Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting

Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting
Name	Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting
Formation	1999
Type	Non-profit research institute
Headquarters	Kyiv
Leader title	Director

Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting is an independent research institute based in Kyiv focused on applied econometrics, macroeconomics, public finance, and economic policy analysis relevant to Ukraine and Eastern Europe. The institute conducts research, publishes policy briefs, and provides advisory services to national ministries, international organizations, foreign embassies, and non-governmental organizations. Its outputs are cited by actors such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission, and bilateral development agencies.

History

Founded in 1999 during a period of post-Soviet transition, the institute emerged amid policy debates involving Leonid Kuchma’s administration, the aftermath of the 1998 Russian financial crisis, and reforms associated with accession talks with the European Union. Early collaborations included projects with Eurasia Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. During the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2013–2014 Euromaidan protests the institute provided analyses cited by parliamentary commissions, presidential advisors linked to Viktor Yushchenko and Petro Poroshenko, and international observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Post-2014, the institute expanded its focus to include fiscal decentralization debates connected to legislation debated in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and to reconstruction planning referenced by the NATO-aligned think tanks and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Mission and Objectives

The institute’s mission emphasizes evidence-based policy advising to improve fiscal transparency and regulatory frameworks in Ukraine and the region, engaging with stakeholders such as the Ministry of Finance (Ukraine), the National Bank of Ukraine, and municipal governments like the Kyiv City State Administration. Objectives include producing peer-reviewed analysis for journals like the Journal of Comparative Economics and policy outlets read by diplomats from the Embassy of the United States, Kyiv, the Embassy of the United Kingdom, Kyiv, and representatives of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The institute aims to inform reform agendas advocated by coalitions including Transparency International and networks like the Open Government Partnership.

Research Areas and Publications

Research areas encompass public finance, tax policy, labor economics, energy policy, trade policy, anti-corruption reforms, and applied microeconometrics. The institute publishes working papers, policy briefs, and monographs referenced by scholars from Harvard University, London School of Economics, University of Chicago, and regional universities such as Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Publication types include contributions to edited volumes alongside authors affiliated with OECD, the International Labour Organization, and the European Investment Bank. Outputs have been cited in reports by the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and civil society platforms like Reanimation Package of Reforms.

Policy Advising and Impact

The institute has provided advisory services to cabinets and commissions during negotiations with creditors such as the Paris Club and institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group. It contributed analysis relevant to budget legislation debated in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and to decentralization frameworks discussed with the Council of Europe and the European Commission. Its policy recommendations influenced program design co-funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Organizational Structure and Funding

Organizationally, the institute operates under a board of directors with advisory input from an expert council comprising academics and former officials from institutions such as the National Bank of Ukraine and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (Ukraine). Funding sources have included competitive grants from the European Commission Horizon 2020 framework, project contracts with the World Bank, foundation grants from entities like the Open Society Foundations and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and technical assistance funded by bilateral donors such as the Government of Canada and the Government of Norway.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The institute collaborates with domestic and international partners including research centers at Central European University, the Institute of Economics and Forecasting of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Western think tanks like the Center for European Policy Analysis and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It partakes in regional networks alongside the Baltic Institute of Finland, the Visegrad Fund-supported initiatives, and joint projects with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Monetary Fund technical assistance programs. Partnerships extend to civil society organizations such as Anti-Corruption Action Centre and media outlets including Kyiv Post and Ukrainian Week for dissemination.

Notable Personnel and Alumni

Notable personnel and alumni include economists who later served in public office or academia, with career paths connecting to posts at the National Bank of Ukraine, the Ministry of Finance (Ukraine), the World Bank, and universities such as Oxford University, Columbia University, and University of Toronto. Former researchers have joined international organizations like the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission, and the United Nations Development Programme. The institute’s alumni network overlaps with professional associations including the Association for Comparative Economic Studies and the European Economic Association.

Category:Think tanks based in Ukraine Category:Economics research institutes