An international seminar held at the University of Edinburgh in October 2012 provided an opportunity to learn from approaches in other countries to the study, interpretation, presentation and preservation of megalithic monuments. This contributed to building a strategic approach to Scottish megalithic sites, promoting collaboration and cross-sector partnerships.

The workshop aims were threefold:

1. To develop a funding proposal informed by international research and created in partnership across the archaeological community in Scotland.

2. To initiate a long-term programme of research in relation to which individual projects can be planned and supported, and the megalithic monuments of Scotland researched within their local, national and international contexts.

3. To encourage an intellectual climate in which research, preservation, interpretation and presentation combine to capture the imagination of both the scholarly community and the general public, in a collaborative, inclusive and open spirit.