With 2023 marking the tercentenary of Adam Smith, widely recognised today as the founder of modern economics, the University of Glasgow and Scotland Europa are delighted to invite you to the upcoming event “From net zero to wellbeing and equalities: What is a wealthy nation?”, held on 20 September from 17:30-20:00. 

Adam Smith is one of the University of Glasgow’s most famous students, professors and one of its first ever world changers. This discussion will mark his tercentenary year by returning to Smith’s simple, but fundamental, question: ‘What is a wealthy nation’? Three hundred years since his birth, economists are still grappling with this question. With Smith advocating for a definition that looked beyond the gold and silver of a nation’s merchants, we can trace his influence in today’s push for wellbeing, equality, and exposure to climate change to be factored into indicators of economic success.

To offer a more contemporary take on this question, the University of Glasgow and Scotland Europa will bring together an expert panel to explore the different elements at play that define the wealth of a nation today. Constituting part of the University of Glasgow’s ongoing Adam Smith Tercentenary commemorations, the panel will discuss factors such as citizen wellbeing, climate change and net zero adaptation, as well as social inequalities to respond to Adam’s Smith famous question and better understand what exactly makes a wealthy nation today.

The evening will be kindly hosted and the discussion moderated by Kezia Dugdale, Director of the University of Glasgow’s John Smith Centre. We are also delighted to welcome the following speakers:

• Graeme Roy – Professor of Economics at the University of Glasgow and Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission
• Rachel Lancry Beaumont – Head of Unit at the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget at the Committee of the Regions
• Fabian Zuleeg – Chief Executive and Chief Economist of the European Policy Centre
• Elizabeth Dirth – Development Director of the ZOE Institute for Future-fit Economies

The event will take place on Wednesday 20 September from 17:30 – 19:00 at Scotland House Brussels (6 Rond-Point Schuman). Guests are then invited to join us for a networking reception from 19:00 following the discussion.

If you would like to join us for the event, please register via email here.