The Institute for European Studies

Evaluation results 2010

Ministry of Education and Science evaluated social sciences and culture at Tallinn University of Technology. The self-assessment report was prepared by Prof. Rainer Kattel. Within the report Prof. Aksel Kirch was listed as principal investigator in the field of European studies. The report was evaluated positively by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Evaluation results 2002-2010

The Institute for European Studies was evaluated by Estonian Higher Education Accreditation Center as institution involved in the field of sociological research on the 4th of March, 2002.
The evaluation based on the self-evaluation report produced by the institute.

The following members formed the Expert Team:

Prof. A.H. (Chelly) Halsey
Fellow of the British Academy
Team chairman
Nuffield College, Oxford
U.K.

Associate Prof. Anders Holm
Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen
Denmark

Prof. Kaj Ilmonen
Department of Social Sciences, University of Jyväskylä
Finland

Associate Prof. Soile Veijola
Department of Business, Economics and Tourism
University of Lapland
Finland


Expert Team on the Institute for European Studies:

This institution is very small, too small for its purpose. It is led by Dr. Juhan Sillaste and supported by Dr. Aksel Kirch. Professor Rein Ruutsoo is attached but holds the chair of Political Science at Tartu University. We deemed it good to satisfactory on its research activities and satisfactory with a score of 6 on its capability or potential. Clearly the opportunities for implementation of its research results are of immense importance for the future of Estonia as it seeks entry into the European Union. In this context we are puzzled by the self-evaluation report (p. 14) where it is asserted that, "taking account of the underfinancing of social science in Estonia, the permanent staff of the IES probably cannot be bigger." On the contrary we advise the opposite. Moreover we cannot agree with the further statement on the same page that the IES is now entering a second period of its development - "its period of full-fledged research institution in sociology of European Studies." The 'minimum kit' (8-10 staff) argument surely applies in this case. We have judged that the IES is applying successfully for grants and funds and we hope that its current application to the European Commission will be successful. The decision is expected in June 2002.