ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book analyses the economic impact of the Scottish Parliament on Edinburgh and considers the opportunities to use the buoyancy of the local economy to tackle problems of social exclusion in Edinburgh. It explores the paradoxes of the Glasgow economy. The book discusses the provision of vocational education and training (VET). VET in Scotland is fragmented, often separated from other parts of the educational system, based on voluntarism, and is being driven by UK priorities although it is a devolved policy area. The book addresses the whole range of transport issues. It also considers the record of urban regeneration in Scotland and also discusses some of the future challenges if urban regeneration policy is to continue to be as innovative as it has been in the past.
