St Andrews recognised for addiction care innovation
Written by Derek Main, Business School Communications Lead
The Scottish Council on Global Affairs (SCGA) has recognised the University of St Andrews for its leadership in developing a new, innovation-led approach to addiction care.
The SCGA, Scotland’s first dedicated international affairs institute, is a national partnership between the Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Through its State of the World programme, it supports work that connects Scottish expertise to global challenges.
The University will host a national policy workshop in early 2026, bringing together partners from health, research, government and the third sector. The initiative brings together a growing network of collaborators, including the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre, Research Data Scotland, NHS Scotland and international partners, to explore new models of innovation in addiction care. The event will lay the groundwork for a future innovation-focused lab based at St Andrews, designed to support sustained collaboration, investment and impact.
SCGA’s backing allows the University to build on the momentum of September’s Innovation in Addiction Medicine Summit, co-led by the School of Medicine and the Business School. That three-day event brought together more than 50 experts to explore how evidence, enterprise and collaboration could reshape society’s response to addiction.
Professor Alexander Baldacchino, Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry and Addiction, co-leads the initiative alongside Dr Gosia Mitka, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Vice-Dean Engagement, Partnerships and Social Responsibility at the Business School.
Professor Baldacchino said:
“Addiction is not only a medical issue, it is a societal one that demands collective responsibility. Real progress will come when science, policy and lived experience are aligned. This work is about building solutions that are practical, humane and grounded in evidence.”
Dr Mitka added:
“Addiction is one of the defining public health challenges of our time, and it demands a more joined-up response. The SCGA’s support is an important signal that our approach matters. Scotland has something to contribute here, not just in terms of urgent need, but in terms of leadership. We want to show what’s possible when medicine, data and entrepreneurship work together to build change that lasts.”