Highlands Islands Enterprise

General information

Our purpose

We are Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). We're an ambitious organisation with a unique remit that integrates economic and community development. We work in a diverse region which extends from Shetland to Argyll, and from the Outer Hebrides to Moray, covering more than half of Scotland’s land mass.

We are the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency for the north and west of Scotland. HIE's purpose is to generate sustainable economic growth across the Highlands and Islands.

Our vision:

We want the Highlands and Islands to be a highly successful and competitive region in which increasing numbers of people choose to live, work, study and invest.

Our priorities:

Our Operating Plan 2015 - 2018 sets out our four priorities, the building blocks of our work for the next three years, in line with the Government's Economic Strategy. Our priorities are:

1. Supporting businesses and social enterprises to shape and realise their growth aspirations

2. Strengthening communities and fragile areas

3. Developing growth sectors, particularly distinctive regional opportunities

4. Creating the conditions for a competitive and low-carbon region

Our region:

The Highlands and Islands of Scotland is a spectacular and diverse region, covering more than half of the country including almost 100 inhabited islands. It enjoys a rich history and culture, a healthy economy, a growing population, an expanding workforce, and is benefiting from unprecedented investment in digital and physical connectivity.