Police Scotland International Academy
Information about the Police Scotland International Academy, what it does and its aims and objectives.
On this page:
What is the Police Scotland International Academy?
What the International Academy seeks to achieve?
What the International Academy does
How to find out more about our work
What is the Police Scotland International Academy?
The Police Scotland International Academy (PSIA) is based at Tulliallan Castle. It's a central Hub for the co-ordination and delivery of Police Scotland’s non-operational international activity.
The work is managed and led by the International Development.
International development is a key part of Scotland's contribution within the international community. It is our ambition to collaborate on initiatives. It is also to support our international partners towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Whilst Police Scotland’s main purpose is to improve the safety and well-being of people, places and communities in Scotland national and international dimensions to poverty, justice, inequality and climate change are interlinked.
To provide a specific focus on these issues we created the Police Scotland International Academy.
What the International Academy seeks to achieve?
Enhanced global opportunities to positively contribute to and deliver police training, development and support. This is for the benefit of communities in Scotland and internationally. It is aligned to the UN sustainable development goals
Effective and productive partnership networks working collaboratively with those who reflect Police Scotland’s values and ethics. This allows innovation and exploring new ways of working.
Increased skills, knowledge and understanding of international communities within our workforce. This positively influences and shares best practice, which is reflected in our approach
The Police Scotland International Development Strategy 2021 is available.
What the International Academy does
Exchanging information, experience and support
Scottish policing has supported the development of police services overseas for over ten years. We have hosted police officers from every continent and on study programmes in Scotland. We have worked in other countries to help develop their police services.
Every country has their own unique set of challenges. For example, they have their own legislation, culture, social structure.
All training that is delivered overseas is therefore created bespoke. It is in partnership with the host police service. This is to ensure that the training works in the host country context.
We have built strong relationships with Policing agencies across the world. This is to share and learn from best practice.
Partnership and collaboration
We are continuing to strengthen the existing collaboration with our public sector, third sector and academic partners. We're also expanding our reach nationally and internationally.
Innovation and continuous professional development
The PSIA assists in the co-ordination of Police Scotland’s participation in international research related to law enforcement.
We are currently participating in cutting edge international research programmes. These will service to expand and strengthen Police Scotland’s own expertise.
We are also collaborating with international partners on the development of new training products. This will not only enhance our organisation internationally but add to the continuous professional development of our own officers.
Ongoing Global Programmes
Global Police Innovation Exchange Leadership Programme (GPX LP)
Police Scotland has been working in collaboration with numerous agencies including, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Institute of Police Management, Singapore Police Force, Netherlands Police, National Crime Agency, College of Policing, New Zealand Police, Federal Police of Brazil, Chilean Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to bring an exciting leadership development opportunity to substantive superintendents and police staff equivalents (band 10) and above who are high performing and demonstrate the potential to be executive leaders in the future.
The GPXLP aims to create a global network of police leaders equipped with the skills, knowledge and understanding to adapt and respond to emerging issues affecting policing and society.
The programme is currently in its second year with course content being delivered in a blended modular format across a 12 month period. It will conclude in March 2025.
Participants commit to undertaking residential sessions, online workshops, online study content, syndicate working, submissions of reflective essays and at the conclusion of the programme a syndicate presentation and submission of a syndicate 5000 word essay.
Due to the global nature of the programme participants are required to undertake sessions during unsocial hours as well as having to commit personal development time of 2-5 hours per week.
The current programme met in Syndey in April 2024, have just returned from Singapore where they undertook an innovation study tour and they will head to Oxford University and Scotland in February 2025.
The third cohort will commence in March 2025 and further information can be obtained by contacting the GlobalPoliceExchange@scotland.police.uk
Police Scotland Malawi & Zambia Programme
Since 2016 Police Scotland has collaborated with the Malawi and Zambia Police Services designing and delivering training to enhance the police services’ responses to gender based violence (GBV) and child protection, provided mentoring, invested in ICT infrastructure and supported community engagement whilst promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This has included a number of Police Scotland deployments to both Malawi and Zambia to deliver training in key areas and to enhance the capacity of the respective police services to deliver their own training.
Further to a review in early 2024, Scottish Government funding has been secured to continue to deliver training in both Malawi and Zambia over the next three years covering the following areas;
- Sexual Offences and Child Protection
- Sexual Offences Liaison Officer
- Joint Investigative Interview
- Human Trafficking
- Cyber-crime.
The Police Scotland International Academy will continue to work in collaboration with the Malawi and Zambia Police Services to provide enhanced experiences of engaging with police services for women and children who are the victims of violence, to encourage attitudinal shifts around GBV within the police services and the wider public and to increase reporting and conviction rates for incidents of violence against women and children. Whilst doing so opportunities for self development will be provided to officers of staff of Police Scotland enabling them to better serve their communities in Scotland and to become better global citizens.
Norway Mentoring Programme
The Police Scotland International Academy has worked with the Norwegian Police Service to explore opportunities for collaboration through the Norway mentoring programme. As a result of this work, a pilot programme was devised and implemented in 2022/2023 where Norwegian trainee officers and frontline Police Constables from Police Scotland collaborated exchanging experience and learning. Six officers were then selected for 2023/2024 and the collaboration will continue into 2024/2025 with the addition of 2 Finnish trainee officers for the first time.
In total the 8 Norwegian and Finnish officers involved in the programme will be in the third year of their training cycle where they require to write a thesis on a police related topic and the option of working with Police Scotland officers is a popular choice.
They will chose the topic from:-
- Drug deaths
- Police well-being
- De-escalation
- Domestic abuse,
then compare and contrast the police experience with "hands on" input from operational officers from Police Scotland.
The selected Police Scotland Constables will undergo a mentoring course to assist them in working with the Norwegian and Finnish officers. It will run from November 2024 until April 2025.
Royal Falkland Islands Police
Royal Falkland Islands Police (RFIP) was twinned with Police Scotland in 2022 by the UK Government.
In 2023, Police Scotland answered an urgent request for officers to assist short term with front line policing. A response sergeant and constable were deployed for nine months. This deployment was extremely well received by the RFIP and it offered tremendous development opportunities for Police Scotland officers.
Due to continued staffing issues, a further request was received in April 2024 for two police constables again to assist in front line policing. Two officers were identified and deployed in September and October 2024.
There is continuous collaboration between both organisations and early discussion for RFIP to send their probationary officers to Scotland to undertake their initial training.
How to find out more about our work
Reflecting the context within which our activity takes place every request for development assistance is scrutinised.
Police Scotland only works with police services in other countries who recognise the Police Scotland values of integrity, fairness and respect and human rights.
As part of this scrutiny, every request for assistance is subject to an Overseas Security and Justice Assessment, as per Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Policy.
Also, all our activities embrace the Scottish Government principles and approach to international development as a Global Citizen.
You can email the PSIA team on policescotlandinternational@scotland.pnn.police.uk.
