Stakeholders unite in St Andrews to shape the future of addiction innovation
More than 30 stakeholders from across Scotland gathered at the University of St Andrews to explore how innovation can help address the complex challenges associated with gambling and substance use harms.
The event marked the first plenary workshop of the Research and Innovation in Gambling and Substance Use (RIGS) St Andrews partnership, a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)-funded initiative bringing together people with lived and living experience, government, NHS organisations, third sector partners, universities, innovators and community organisations.
Held in St Andrews on Wednesday 26 August, the workshop was designed to build a shared understanding of the addiction innovation landscape and identify opportunities for collaboration, research and practical action.
The day opened with a welcome from Derek Watson, Chief Executive of St Andrews Innovation, followed by contributions from Dr Gosia Mitka (Business School), Joe Schofield (School of Medicine) and Dr Janis Petzinger (Business School), who introduced participants to the aims of the partnership and the
Rather than focusing on individual interventions, participants used design thinking and systems thinking approaches to examine the wider landscape of addiction prevention, treatment and recovery. Through a series of facilitated activities designed by Dr Sandra Romenska (Business School), attendees explored the connections between different parts of the system, identified common barriers and highlighted areas where innovation could deliver the greatest benefit.
A core principle of the RIGS programme is that meaningful change is only possible when a broad range of perspectives are brought together, with lived and living experience at the heart of discussions. Participants contributed insights from across healthcare, policymaking, academia, community organisations and innovation support networks.
Several themes emerged during the workshop, including barriers to adopting innovation, challenges in translating research into practice, opportunities to strengthen collaboration across sectors, and ways to support the journey from promising ideas to implementation and impact.
The plenary also highlighted the growing role of the IDEAS Addiction Medicine Hub, a collaboration between the University of St Andrews Business School and School of Medicine. The emerging hub aims to connect researchers, clinicians, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, third sector organisations and people with lived experience to develop innovative solutions for addiction-related challenges.
By creating opportunities for collaboration, partnership building and knowledge exchange, the hub seeks to help promising ideas progress towards real-world impact.
Speaking after the event, Dr Gosia Mitka said: “Complex challenges such as addiction cannot be solved by any one organisation or sector acting alone. By bringing together diverse voices and using systems thinking and design thinking approaches, we can better understand where barriers exist, identify opportunities for change, and work collectively towards solutions that improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
“This workshop represents an important step in building a stronger innovation ecosystem that connects research, practice and lived experience to drive meaningful change.”
The event concluded with reflections from Professor Alex Baldacchino (School of Medicine) and Dr Dagmar der Weduwen (School of Medicine and St Andrews Innovation), who emphasised the importance of sustained partnership working and cross-sector collaboration in addressing complex societal challenges.
Insights from the workshop will now inform the next phase of the RIGS partnership as participants continue to co-design interventions, strengthen innovation networks and explore opportunities to translate research, knowledge and lived experience into positive impact across Scotland.