The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) deepened its engagement with leading institutions and organizations in the creative and startup ecosystems of Scotland during the second day of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC) delegation’s visit to the United Kingdom (UK) last week.
Led by DTI Secretary and PCIDC Chairperson Alfredo Pascual, the delegation met with key officials from the Edinburgh Futures Institute, a new futures-focused space for learning, research, and innovation at the University of Edinburgh. The meeting focused on exploring innovative models of cooperation between the government, industry, and academia to nurture creative talent and enhance industry-academe engagement in developing and commercializing intellectual property within the creative sector.
The DTI Secretary also engaged in a series of meetings with key Scottish creative economy institutions, including Creative Scotland and Screen Scotland, tackling emerging policy frameworks in developing the creative economy. The participants exchanged insights on policy frameworks, funding mechanisms, and strategic interventions designed to nurture creative talent, stimulate entrepreneurship, and promote cultural diversity.
In addition, a strategic meeting with Scotland festival managers and representatives was also convened to discuss strategies to leverage festivals as catalysts for cultural exchange, economic development, and tourism promotion. During the meeting, Secretary Pascual and Scotland festival managers exchanged insights on their experiences in organizing successful events, fostering community engagement, and maximizing the socio-economic impact of conducting local and international festivals.
Finally, in line with its efforts in developing the country’s startup ecosystem, the DTI also engaged key representatives from CodeBase, a renowned startup ecosystem builder in Scotland. The dialogue emphasized the importance of funding, government support, industry engagement, and academic involvement in supporting budding entrepreneurs and taking their ideas into the market at scale.
Expressing his enthusiasm in the potential collaboration with Codebase, Secretary Pascual reported, “Our meeting with CodeBase has been inspiring and insightful. By leveraging their expertise in ecosystem building and technology innovation, we can empower innovative entrepreneurs, drive digital transformation, and unlock new opportunities for growth.”
The PCIDC delegation’s three-day visit to the UK was a mission organized by the British Council, aimed at enabling government representatives to gain invaluable insights into the UK’s thriving creative ecosystem and forge partnerships with key UK institutions to advance the Philippines’ creative economy agenda.
