Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Encyclopedia
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency for a diverse region which covers more than half of Scotland and is home to around 450,000 people.
HIE's role is to develop sustainable economic growth across the region. To achieve this it creates infrastructure for future investment, assists large and small businesses with growth aspirations and has a unique role strengthening communities, particularly in fragile areas. As part of this HIE supports communities to acquire and develop land and other assets.
HIE supports the growth ambitions of business and social enterprise clients working through an account management model in order to accelerate growth in turnover, profitability, wage levels, exports and therefore gross value added
(GVA) in the HIE area.
HIE also invests in transformational projects across the region aiming to make the Highlands and Islands a more competitive and attractive place to live, work, study and grow.
responsible for distributing government grants for economic and cultural development of the Highlands that was formed in 1965. Retired diplomat Sir Andrew Gilchrist
was its chairman from 1970 until 1976.
HIE operates across 13 offices throughout the Highlands and Islands including 10 Area Offices, from Benbecula to Forres and Lerwick to Lochgilphead.
HIE's purpose is to deliver the Scottish Government's Economic Strategy which aims to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. The strategy sets five strategic objectives, for Scotland to become:
The HIE Operating Plan outlines the investment priorities for its annual budget in line with the national economic strategy.
The Scottish Government's skills strategy, Skills for Scotland, also informs HIE's remit.
The skills strategy highlights the importance to economic growth of equipping people with skills, expertise and knowledge, and ensuring their full and productive use.
While Skills Development Scotland
is the leading body in this field, HIE continues to have a strong interest in aspects of skills in the region. In particular, they support workforce development, help create learning infrastructure and are helping UHI Millennium Institute become a university.
The equivalent organisation for lowland Scotland is Scottish Enterprise
.
HIE's role is to develop sustainable economic growth across the region. To achieve this it creates infrastructure for future investment, assists large and small businesses with growth aspirations and has a unique role strengthening communities, particularly in fragile areas. As part of this HIE supports communities to acquire and develop land and other assets.
HIE supports the growth ambitions of business and social enterprise clients working through an account management model in order to accelerate growth in turnover, profitability, wage levels, exports and therefore gross value added
Gross value added
Gross Value Added ' is a measure in economics of the value of goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy...
(GVA) in the HIE area.
HIE also invests in transformational projects across the region aiming to make the Highlands and Islands a more competitive and attractive place to live, work, study and grow.
History
In 1991 HIE replaced the Highlands and Islands Development Board, a public body in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
responsible for distributing government grants for economic and cultural development of the Highlands that was formed in 1965. Retired diplomat Sir Andrew Gilchrist
Andrew Gilchrist
Sir Andrew Graham Gilchrist, KCMG was a Special Operations Executive operative and later a UK ambassador.-Early career in Foreign Office and SOE:...
was its chairman from 1970 until 1976.
Area covered by HIE
- Shetland
- Orkney
- Outer HebridesOuter HebridesThe Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
- Caithness and SutherlandCaithness and Sutherland (UK Parliament constituency)Caithness and Sutherland was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
- LochaberLochaberDistrict of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
- SkyeSkyeSkye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
- Wester RossWester Rossis a western area of Ross and Cromarty in Scotland, notably containing the villages on the west coast such as:* Lochcarron* Applecross* Shieldaig* Torridon* Kinlochewe * * * Aultbea* Laide* Ullapool* Achiltibuie...
- Argyll and the Islands
- MorayMorayMoray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
- Inner Moray Firth
- InvernessInvernessInverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
Strategy
Highlands and Islands Enterprise's approach to economic and community development centres on working to build sustainable economic growth in all parts of the region. They are guided in this by the Scottish Government Economic Strategy, and by the Scottish Economic Recovery Plan.HIE operates across 13 offices throughout the Highlands and Islands including 10 Area Offices, from Benbecula to Forres and Lerwick to Lochgilphead.
HIE's purpose is to deliver the Scottish Government's Economic Strategy which aims to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. The strategy sets five strategic objectives, for Scotland to become:
- Wealthier and fairer
- Smarter
- Healthier
- Safer and stronger
- Greener
The HIE Operating Plan outlines the investment priorities for its annual budget in line with the national economic strategy.
The Scottish Government's skills strategy, Skills for Scotland, also informs HIE's remit.
The skills strategy highlights the importance to economic growth of equipping people with skills, expertise and knowledge, and ensuring their full and productive use.
While Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland is Scotland's skills public body which operates across Scotland as a whole.-History:Created on 1 April 2008, SDS is a merger of former organisations and services which delivered skills related services across Scotland....
is the leading body in this field, HIE continues to have a strong interest in aspects of skills in the region. In particular, they support workforce development, help create learning infrastructure and are helping UHI Millennium Institute become a university.
The equivalent organisation for lowland Scotland is Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is a sponsored non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business...
.