The Scottish Arts and Humanities Alliance (SAHA) is a joint initiative of ten Scottish Higher Education institutions, the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities. It was established to give a public and collective voice to the Arts and Humanities in the context of Higher Education and will also make connections as appropriate with work at a UK level to promote the value of SHAPE (social sciences, humanities and the arts for people, the economy and the environment).
This new Alliance is designed to promote more widely the contribution of our disciplines to positive change in society, to economic progress and to cultural understanding.
We envisage a reflective alliance that sets agendas and responds to current concerns; we see it as an interdisciplinary and capability-building organisation that will launch new initiatives and engage with policy makers and the general public openly and collaboratively, via an active and inclusive work programme.
ALLIANCE GOALS
The Alliance has the following remit:
- To be a united, public voice on matters relating to the arts and humanities in Scotland;
- To advocate for the arts and humanities, enhancing understanding of their intellectual, creative, and social as well as economic, contribution to the wellbeing and advancement of Scottish society;
- To influence government policy on current higher educational issues relating to the arts and humanities, giving a Scottish perspective, but also speaking to wider debates;
- To create, foster and enhance links and partnerships between scholars and local communities and communities of practice;
- To disseminate its work in the media, in government and within the education sector.
AREAS OF STRATEGIC PRIORITY/WORKSTREAMS
The Alliance will seek to contribute to a wide range of areas through a variety of means (e.g. podcasts, blogs, short videos, advice papers). Initial areas for in-depth attention include:
- Climate change;
- Education policy;
- Post-Covid-19 society.
MEMBERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE
- All Scottish HEIs are invited to become members of the Alliance;
- A Steering Committee comprising representatives from contributing organisations determines the strategic direction and activity of the Alliance.