About ICS

The Institute of Contemporary Scotland (ICS), publisher of the Scottish Review, was established in 2000 with Magnus Magnusson as its first patron and Kenneth Roy, its founder, as first director.
     ICS aims 'to stimulate discussion and revitalisation of thought and debate in Scotland' and 'to stimulate awareness and discussion of social, economic and cultural issues affecting Scotland and Scots through education and educational initiatives'. It has charitable status.
     In proposing the foundation of ICS, at a public meeting in Glasgow on 23 October 2000, the broadcaster Ian Mackenzie said its purpose was to be 'undogmatic, to be intellectually free, and to encompass and share any aspect of life in our land, past, present and future'. He described it as 'yet another effort to break free from narrow systems of thinking'.
     ICS attempts to fulfil its founding principles and ideals in two main ways:
     The Young Scotland Programme promotes the intellectual development of people in the early stages of their working lives with annual residential courses in which a cross-section of men and women from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures come together for an intensive exchange of ideas and experiences.
     There are debates on issues of the day, guest speakers (the first was a Nobel prize-winner), group discussions and informal dialogue. The intellectual core of the programme is the writing and presentation by each delegate of a paper on a subject of current interest or controversy of the delegate's own choice. The author of the most outstanding paper is awarded the title Scotland Young Thinker of the Year.
     The programme originated with a pilot scheme in Glasgow in November 2002. It was so successful that it was extended to Northern Ireland in 2003, England and Wales in 2004, and the Republic of Ireland in 2005. The Young Scotland Programme is now part of the wider Young UK and Ireland Programme organised by ICS's partner organisation, Leaders UK and Ireland Ltd.
     Since 2002, more than 500 delegates have successfully completed the Young Scotland Programme.
     In conjunction with the Young Scotland Programme, ICS has an annual award for the Young Scot of the Year in honour of an outstanding Scottish journalist and former editor of the Herald, Arnold Kemp. This award is given in recognition of outstanding work in the community.
     The other principal way in which ICS strives to fulfil its founding ideals is through the publication, three times a week, of the online current affairs magazine, the Scottish Review. SR was established in January 1995 as an independent quarterly journal of commentary on Scottish affairs. It was acquired by ICS in 2001 and went online in February 2008. It endures in print as an annual hardback anthology.
     The Scottish Review, like ICS in general, is non-party-political and offers a forum for discussion for a variety of contributors of all political persuasions and none.
     ICS has no public funding. It depends entirely on the goodwill of individuals who support its ideals and activities by subscription or donation.

[click here] for ICS's 2010 annual accounts

[click here] for ICS's articles of association

Honorary Life President: Kenneth Roy
Honorary Life Vice Presidents: Rose Galt, John Moorhouse, Tessa Ransford
Trustees: Fiona MacDonald (Chair), Jock Gallagher, Islay McLeod
Secretary of the Institute: Islay McLeod

Charity Number: SC030680
Company Number: 213153
Prestwick International Airport
Liberator House
Suite 216
Prestwick KA9 2PT
Tel: 01292 473777
email: admin@contemporaryscotland.com
web: www.scottishreview.net