Welcome to Rural Exchange

The Rural Exchange provides an exciting new platform for people living and working across Scotland's rural and island communities to have their voices heard in both research and policy-making and to access pertinent research reports and data.

Within the Strategic Research Programme, Theme E focuses on Rural Futures and it consists of 6 research projects across Scotland's Rural College and the James Hutton Institute. Our Rural Exchange provides a new interface between SRUC's research on Scottish Government priority topics relating to: (1) Rural Economy; (2) Rural Communities; and (3) Land Reform.  

The Rural Exchange acts as a knowledge exchange hub for a number of projects funded by the Scottish Government's 2022-2027 Strategic Research Programme for the environment, natural resources and agriculture. 

The 'Novel Insights on Scotland’s Rural and Island Economies (NISRIE)' project is focused on providing insights on rural and island economies whilst the Reimagined policy futures: Shaping sustainable, inclusive and just rural and island communities in Scotland (ReRIC) focuses on persistent challenges faced by rural communities.  Related projects are also being conducted by colleagues at the James Hutton Institute through their Scotland's Rural and Island's Future Project. 

The Scottish Land Insights project is examining various aspects of land ownership and land management to inform ongoing land reform policy decisions.  Related research is also ongoing within the James Hutton Institute through their Scotland's Land Reform Futures project.

Through the Rural Exchange the research team at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) would like to hear from you about key issues affecting your everyday lives as households and businesses, what is working  well in your community, and what could be improved.