In the session held today, the Academic Council of the President of the Republic talked about Finland, or what Estonia could learn from the experience of Finland.

Reports were delivered by Juhani Kuusi from NOKIA Group, Professor Matti Otala from the Tampere Technical University and member of the Estonian Academy of Science and Professor of Biotechnology of the University of Helsinki Mart Saarma.

Further to the subject raised by President Meri, the Academic Council of the President of the Republic discussed the success of Finland in high technological production and its backgrounds. One of the most acknowledged high technology managers of the world, Matti Otala, was among those invited to participate in the session. Mr. Otala is one of the three persons who modernised the NOKIA Group. He has also managed the changes in electronics concerns in Germany and Holland and held executive positions in famous enterprises in the US and Japan.

Reports were also delivered by Juhani Kuusi from the Nokia Research Centre and biotechnologist Mart Saarma. The Academic Council focused on the subject of electronics and issues concerning technology, product development and management were discussed. Among other things, financing of science in Estonia and Finland was compared. Finland spends approximately 2.9 percent of GDP on development, 70 percent of this comes from the private sector. The respective figures in Estonia are 0.6 and 9 percent. It was resolved to continue the discussion also in the next sessions of the Council.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, May 20, 1999

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