Young leaders from six countries gathered in Edinburgh in April 2025, to explore how technology can shape a better future.
As part of our Youth Connect programme, the Tech for Humanity study visit brought together participants from Cyprus, England, France, Greece, Ireland and Oman to share ideas, build skills, and spark conversations about technology's role in society.
The programme aimed to help equip young people with the knowledge and skills to imagine a world where technology drives positive change. Over two days, participants engaged with Edinburgh's leading tech organisations and research institutions to understand how innovation can serve humanity.
The visit included a workshop led by Hilary Phillips and YouthLink Scotland preparing young leaders to collaborate and co-create solutions on using technology for benefit. At Edinburgh Futures Institute, participants joined a panel discussion exploring how Arts and Humanities Research fits into responsible AI systems.
Young leaders also visited The National Robotarium, the UK's centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence located on Heriot-Watt University's Edinburgh campus, before participating in a youth-policy dialogue at CodeBase with panellists Josie Deacon, Alexander Fahie, and Matthew Aylett, moderated by Kelly Gardner PhD and hosted by Siân Bevan.
The young people involved got the chance to discover how Edinburgh leads in innovation, diving into how tech can make the digital world a better place for everyone.
Read more about Youth Connect, the British Council's global youth leadership programme that supports young people in developing the skills, inspiration and connections needed to tackle major challenges like climate change, employability and inequality.