PRAXIS CENTER FOR POLICY STUDIES is an independent, non-profit public policy think thank based in Tallinn, Estonia. The mission of PRAXIS is to improve public policy in Estonia by identifying crucial public policy problems in society, carrying out innovative and quality policy analysis and research, building policy making capacity within public sector institutions, fostering public policy debate and civic participation. PRAXIS was established in June 2000, with the support of the American philanthropist George Soros. PRAXIS is governed by the Supervisory Board, advised by the honorary Advisory Board and has full-time staff of 10 people. In addition, PRAXIS has a network of ca 50 consultants/experts that participate in PRAXIS projects in various degrees. PRAXIS collaborates with experts in universities, NGO-s and public sector. PRAXIS is registered in the Estonian Register of R&D Institutions since March 2002.
One of its main programs is dealing with Innovation and Economic Development. The Program started its first projects in 2000, but grew into a full-scale program since summer 2002. Innovation Policy Program aims to contribute to the elaboration of the Estonian Innovation Policy as Industrial Policy with the engagement of leading world experts in this field, but also the dissemination of Estonian practice all over the world, in particular to other CEE countries.
In 2003/2004 Innovation Program is involved in the following research projects:
- Biotechnology Foresight and Information Society Technologies Foresight in Estonia (2003-2004). The project is mainly financed by the EU Fifth Framework Programme.
- Creative Destruction Management in Central and Eastern Europe (2001 - 2003). The aim of the project is to produce a theoretical framework of principles and general policy recommendations concerning socio-economic transformation in light of the techno-economic paradigms, to apply framework to the CEE countries, to look at individual CEE countries and to formulate policy recommendations.
- e-Awareness for Europe: Digital Awareness and Security for the Citizen in Europe (2003).
- eVikings II: Establishment of the Virtual Centre of Excellence for IST RTD in Estonia (2003 – 2005). The aim of the project is to facilitate the development of an ICT cluster in Estonia.
Innovation Program is also involved in various research projects on information society. On the current CD the following examples our publications can be found:
Marek Tiits, Rainer Kattel, Tarmo Kalvet, Rein Kaarli (Estonian Research and Development Council in co-operation with PRAXIS), Competitiveness and Future Outlooks of the Estonian Economy, Tallinn: Research and Development Council, 2003.
Mari Kalkun and Tarmo Kalvet (Eds.) (EMOR in co-operation with PRAXIS), Digital Divide in Estonia and How To Bridge It, E-book, Tallinn: PRAXIS, 2002, www.praxis.ee.
Andre Krull, ICT Infrastructure and E-readiness Assessment Report: ESTONIA. A report financed by the InfoDev Program. Tallinn: PRAXIS Center for Policy Studies, www.praxis.ee, 2003.
Rain Rannu, Mobile Services in Estonia, A report financed by the InfoDev Program, Tallinn: PRAXIS, www.praxis.ee, 2003.
Katri Kerem, Internet Banking in Estonia, A report financed by the InfoDev Program, Tallinn: PRAXIS, www.praxis.ee, 2003.
Contact:
Tarmo Kalvet, Director of Innovation Program
Praxis Institute for Policy Studies
Estonia Ave. 3/5, 10143, Tallinn, Estonia
Ph: +372 6 40 90 04
Fax: +372 6 40 90 01
E-mail: tarmo@praxis.ee
www.praxis.ee/innovation