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The necessity for investments and digitization: words and deeds from Estonia

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Research and innovation investments are a necessity

“Investing in research and innovation is not a luxury, but a necessity”, the Estonia prime minister Jüri Ratas has declared. The Tallinn Call to Action presented to stakeholder representatives at the high-level conference European Research Excellence –Impact and Value for Society, held under the Estonian Presidency of the EU Council calls the EU member states to increase their investments in research and innovation.

The goal of investing the 3% of GDP set already in 2000 is far to be reached by the European countries. Estonia can be considered as a pathfinder since its expenditure both public and private have already been slightly over 2% of GDP. Maili Reps, the Estonian Minister of Research, has reassured there will be “more stability for long-term projects”.

This article was originally published on Science Business. Read the full piece here.


 Businesses have to embrace digitization and globalization

“Technology is changing the rules of the game as it always has”. Siim Sikkut has underlined the key points of the digital transformation in his article for the online business magazine City Am. That’s why Estonia has understood, since it gained its independence in 1991, that a long-term investment in the innovation field had to be made. Digitization has been the easier way to broaden the nation’s border and attract investments and talents.

The Estonian government has been able to embrace the lifestyle of all the digital nomads around the world, as confirmed by Sikkut: “this process is already underway. We are currently seeing a growing number of people who work independently of any single company or even single country, choosing to work one week in Bogota and the next in Berlin – often for several organizations at a time”. Now everyone, thanks to the e-Residency program, has a concrete opportunity to access digital services that diversify access to talent, ideas and economic and intellectual capital.

This article was originally published on Cityam. Read the full piece here.


“Do you think of buildings when you think of government? You probably don’t”

“It’s a very interesting example – a very early example,” said Helen Margetts, Professor of Society and the Internet at the University of Oxford and the director of Oxford Internet Institute, while giving an assessment to the e-Estonia digital infrastructures and services.

Despite the cyber attack that occurred in 2007 by Russians hackers, which involved a lot of private companies’ websites and databases, Estonia’s i-voting system has never been hacked or compromised. In this article, Bryan Lufkin is finally asking if the Estonian model could be replicated elsewhere in more complex and big countries.

This article was originally published on BBC.com. Read the full piece here.

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We host impactful events both in our centre and online for government institutions, companies, and media. You’ll get an overview of e-Estonia’s best practices and build links to leading IT-service providers and state experts to support your digitalisation plans.

Questions? Have a chat with us.

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Regarding e-Residency, visit their official webpage.

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The Briefing Centre is conveniently located just a 2-minute drive from the airport and 15- to 20-minute drive from the city centre.

You will find us on the ground floor of Valukoja 8, at the central entrance behind the statue of Mr Ernst Julius Öpik. We will meet the delegation at the building’s reception. Kindly note that a booking is required to visit us.

Valukoja 8
11415 Tallinn, Estonia