland team also provided valued assistance. Advice on the selection of speakers was provided by the Dutch Head of Culture and Schools Department.

C.207 The SAC had a general understanding of the Executive's high level aims for promoting Scotland abroad, although perhaps less clear on how its inputs translated into specific objectives. The objective for the SAC in participating in the Programme was primarily to gain an in-depth understanding and appreciation of how the Netherlands model of cultural entitlement for young people operated in practice.

C.208 It was decided to incorporate the NAEN study visit for 2004 into the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. This enabled education officers from across Scotland to undertake the visit without an additional demand on their time. Also, Young Scot programme representatives were invited to participate in the study tour to learn how cultural entitlement for young people was being addressed.

Organisation

C.209 The organisation of flights and accommodation was the biggest strain on resources for the SAC. In retrospect, they would have appreciated more assistance from the Executive, either through administrative support or in negotiating a deal with suitable hotels in advance.

C.210 One other issue raised during consultations concerned ministerial participation. Although the Scottish Minster did attend and actively participate in the end, the Dutch counterpart was unavailable by the time this had been confirmed.

C.211 It is also felt that more knowledge of the higher level objectives the Executive had for the events in the Netherlands would have been useful. The organisers were unaware of what other events were being planned or who was organising them: as a consequence there was little opportunity to feed into or learn from the experiences of other event organisers.

Event

C.212 Our consultation was supplemented by a report prepared by the SAC on the cultural entitlement seminar which includes brief delegate responses and suggestions for next steps. This report states SAC's objectives in holding the event and lists the speakers.

C.213 Speakers at the event included: the Scottish Executive Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sports; the Education Officer, SAC; the Vice President of the European Youth Card Association; the Chief Executive, Young Scot scheme; Head of Department of Culture and Schools, The Netherlands; Managing Director, CJP, the organisers of the Dutch voucher scheme.

C.214 In retrospect, SAC believes that it may have been useful to include more artists and potential beneficiaries such as students or pupils in the seminar. It would have been interesting to hear the opinions of some young Dutch people as to whether they thought the voucher project is worthwhile; whether they take advantage of the money-off offer; if it makes their parents more aware and interested in the arts; and if there are activities they would like to be able to use their vouchers towards, but which are not included in the scheme at present.

C.215 The Minister's speech, although delayed due to his late arrival, was considered to be enthusiastically delivered and very relevant to the seminar. The relevance of the study visit to informing the work of the Cultural Commission in Scotland was made clear to seminar participants during the speech.

C.216 In the view of the SAC organisers, the seminar went precisely to plan. The Dutch organisation was "impeccable". The activity is regarded as having been cost effective by the SAC.

Post-event

C.217 Following the event, a report on the seminar was prepared by the SAC and passed to the Executive. A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) analysis of the Dutch voucher scheme was included in this report and will be made available to the Cultural Commission as evidence of a working model of cultural entitlement. The Commission is due to report in June 2005 and is expected to make recommendations on how to encourage people from all walks of life, regardless of age, ethnicity, wealth etc. to engage with the arts at some level.

C.218 There is already some discussion surrounding the option of introducing a pilot scheme using a Young Scot 'Smart Card' and tying this in with the Executive's health, arts, citizenship, enterprise, and lifelong learning agendas. The seminar held in the Netherlands has prompted Scottish officials both to examine how the Dutch scheme might be translated to meet Scottish circumstances and to reflect on whether there are more suitable and sustainable approaches to adopt.

C.219 Whilst there was little baseline evidence available to the SAC to indicate pre-existing perceptions of Scotland held by the Dutch cultural community, the success of the seminar will in the view of our consultee only have improved opinions. It will have helped to promote Scotland as an attractive place to live and present Scotland as a pro-active, culturally-aware society, keen to learn from the experiences of others.

C.220 To illustrate this, our consultee noted that Dutch seminar participants were very interested in the Scottish school curriculum, which they consider to be far richer in arts content than their own. For example, although the study of culture has a place in Dutch school curriculum, music is not taught in schools and must be paid for privately.

C.221 Arising from the visit, a number of future exchanges are planned, e.g. representatives of the ISH Institute to visit Scotland to speak at a seminar on youth and culture.

C.222 Since participating in the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme, the SAC has recruited an International Officer. It is hoped this will ensure any networking or contacts made with other countries are sustained effectively over the longer term.

Conclusions

C.223 The NAEN study trip and seminar enabled new and useful networking between counterparts in the two countries. It facilitated a mutual understanding and appreciation of the issues and challenges around the policy area of cultural entitlement for young people. It enabled those from Scotland to gain a better understanding of practice. Follow-up contacts are planned.

C.224 The objectives of the SAC were met successfully in terms of learning about Dutch practice. Its own evaluation has indicated that Scottish delegates felt that the seminar was successful and useful.

C.225 In terms of lessons for the future, there would be merit in having a steering meeting with Executive policy leads at an early stage when a programme is first being discussed. For the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme, some contributors did not join until a later stage - April 2004 in SAC's case - and even later for some policy leads. This is seen to have limited the opportunity to form an appreciation of the higher level objectives of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme. It also meant that co-ordinators did not have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of other organisers, nor to discuss potential synergy between events.

C.226 There was an interest in some type of formal debriefing, possibly in the form of a summary of this evaluation report, from the Scottish Executive in order for contributors to understand what if any difference their event made to the overall programme. This would also allow two-way feedback to inform future Scotland in… programmes.

9. Landforms Exhibition and Study Tour

C.227 The Landforms Exhibition was held in the Architectuur Centrum Aorta in Utrecht, the city in which Enric Miralles, the architect of the Scottish Parliament, designed the extension to the Town Hall. The opening was attended by the Scottish Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.

C.228 The Study Tour over 3 days was arranged for urban planners from 5 Scottish cities: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Stirling. It focused on approaches to waterfront redevelopment and looked at projects in the three Dutch cities.

Pre-event

Origins

C.229 When the decision to proceed with the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme was made, the Architecture Policy Unit recognised the opportunity to build on strong links that already existed between the two countries. The Dutch are recognised universally as leaders in contemporary planning and architecture. Indeed, the possibility of learning from the Dutch in architecture and policy had been raised previously, before Scotland in the Netherlands was conceived, as there was considered to be many innovative ideas around policy and planning principles in the Netherlands.

Organisation

C.230 The first activity to be planned was the Landforms Exhibition. This had been used previously as part of the Scotland in Catalonia Programme and was perceived to have been very successful. Representatives from the Executive and The Lighthouse chose the Aorta in Utrecht as the preferred venue, given the link with Miralles. The exhibition itself had to be redesigned to fit within the new space. An alternative exhibition, Field Trip, was also proposed, but was considered to be less appropriate for the Aorta's patrons.

C.231 When planning the exhibition, the idea of organising a study trip for the Better Cities Group of urban planners emerged. The relevant local authorities welcomed the idea of the Study Tour co-ordinated by The Lighthouse. There were considered to be very strong parallels between the Scottish cities involved in waterfront regeneration, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen, and much of the activity undertaken in the Netherlands. This provided the rationale for the trip.

Event

C.232 The Exhibition displayed 17 new Scottish architectural projects completed since devolution, including the new Scottish Parliament building.

C.233 There were 1,200 invitations and 600 postcards distributed for the Landforms Exhibition. The opening attracted an audience of 65, with a further 234 attending the exhibition over the three weeks it was held, a total of 294 visitors.

C.234 The Lighthouse organised a survey of visitors to the exhibition, translated into Dutch by staff in Aorta. There were 50 questionnaires completed: in terms of profile, 64% of those attending had not been to Aorta before; 80% were not architecture professionals. Half of visitors were local residents and half visitors to Utrecht. Of the respondents, 82% were not aware of Scottish contemporary architecture before the exhibition and 88% thought that the exhibition had changed their view of Scottish architecture, considering it to be more interesting. There was also positive feedback on the format of the exhibition itself.

C.235 The Study Tour over 3 days included a dinner with the Minister, held in Amsterdam, for the Scottish Better City representatives and eight Dutch representatives from the Netherlands Architecture Institute; the Chief Architect's Office, Den Haag; and Aorta.

Post-event

C.236 Post event, there is evidence of a number of positive outcomes. Members of the Better Cities Group on the Study Trip held a follow-up meeting at The Lighthouse in November, 2004 to review their trip; to present some of their projects in their own cities; and to consider how the Group could work together in future. A further meeting is planned in Aberdeen in 2005.

C.237 This is viewed by our consultees as a significant outcome. Those on the Study Trip did not know each other well beforehand: the trip is viewed as acting as a catalyst to the Scottish participants working together and learning from each other to an extent that has not happened previously.

C.238 The direct experiences from the Study Trip have also proved valuable. Several of those on the trip felt that it had been "inspiring" to view the examples of Dutch architecture. Many of these are very different from approaches traditionally taken in Scotland. The fact that much of what was seen is linked to waterfront development made it particularly relevant. There were many examples of radically different uses of space which raised issues about planning controls, the application of health and safety legislation; and social and culture matters.

C.239 It is argued that seeing these examples first hand will help inform participants on alternative approaches and ultimately assist in the design and choice of projects in Scottish cities, most immediately in the development of city waterfronts.

C.240 Longer term impacts have also been highlighted. The re-inforcing of prior links with the Netherlands Architecture Institute is seen as being of real value. The Lighthouse, representing Scottish design, has been invited to exhibit at the forthcoming International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam. This is a major event for the profession and will further raise Scotland's profile internationally.

C.241 In addition, two Dutch architects plan visits to Scotland in 2005 and a Young European Architects event is to be held in Glasgow also in 2005. The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland ( RIAS) has also used the link to the Netherlands in its materials to attract members and has highlighted the Executive's role in promoting Scottish architecture abroad.

C.242 Anecdotal feedback from those attending, including the senior Netherlands Architect Institute ( NAI) representative, has been indicative of a strong interest in what is happening in Scotland. Scotland is seen as having exciting projects and the Parliament building is attracting a lot of interest. In these qualitative ways, this component of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme has contributed to positive perceptions of Scotland as modern and creative country and has avoided re-inforcing some of the more traditional stereotypes.

Conclusions

C.243 Both events in themselves are regarded as well organised and successful, although linkage with the wider promotion of Scotland strategy in the Netherlands could have been made more explicit. There was little cross-over with other Scotland in the Netherlands events resulting in a sense of fragmentation rather than a programme.

C.244 On outcomes, awareness and perceptions of Scottish contemporary architecture were changed in positive ways among many of those attending the exhibition. Urban planners from Scotland were made aware of new options for waterside development. Finally, further two-way exchanges between architecture and design professionals in the two countries are planned in the wake of the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme.

C.245 On operational matters, those directly involved would have found it useful to meet with organisers of other events and to consider for example an overarching media strategy for the Scotland in the Netherlands Programme.

C.246 Previous Scotland in.. programmes are reported as having been more concentrated and as a result they have been able to "build up more momentum". A more concentrated approach, such as in Sweden for example, appears to allow the relevant Embassy to support events more effectively.

C.247 A longer lead period would help, allowing links to be built up beforehand with an event at the end. Delays in securing the Minister's presence meant that it was difficult to promote the events effectively or to do more to raise its profile.

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