Overview

Beyond Borders works with a wide range of non-governmental organisations, research institutes and universities, foundations, and charities across a variety of platforms from dialogue and politics to the arts. This uniquely places us to facilitate cross-sector connections, support access to a wide range of experts, and to offer advisory services and retreat venue facilities in the Scottish Borders. We provide a range of support services and partnership options for NGOs working in policy, research, capacity building and more, as well as providing a range of opportunities for NGOs to engage with political practitioners. We also seek strategic partnerships with other international organisations in order to develop joint projects and programmes, and provide practitioner expertise and research to a range of universities and research institutes.

Current and previous collaborative projects include (but are not limited to) – Chatham House; the John Smith Trust; Delfina Foundation; Unseen UK; Beyond Conflict; Conciliation Resources, and many more.

We believe that collaboration and partnerships between NGOs, businesses and academia are crucial to successful and impactful dialogue and diplomacy initiatives. Working across different geographies and fields, we are focused on cross-sector collaborations that address real global needs. Sitting between the private sector and the non-governmental, and with relationships across national and international politics, Beyond Borders is driven to provide expertise and capacity to achieve collective impact. The scope of these collaborations is varied, including everything from capacity building and devolution to trauma and recovery for victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.

Beyond Borders has been involved in curating a number of elements of the John Smith Trust’s Fellowship Programmes, welcoming Fellows from across the Middle East and North Africa and the Former Soviet Union to Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. Programmes have involved lectures and meetings with prominent Scottish politicians and academics, in addition to a retreat weekend at Traquair House, providing space for reflection and discussion following the remainder of their time in Scotland.

In collaboration with University of Edinburgh School of Government – Beyond Borders put together a ‘Policy Forum’, giving the 17 John Smith Memorial Trust Fellows from across Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Turkmenistan an opportunity to engage with political practitioners on issues effecting Scotland and the UK, as well as the JSMT fellow’s home countries. The first day looked at Scotland’s referendum, debating wider questions of democracy and the use of referendums. Speakers included Humza Yousaf MSP, Minister for External Affairs and International Development; Stephen Noon, Director of Strategy for ‘Yes’ campaign; Brian Taylor BBC Scotland’s Political Editor; Lord Purvis of Tweed; and Laura Cram from the University of Edinburgh.

Beyond Borders also has a long-standing collaborative relationship with Chatham House, and their Middle East and North Africa Programme in particular. Previous collaborative projects have included hosting participants from Bahrain for a series of discussion sessions with experts in conflict, negotiation, and dialogue, the purpose of which was to bring together a group of Bahraini group to identify areas of consensus and difference, and to feed into public debates around the prospects for the country’s political dialogue.

Beyond Borders is in the midst of expanding our NGO and academic collaborations, embarking on innovative research projects and events with the London School of Economics, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Durham. We believe NGO-Academia partnerships are increasingly impactful in tackling the world’s most pressing crises and Beyond Borders is committed to driving these partnerships forward within the current global context, from touring the hard-hitting New York Times Hard Truths exhibition, to developing research and practice on inclusive peace with cross-sector academic and NGO partners.