The Glasgow School of Art works with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to explore how engagement with design, innovation, architecture and art can help to enrich life across the region. This ongoing partnership led to the establishment of the GSA Highlands and Islands campus at Altyre in Forres, near Inverness.

At Altyre, a thriving community of postgraduate students, researchers and teaching faculty inhabit a purpose-designed campus on a historic Highlands estate. The academics and students partner with communities, organisations and businesses across Scotland and beyond to explore how innovation can create cultural, technological and economic opportunities for those who choose to live amongst the beauty of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. 

Recent collaborations have included the founding of the Moray Textile Network, work on healthcare with NHS Grampian, and contributions to the Inverness-based Xpo North conference, which focuses on the role of the creative industries.

The GSA-HIE collaboration has also underpinned the establishment of the annual Winter School, held every January at Altyre, which invites design schools and students from across Europe to gather and participate in workshops led by a roster of international academics and theorists.

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