Technology governance and innovation policy

The study contributes in the framework of the measure „Enhancing the Knowledge Intensity of Entrepreneurship in Ida-Viru: Developing Research Capacity in Ida-Viru County to Establish a RDI Network” during 2024-2028 to the development of a theoretically grounded framework for transition processes as well as methodology and models for empirical monitoring of relevant aspects of transition. The study consists of three themes: just transition governance, Ida-Viru innovation system, and changing business models of Ida-Viru companies. The aforementioned three thematic work packages contribute together with the remaining four (monitoring and prognosis of Ida-Viru employment, development of Ida-Viru technology intensive innovation niches, vulnerability of local population and innovation potential, health impacts of transition and development of health services) to the development of the transition processes framework and are implemented in cooperation with UT research teams.

The FINEST Twins project will build a multidisciplinary smart-city Center of Excellence that will match the leading smart city research centres globally and focus on all five key domains of clean and sustainable smart city development: mobility, energy and built environment glued together by governance and urban analytics & data management (research streams). The FINEST Twins will have a globally unique focus on developing user-driven clean and sustainable smart city solutions that are “cross-border-by-default” in the context of emerging twin city between Tallinn and Helsinki

Public administrations across Europe face double pressure to adjust to the digital age while inducing sustainable development. As they do so, the governments need to develop new, and redevelop old, public administration and policy capabilities. The current project rests on the assumption that public administrations form a pivotal yet often neglected cog in social shaping of technological progress driving the sustainable future. The objective of the PAFSD project is to create a new generation world-class research, teaching and knowledge transfer capabilities at the cross-roads of public administration, digital transformation and sustainable transition at TalTech, Estonia. This will be achieved by complementing the existing unique knowledge base of TalTech with training a new generation early-career researchers, exchanging new knowledge between senior researchers and support staff, developing new educational capabilities, actively engaging in policy networks internationally, enhancing organizational capabilities and doing a hands-on small-scale research project. The PADST project will pool the competences of three of the leading European research universities - KU Leuven, Universiteit Utrecht, and University College London - with TalTech to develop an international cutting-edge research center studying and shaping public administration capabilities fit for the digital and sustainable future in Estonia, Europe and beyond.