Pan-European Institute


The Pan-European Institute is a Finnish research institute operating at Turku School of Economics, which is part of the University of Turku. PEI focuses on the research and observation of the economic and social development, particularly in the Baltic Sea region economies and in the EU’s eastern neighbouring countries.

Organisation

In terms of administration, PEI is part of the Department of Marketing and International Business at Turku School of Economics. The Institute employs about 10 researchers, most of whom work with project-based funding. The Director of the unit is Professor Kari Liuhto from Turku School of Economics.
The operation of the Pan-European Institute is supported by an advisory body, which is composed of the chair and 10 members. In May 2020, the institute's advisory body consisted of:
Chair:
Juhani Wihanto, CEO, Wihanto Group
Members:
PEI started its operations based on a private initiative and fund-raising in the autumn of 1987. At first, the unit operated under the name the Institute for East-West Trade.
In its research and education, the Institute for East-West Trade focused on the socialist economies in Europe and the Soviet Union of the time. Since the establishment of the unit, Baltic Sea region economies were also included among its key subjects of research and education. The first lectures on the topic were held in the academic year 1986–1987, when the unit also launched its research activities.
Soon after the establishment of the Institute for East-West Trade, the European Institute was created. The merger of the two units began to seem sensible after the era of socialism was consigned to history in Europe. The Institute for East-West Trade and the European Institute merged into the Pan-European Institute at the end of the 1990s.
In 1987–2003, Professor Urpo Kivikari acted as the director of the unit. After Professor Kivikari retired, in autumn 2003 Professor Kari Liuhto was invited from Lappeenranta University of Technology to head the Pan-European Institute.
In 2015, the Pan-European Institute was awarded the Europe Award by the European Foundation.
The Pan-European Institute celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2017 by organising a seminar called “Russian enigma – Decoding mysteries and turning them into business opportunities”.

Research

During more than three decades, PEI has conducted dozens of commissioned studies, funded by, for example, the European Union, the Prime Minister's Office, the Finnish ministries and the Academy of Finland. In addition to research, experts of the Pan-European Institute have been involved in the development of the economic systems of several former Soviet republics. As an example, Professor Kari Liuhto's participated in designing the Strategy 2020 for the Russian Government.
PEI has been engaged in close research cooperation with the Centrum Balticum Foundation since autumn 2011, when Professor Liuhto began as the Foundation's part-time director.
In its research, the Pan-European Institute focuses on the following five themes:
In the following, some examples of PEI research projects:
The research carried out by PEI creates foundations for the teaching and education provided by the unit at Turku School of Economics. PEI offers three courses with lectures, which are part of the teaching on offer in the subject of international business:
Since 2004, PEI has been publishing a review focusing on the Baltic Sea region, called the “Baltic Rim Economies”. The distribution list covers tens of thousands of readers in over 80 countries. Some 3,000 experts have contributed articles to the magazine, including EU Commissioners, ministers, diplomats, mayors, businessmen, journalists and representatives of the world of research. The review can be subscribed free of charge. You can register on the review's distribution list on Baltic Rim Economies home page.