The Manifestos - On the Elections Ep.4
UofG Spotlight
In this episode of the UofG Spotlight On the Elections podcast, we’re looking at what’s in the manifestos of the Scottish parties. Hosts Nicola McEwen and Kezia Dugdale talk to Professor Alistair Clark, a political scientist from the University of Newcastle and Chris Birt, Associate Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Together they discuss whether manifestos really matter, what’s in them, what’s not and how what they choose to emphasise gives us a greater insight into their priorities and outlook. Tune in and subscribe. ...
info_outline
The Rise of the Right - On the Elections Ep.3
UofG Spotlight
This week we’re looking at the rise of the right in Scotland. We're seeing Reform UK emerge in Scotland as a serious contender, and given the electoral system one that is likely to see a sizeable number of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. In this episode, we explore: What’s driving the rise of parties like Reform UK What can we learn from similar parties elsewhere? And what are the implications for public policy more generally? First up we talk to Sunder Katwala, Director of British Future, an independent, non-partisan thinktank and registered charity, engaging people’s hopes and...
info_outline
An Election in the Shadow of War? On the Elections Ep.2
UofG Spotlight
In today’s episode of our UofG Spotlight: On the Elections series, we're looking at the election through the lens of global politics and growing global insecurity, specifically the US and Israel's war with Iran. We’re joined by John Edward, Head of Operations at the Scottish Council on Global Affairs and Geoff Aberdein, Managing Partner at True North, co-host of the podcast Holyrood Sources, and a former Special Adviser to the SNP Scottish Government. We examine what the impact of the events in the Middle East are closer to home, on devolution and for Scotland’s wider place in the...
info_outline
On the Elections Ep.1: The Polls and the Policies So Far
UofG Spotlight
Kicking off our ‘On the Elections’ series of the UofG Spotlight podcast, hosts Nicola McEwen and Kez Dugdale talk to guests Chris Carman and Mark McGeoghegan. A ‘state of the race’ episode, they talk about the key issues for the campaign ahead. How much do the campaigns really matter? What are the polls saying, and how are key issues ranking with voters? What about Reform UK and just how volatile is the electorate? Tune in for a fantastic primer on the upcoming election in Scotland. Follow the election day by day with the Centre for Public Policy on our website here: ...
info_outline
Are We Tackling Poverty in Scotland?
UofG Spotlight
In this episode of Spotlight, Kezia Dugdale speaks with Jim McCormick, Chief Executive of The Robertson Trust, about the Scottish Government’s new Child Poverty Framework and what truly drives progress on lifting families out of poverty, from boosting incomes to delivering strong local services. Kezia is joined first by Dr Thomas Rochow to preview insights from the Centre’s State of Poverty project and why income support alone isn’t enough without accessible services and joined‑up systems.
info_outline
The Future of Higher Education in the UK
UofG Spotlight
Higher education is facing one of the most challenging periods in its recent history. Rising financial pressures, declining international student numbers, and shifting expectations. So what does a sustainable, inclusive, and future‑ready higher education system look like? In this episode, Prof Nicola McEwen explores the future of higher education with two leading voices. First, she speaks to Prof Sir Anton Muscatelli, former Principal of the University of Glasgow and now President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Anton sets out the scale of the financial pressures facing universities...
info_outline
Hard choices ahead? Budget Challenges Facing the Next Scottish Government
UofG Spotlight
In this episode, Nicola McEwen and Graeme Roy look ahead to the challenges facing the next Scottish Government as it confronts a tight fiscal landscape. Nicola speaks with Matt Donoghue from the State Government of Victoria about Australia’s Early Intervention and Investment Framework (EIIF) - an interesting approach to pooled budgeting and preventative spending that’s gaining international attention. They explore how the model works, how departments are incentivised to collaborate, and what it takes to shift resources toward long‑term prevention. Nicola then...
info_outline
Work, Ageing and the Employment Rights Act
UofG Spotlight
This week Kez Dugdale is joined by Professor Kathleen Riach and Professor Melanie Simms from the University of Glasgow to discuss work, ageing and employment rights. Kat takes us through her recent research on work and ageing, looking at what it means to become older in work, whether policymakers and employers are doing enough to support people and what impacts how ‘old’ we feel. Then Mel discusses the details, politics and implications of the Employment Rights Act, which recently received Royal Assent in Westminster. She talks about how the changes could impact workers and...
info_outline
Challenging Scotland's Political Leaders
UofG Spotlight
We’re kicking off Season 7 of our UofG Spotlight podcast with a live episode challenging our political leaders on public service reform in Scotland. Recorded live on Monday 19 January 2026 at our event, Stop/Start: Making Public Service Reform Stick in Scotland, our host Professor Kezia Dugdale talks to: Michael Marra MSP - Scottish Labour Alison Thewliss - SNP Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP - Scottish Conservatives Graham Simpson MSP - Reform UK Jamie Greene MSP - Scottish Liberal Democrats Gillian Mackay MSP - Scottish Greens Kez quizzed our panel about whether politicians can work together to...
info_outline
Trump’s Second Act: Leadership, Tariffs, and Tensions
UofG Spotlight
In this latest episode of Spotlight, we reflect on a turbulent year in American politics and its global ripple effects. Nicola McEwen and Kez Dugdale are joined by two leading voices in international affairs: Prof Juliet Kaarbo (University of St Andrews) explores Donald Trump’s evolving leadership style, the psychology behind his foreign policy decisions, and the blurring lines between domestic and international agendas. Prof Mark Blyth (Brown University) unpacks the economic and political consequences of Trump’s tariff wars, rising inflation, and the resilience of U.S. institutions...
info_outlineIn this season opener of Spotlight, Nicola McEwen and Kezia Dugdale explore the future of Scotland’s health, focusing on prevention, systems change, and the social determinants of health.
Nicola speaks with Professor Sir Gregor Smith, Chief Medical Officer for the Scottish Government, about the long-term challenges facing the health service, the concept of Realistic Medicine, and why prevention must be central to Scotland’s public health strategy. Their wide-ranging conversation touches on political decision-making pressures and the potential of AI in healthcare, offering a compelling vision for reimagining health systems.
Kezia brings in two leading voices from the University of Glasgow:
- Professor Petra Meier, Policy Modelling for Health Consortium Director, whose modelling work has influenced key public health policies such as Minimum Unit Pricing.
- Dr David Blane, Academic Lead for the Deep End GP Project, which addresses health inequalities in Scotland’s most deprived communities.
Together, they unpack the economic and social drivers of health, barriers to preventative care, and the importance of whole-system approaches to improving outcomes.