APPENDIX 2 - Stimulus materials
STUDENT AND ACADEMIC FACTS
Examples of the kind of facts that could be used to support the 4 themes.
- Over 40,000 students from 180 countries worldwide study in Scotland each year.
- Scotland produces more life science graduates per capita than any other OECD2 country.
- Six Scottish universities currently hold five-star ratings for the quality of their research, denoting that the work is internationally significant.
- In 2005, the Universities of Glasgow and Dundee were recognized by "The Scientist" as the two premier European Life Science institutions.
- As the country that gave the world the fax, photocopier, insulin, penicillin, the MRI scanner and the first 3D computer game, Scotland continues to make an outstanding contribution to the sum of human knowledge - inventing wave power, iPod audio chips and solar sails for space craft.
- A University in Dundee was the first in the world to run taught courses in computer games programming and games creativity and artwork. The University established Europe's first university research center dedicated to computer games and video entertainment.
- Scottish universities and the private sector are brokering partnerships to make sure university research leads to commercial success - one such partnership led to a world-first in the development of personalized drugs.
- Scotland is open to new people and new ideas and has introduced pioneering measures under its "Fresh Talent" initiative to ensure that people who are thinking about coming to live, work or study in Scotland get all the practical help they need.
- As much as Scotland contributes to the world - from seafood and whisky to computer design, MRI scanners and North Sea oil - it also welcomes the world. Not only does it provide a stage for the world at its international festivals it also offers outstanding opportunities for inward investment in terms of research and development, educated workforce and prime location.
BUSINESS FACTS
Examples of the kind of facts that could be used to support the 4 themes.
- Scotland is recognized as one of Europe's leading locations for foreign direct investment.
- Seven of the top ten computer manufacturers have a presence in Scotland. Today Scotland produces 30% of Europe's branded PCs, nearly 80% of its workstations, 65% of its ATMS and over 50% of its notebook computers.
- Scotland is famous for its banking, insurance and finance sector, handling funds in excess of £325 billion (approximately $630 billion). The Royal Bank of Scotland, founded in 1727, is now the fifth largest banking group in the world.
- Scotland has one of the largest and fastest-growing life science clusters in Europe, employing over 25,000 people, and continues to attract some of the world's most prominent scientists in biotech research.
- Over 100,000 people currently work in the Scottish creative industries sector from leading names in the arts and culture sectors to digital industries in video game production.
- Scottish entrepreneurial spirit continues to drive the economy. For example, the Baxters Food Company has grown from a single grocers shop in 1868 to a global enterprise.
- Scotland's reputation for enterprise and innovation continues to drive its economy. The founder of Optos devised a new way of imaging the retina following his son's partial blindness. This now benefits more than a million patients in UK and America.
- Scotland has given the world the fax, the photocopier, insulin, penicillin, the MRI scanner and the first 3D computer game and continues pioneering work such as the successful harnessing of wave power, inventing iPod audio chips and solar sails for space craft.
- Scotland offers unique opportunities for work / life balance combining vibrant cosmopolitan cities with easy access to mountains, beaches, rural villages and ancient historical sites. Scotland is also home to over 500 golf courses.
- With six international airports Scotland is easy to get to. With the World Wide Web it's easy to get information about. And, with government agencies dealing with trade, tourism and culture in over 140 countries around the world, it's easy to connect with.
- Tourism, food, drink and textiles have traditionally been important to the Scottish economy. In recent years Scottish companies have also won international acclaim for their contribution to the digital entertainments industry, especially in the design of leading-edge computer games.
VISITOR FACTS
Examples of the kind of facts that could be used to support the 4 themes.
- Scotland welcomes over 18m visitors every year.
- Scotland has some of the largest areas of unspoilt wilderness in Europe. 4 out of the 5 highest mountains in the UK are in Scotland; there are over 1140 sq kms of freshwater lochs, countless rivers and 9656 kms of coastline for white water rafters, kayakers, anglers and surfers.
- Scotland was the birthplace of golf and is now home to over 500 golf courses including the legendary courses of St Andrews, Gleneagles, Muirfield, Carnoustie and Loch Lomond.
- Scotland offers a unique blend of old and new: from cosmopolitan cities, cutting edge arts and adrenalin-fuelled adventure sports to rural villages with their colourful histories, traditional cultures and the opportunity to trace your ancestry.
- Scotland's architecture spans 5000 years of history from prehistoric standing stones, medieval abbeys, magnificent castles, great gardens and palaces to lighthouses, whisky distilleries, cathedrals and cutting-edge design such as the new Scottish Parliament.
- While Scottish writers like Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott are giants of world literature, contemporary Scottish writers such as Ian Rankin, AL Kennedy and Alexander McCall Smith are today making their mark on the international stage. Edinburgh is the world's first city of literature.
- Scotland's fertile seas support 8,000 complex species of marine life including basking sharks, leatherback turtles, whales and dolphins.
- The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the probably the world's largest explosion of performance creativity within a concentrated three week period. In 2006 there were an estimated 16,990 innovative, ground-breaking performers from all over the world taking part.