Non-governmental Scientific-Analytical Centre

Post Address: PO Box 297 Kyiv 01034 Ukraine
Telephone/Fax: +380 44 235 98 28 (27)
E-mail:office@osp.com.ua, os@osp.com.ua
Internet:www.soskin.info, www.ist.osp-ua.info
Director: Dr. Oleh Soskin

Main goals:

• Promotion of building free, independent, democratic, European Ukraine
• Support of fundamental social, economical and political reforms in Ukraine
• Forming of national bourgeoisie and strong middle class of private owners
• Strengthening of local self-government system in Ukraine
• Establishment of partnership between authorities and business circles
• Forming of market ideology among wide society groups and national elite of Ukraine
• Development of innovative informational resources

Key activities:

• Organizing and holding of interactive workshops, roundtables, presentations
• Preparing of analytical materials, political and economical forecasts, commentaries and other intellectual products
• Organizing of study visits for state executives and business structures to states with stable democracy
• Realizing of “public relations” for individuals, organizations, companies, cities, regions
• Advisory work on current and strategic economical and political issues
• Editing of books and the Journal “Economical Annals-ХХІ”
• Forming and supporting of IST’s Internet-holding (55 websites)
• Holding of on-line Internet-conferences and polls etc.

Spheres of interests:
economics, politics, international relations, national security, local self-government, 3rd sector, education, information field.

IST performed:

• 500 round tables;
• 30 international and 220 regional seminars;
• 20 research & practical conferences;
• 50 public opinion polls;
• 55 web-resources, which are parts of the Internet-holding of Institute of Society Transformation;
• 168 issues of Journal “Economic Annals-XXI” are prepared and published;

IST prepared and issued 13 monographs, namely:

1. Ways of introduction of innovation-investment model of development in the Ukrainian cities (under support of Embassy of the Latvia in Ukraine), 2008.
2. Entering NATO is a strategic choice for Ukraine (under support of the Ministry of education and sciences of Ukraine), 2008.
3.  EU and local self-government: Visegrad cities experience and Ukrainian prospect (under support of the International Visegrad Fund), 2008.
4. Ukraine and Russia on the way to democracy: features of the transitive period (under support of the National Endowments for Democracy, USA), 2007
5. Partnership for security: the experience of NATO member countries and Ukrainian perspective (under support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine), 2007.
6. Administrative-territorial reform in Ukraine: the optimal model (under support of the Embassy of Finland in Ukraine), 2007.
7. Finland experience of local self-governance – for Ukrainian cities (under support of the Embassy of Finland), 2006.
8.  Sevastopol on its way of economic and administrative-territorial reform, 2005.
9.  Development cooperation between Ukrainian and Polish cities (under support of the Program PAUCI), 2005.
10.  Relationships between Ukraine and NATO: economical aspects (under support of the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine), 2003.
11.  Creating relationships between local authorities and business circles of Ukraine and Poland (under support of the Poland Embassy), 2002.
12.  Relationships between local authorities and non-state organizations as a guarantee of intensification of democratic reforms in Ukraine (under support of the MATRA КАР program), 2001.
13. The way of exporting into Ukraine (under support of the Brazilian Embassy), 2000.

An important direction of IST’s activity is organizing study visits of Ukrainian heads of local self-government to states with stable democracy. IST organized and held: 2 training visits of state authorities to Brookings Institute of USA (in 1994 and in 1995), study visit of Ukrainian Mayors (10 persons) to the Netherlands in 1999 (under support of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry), study visit of Ukrainian Mayors (9 persons) to the Canada in 2000, study visit of Ukrainian power executives (12 persons) to the Poland in 2001 (keeping within the limits of the program “Co-operation initiative of Poland – America – Ukraine”; official visit of Ukrainian Mayors and the chiefs of business (23 persons) to the Poland in 2005 (under the PAUCI program). In June 2006 took place organized by IST study visit of Ukrainian Mayors (10 persons) to the Sweden (under support of the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine). In September 2006 IST has organized the study visit of Ukrainian Mayors (11 persons) to the Finland (under support of the Embassy of Finland in Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland). In November, 2007 IST performed study visit of 13 Ukrainian Mayors to the Kingdom of Norway (under support of the Government of Norway). In December 2008 took place study visit of Ukrainian mayors (10 persons) to the Poland (under support of the Embassy of Poland in Ukraine). In April 2009 IST has organized the study visit of Ukrainian Mayors (11 persons) to the Austria (under support of the Embassy of Austria in Ukraine). In November 2009 took place study visit of Ukrainian mayors (10 persons) to the Swiss Confederation (under support of the Embassy of Swiss Confederation in Ukraine). During May-July 2010 IST has organized two study visits of Ukrainian mayors (all together 15 persons) to the Poland (under support of the Embassy of Poland in Ukraine).

The results of study visits were positive. An experience and effectiveness of working with Ukrainian power executives afforded the IST to create the Municipal Advisory Bureau for the bodies of local self-government at the beginning of 2000 enlisting the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Netherlands. Over 250 Ukrainian cities work within the Bureau at the moment.

IST’s web-projects

Institute of Society Transformation possesses and manages the Internet-holding, which contains 55 web-resources, namely:

• Main site-portal “Soskin.Ukraine.Portal” (www.soskin.info);
• Site of Institute of Society Transformation (www.ist.osp-ua.info);
• Web-project “Ukrainian cities in the Internet” (www.cityukraine.osp-ua.info). At present time there are 44 Ukrainian cities, which sites are elaborated and supported by IST;
• Web-project «City advertisements» (www.obyava.osp-ua.info);
• Web-project «Work and education in Ukrainian cities» (www.job.osp-ua.info);
• Web-project “Internet-Conference on-line” (www.conference.osp-ua.info);
• Web-project “Elections in Ukraine: people have to know the truth” (www.vybory.osp-ua.info) etc.

Starting from 2007, IST provided the Web-project “My choice is NATO” (www.uanato.info).

List of main projects completed including donor’s names

1. Project “Economic education in the regions" (October 1994 – October 1995). Donor – the World Bank Economic Development Institute.
2. Project “Economic reform in the regions” (October 1995 – October 1996). Donor – the International Foundation “Renaissance”.
3. Project “Backing and publishing scientific and analytical journal “The Economic Annals” (September 1996 – March 1998). Donor – the Eurasia Foundation. Financial audit was conducted by the Price Waterhouse. The project has been successfully fulfilled.
4. Project “Role and functions of the state in the transformation of socio-economic relations (on the example of Ukraine and Belarus)”. (August 1997 — September 1997). Donor – the International Foundation "Renaissance".
5. Project “Organization, conducting and distribution of analytical materials of scientific and practical conference "Partnership of municipal, public and private sectors. Problems of formation and development (on the experience of small cities of Ukraine and Eastern Europe" (December 1997 — January 1998). Donor – the Eurasia Foundation.
6. Project “Preparation of analytical report “Education in the context of Ukraine's national security” within the frameworks of the "Education" program (January 1998 — April 1998). Donor – the International Foundation "Renaissance".
7. Project “Information edition of materials on results of the program “Municipal management development in Ukraine" (April 21, 1998 — on June 19, 1998). Donor – the International Foundation "Renaissance" and the Eurasia Foundation.
8. Project “Holding a seminar and a round table in Drohobytch on the subject: “Partnership of municipal and private sectors of Ukraine and Poland: problems of formation and development (on the experience of towns of Ukraine and Poland)” (May 1998 — July 1998). Donor – the International Foundation "Renaissance".
9. Project “Organizing and conducting two round tables in Lutsk and Ternopil on the subject: “Local authorities and public: the ways towards understanding" (September 1998 — December 1998). Donor – the Netherlands Embassy in Ukraine.
10. Project “Working out the pattern of creation and operation of Ukrainian-Polish business centre in Drohobytch” (October 1998 — February 1999). Donor – the International Foundation "Renaissance".
11. Project “Promoting the development of democratic local power” (September 1999 — June 2000). Donor – the Netherlands Municipalities Association, under support of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry.
12. Project “Holding round tables on the issues of speeding up economic reforms in Ukraine and publication of their results in “The Economic Annals” journal (April 1999 — March 2000). Donor – the FREEDOM HOUSE.
13. Joint Ukrainian-Polish project “Formation of mechanisms of regional co-operation between local authorities and business circles of Ukraine and Poland” (May 2000 — May 2001). Donor — the USAID. USAID expert had conducted financial audit of the Institute of Society Transformation before the project implementation began.
14. Ukraine – Netherlands project “Co-operation between town council and non-governmental organizations – basis for intensification of democratic reforms in Ukraine”. Donor – the MATRA КАР Program, Netherlands (December 2000 – July 2001).
15. Project “NATO role in formation of new democratic concept of safety and stability in Europe” (two seminars in Kyiv and Kherson, publication of final materials). Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (June 2001).
16. Ukraine – Poland project “Support for the best student youth”. Donor – the Institute of Eastern Studies, Poland (2001).
17. Project “How to become a NATO member: the Experience of its Newest members and a potential application in Ukraine” (two seminars in Kyiv and Sumy, publication of final materials). Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2002).
18. Project “Ukraine – Russia – NATO: modification of the co-operation methods as a result of new epoch challenges». Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2002).
19. Project “Consolidation of the market economy and forming of the middle class as a supposition of Ukraine becoming a member of NATO”. Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2003).
20. Project “Clarity of presidential election – through the Internet”. Donor – the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (2004).
21. Project “Co-operation arrangement between business circles of Ukrainian and Polish cities – real implantation of Poland and Ukraine strategic partnership”. Donor — the USAID (2004-2005).
22. Project “Administrative-Territorial Reform and consolidation of system local self-government in Ukraine”. Donor – the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (2005).
23. Project “Sevastopol on its way of economic and administrative-territorial reform”. Donor – the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway (2005).
24. Project “Ukraine – NATO – Russia: positive vectors for Euro-Atlantic security”. Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2005).
25. Project “Partnership of small cities of Ukraine and small cities of Visegrad Group countries (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Republic of Poland, Hungary Republic)”. Donor – the International Visegrad Fund (11/2005 till 10/2006).
26. Project “Informational provision of a local democracy development in a context of the Administrative-Territorial Reform in Ukraine”. Donor – the MATRA КАР Program, Netherlands (March 2006 – September 2006).
27. Project “Membership of Ukraine in NATO: overcoming the myths – forming our new future”. Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2006).
28. Project „European choice of Ukraine. Administrative-territorial reform: problems and ways of their solutions”. Donor – the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine (2006).
29. Project “Studying of Sweden self-governing experience and opportunities of its implementation in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine (2006).
30. Project «Ukraine on its way to the Euro-Atlantic community: how to break bounds and achieve the success?» Donor – the Embassy of Slovak in Ukraine, Slovakia Fund for Local Initiatives (2006).
31. Project “Finland model of local self-governance and opportunities of its implementation in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Finland in Ukraine (2006-2007).
32. Project “Partnership of small cities of Ukraine and small cities of Visegrad Group countries (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Republic of Poland, Hungary Republic)”. Donor – the International Visegrad Fund (2006-2007).
33. Project «Higher Education for Democracy in Russia and Ukraine». Donor – the National Endowment for Democracy (NED, USA), 2007–2008.
34. Project “Reform of the system of local self-governance in Ukraine: formation of optimal model”. Donor – the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (2007).
35. Project «The European prospect of Ukrainian cities in the context of Polish experience (in terms of Feodosiya city)». Donor – the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Ukraine (2007).
36. Project «Formation of cooperation between the Ukrainian and Polish regions on an example of Sumy Oblast (Ukraine) and Lubuskie Wojewodztwo (Poland)». Donor – the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Ukraine (2007).
37. Project „Development of cities on the Eurointegration route: experience of the Visegrad Group countries for Ukraine”. Donor – the International Visegrad Fund (2008).
38. Project „Creation of the professional system of local media-resources is an important condition of Ukrainian citizens’ informing and worldview formation”. Donor – the MATRA КАР Program, Netherlands (2008).
39. Project „Role of the local authority and business in formation and realization of the Ukrainian cities’ innovative-investment model of development”. Donor – the Embassy of Latvia in Ukraine (2008).
40. Project „Local authority and educational community cooperation for the sake of European oriented civil society forming”. Donor – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Republic of Poland (2008).
41. Project “Managers of international projects for local authority preparing: usage of Polish experience in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Ukraine (2008).
42. Project „Scientific-methodological and practical principles of solving the question regarding state’s Euro-Atlantic orientation support at the regional and local levels”. State customer – the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (2008).
43. Project „Creation of Volyn Regional Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration”. Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine and the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Ukraine (2008).
44. Project „Creation of Zhytomyr Regional Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration”. Donor – the Embassy of The Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine (2008).
45. Project „Creation and activization of Centres for Euro-Atlantic Integration in Chernigiv, Rivno and Sumy regions of Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ukraine (2008).
46. Project „Creation of Odesa Regional Scientific-Informational Centre for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation”. Donor – the Embassy of Lithuania in Ukraine (2008).
47. Project „Methodology of Regional Centres for Euro-Atlantic Integration creating by the example of Poltava city”. State customer – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2008).
48. Project „Debates in Sumy city: why is youth “for” or “against” Ukraine’s entering in NATO?” State customer – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2008).
49. Project „Working out of the methodology of public opinion polls on the Euro-Atlantic issues conducting with the usage of two last waves of enlargement countries – NATO members experience”. State customer – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Donor – the Embassy of The Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine (2008).
50. Project „Public opinion poll on the questions of Euro-Atlantic integration in the regions of Ukraine. Pilot research project in Lviv region”. Donor – the Embassy of The Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine (2008).
51. Project „Research of Ukrainian citizens’ attitudes towards Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine”. In the frameworks of this project Institute of Society Transformation carried out All-Ukrainian public opinion poll on the attitude of Ukrainian citizens towards Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine. State customer – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2008).
52. Project „The role of the society in the policy of Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration realization”. Together with the Public League Ukraine – NATO. State customer – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (2008).
53. Project „NATO – Ukraine Intensive Engagement and its role in Ukraine’s system reforms implementation”. Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2008).
54. Project “Carrying out of the Youth debate on a theme "General interest for Ukraine: integration in EU and NATO? Rapprochement with Russia? Non-aligned?” in Zhytomyr city. Donor – the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ukraine (March 2009).
55. Project “Organization and carrying out of the interactive workshop “Role of the militaries in formation of Euro-Atlantic politics of Ukraine” in Chernigiv city. Donor – the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ukraine (April 2009).
56. Project “Carrying out of the Youth debate on a theme “Entrance in NATO and maintenance of political, economic and military safety of Ukraine” in Rivno city. Donor – the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ukraine (April 2009).
57. Project „Public management development in Ukraine: decentralization and deregulation“. Donor – the MATRA КАР Program, Netherlands (2009)
58. Project “Creating and activating of the Centre on Euro-Atlantic integration in Khmelnytskyi region”. Donor – the Embassy of Belgium in Ukraine (2009).
59. Project “The Austrian model of local self-government and possibilities of its fourth putting in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Austria in Ukraine (2009).
60. Project “Distribution of the idea of Euro-Atlantic integration in Ukraine by means of public diplomacy: regional dimension“. Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine (2009).
61. Project “The Swiss model of local self-government and possibilities of its fourth putting in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Swiss Confederation in Ukraine (2009).
62. Project “Carrying out of the informational-awareness workshop “Ukraine – NATO relations in the context of new security challenges in Lugansk city”. Donor – the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (2010).
63. Project “Carrying out of the informational-awareness workshop “National security of Ukraine: choice of optimum model” in Kherson city”. Donor – the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (2010).
64. Project “Carrying out of the informational-awareness workshop “The place of Ukraine in the structure of European Security” in Zhytomyr city”. Donor – the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (2010).
65. Project “Creating and activating of the Centre on Euro-Atlantic integration in Ternopil region”. Donor – the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ukraine (2010).
66. Project “Being successful mayor: studying and usage of Polish experience of local self-government”. Donor – the Embassy of Poland in Ukraine (2010).
67. Project “Creating and activating of the Centre on Euro-Atlantic integration in Kirovograd region”. Donor – Donor – the NATO Information and Documentation Centre (2010).
68. Project “Being successful mayor: studying and usage of Polish experience of local self- government (Sanok, Lesko, Zagorz)”. Donor – the Embassy of Poland in Ukraine (2010).
69. Project “Branding and promotion of small towns according to the standards of the European Union: experience of the Visegrad Group countries for Ukraine”. Donor – the International Visegrad Fund (2010).
70. Project “Creating and activating of the Centre on Euro-Atlantic integration in Kherson region”. The Contract on this project has signed. Donor – the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Belgium (2010).

Since 2000, Institute of Society Transformation has been carrying out the complex analysis of questions concerning European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine. One of the results of scrupulous work is development of theoretical model and practical mechanism of creation and activity of the regional Centres on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration (CEEI), that have informational-educational character of activity and vertical-horizontal structure. The model was developed on the bases of experience of the states – NATO members of last two waves of expansion and there are no analogues in Ukrainian practice. Model of the Centres on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration creation and information about CEEI activity is placed here: http://uanato.info/7-natocentres.asp

The idea of creation of the Centres on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration in regions of Ukraine was maintained by the Ministry of Foreign Affaires of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the National Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine, number of the Embassies of the states – NATO members.

In 2008 Institute of Society Transformation has begun practical realization of the project on the Centres on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration in the regions of Ukraine formation. Currently Institute of Society Transformation already created 16 regional Centres on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.