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: D-r Oleh Soskin

Main goals of IST:

• 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-governance system in Ukraine
• Establishment of partnership between authorities and business circles
• Forming of market ideology in wide society groups and national elite of Ukraine
• Development of innovative informational resources

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

The key activities:

• organizing and holding interactive workshops, roundtables, presentations;
• preparing of analytical materials, political and economical forecasts, commentaries and other intellectual products;
• organizing study visits of power executives and business structures to states with stable democracy;
• realizing “public relations” of individuals, organizations, companies, cities, regions;
• advisory work on current and strategic economical and political issues;
• publishing of journal “Economical Annals-ХХІ”;
• forming and supporting Internet-resources of Institute, cities and companies of Ukraine;
• public opinion poll etc.

IST performed:

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

IST prepared and issued 12 monographs, namely:

1. Ways of introduction of innovation-investment model of development in the Ukrainian cities (under support of Embassy of Latvia in Ukraine), 2008.
2. Entering NATO is a strategic choice for Ukraine (under support of 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. Partnership for security: the experience of NATO member countries and Ukrainian perspective (under support of Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine), 2007
5. Administrative-territorial reform in Ukraine: the optimal model (under support of Embassy of Finland in Ukraine), 2007.
6. Finland experience of local self-governance – for Ukrainian cities (under support of the Embassy of Finland), 2006.
7. Sevastopol on its way of economic and administrative-territorial reform, 2005.
8. Development cooperation between Ukrainian and Polish cities (under support of the program PAUCI), 2005.
9. Relationships between Ukraine and NATO: economical aspects (under support of the NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine), 2003.
10. Creating relationships between local authorities and business circles of Ukraine and Poland (under support of the Poland Embassy), 2002.
11. 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.
12. 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 power executives 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 the 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 program PAUCI). In June 2006 will take place organized by IST study visit of Ukrainian Mayors (10 persons) to The Sweden (under the 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 Ministry for Interior 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).

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

Institute of Society Transformation possesses and manages the Internet-holding, which contains 52 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 42 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.

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 – International foundation “Renaissance”.
3. Project “Backing and publishing scientific and analytical journal “The Economic Annals” (September 1996 – March 1998). Donor – "Eurasia" foundation. Financial audit was conducted by 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 – International foundation "Renaissance".
5. Project “Organisation, 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 – "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 – 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 – International foundation "Renaissance" and “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 – International foundation "Renaissance".
9. Project “Organising 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 – International foundation "Renaissance".
11. Project “Publication of scientific and analytical journal “The Economic Annals” (September 1998 — November 1998). Donor – The United States Information Agency.
12. Project “Promoting the development of democratic local power” (September 1999 — June 2000). Donor – the Netherlands Municipalities Association, under support of the Netherlands Foreign Ministry.
13. 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 – FREEDOM HOUSE.
14. 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 — USAID. USAID expert had conducted financial audit of the Institute of Society Transformation before the project implementation began.
15. Ukraine – Netherlands project “Co-operation between town council and non-governmental organisations – basis for intensification of democratic reforms in Ukraine”. Donor – MATRA КАР program, Netherlands (December 2000 – July 2001).
16. 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 – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine (June 2001).
17. Ukraine – Poland project “Support for the best student youth”. Donor – the Institute of Eastern Studies, Poland (2001).
18. 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 – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine (2002).
19. Project “Ukraine – Russia – NATO: modification of the co-operation methods as a result of new epoch challenges». Donor – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine (2002).
20. Project “Consolidation of the market economy and forming of the middle class as a supposition of Ukraine becoming a member of NATO”. Donor – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine (2003).
21. Project “Clarity of presidential election – through the Internet”. Donor – OSCE (2004).
22. Project “Co-operation arrangement between business circles of Ukrainian and Polish cities – real implantation of Poland and Ukraine strategic partnership”. Donor — USAID (2004-2005).
23. Project “Administrative-Territorial Reform and consolidation of system local self-government in Ukraine”. Donor – OSCE (2005).
24. Project “Sevastopol on its way of economic and administrative-territorial reform”. Donor – the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway (2005).
25. Project “UKRAINE – NATO – RUSSIA: POSITIVE VECTORS FOR EURO-ATLANTIC SECURITY”. Donor – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine (2005).
26. 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).
27. Project “Informational provision of a local democracy development in a context of the Administrative-Territorial Reform in Ukraine”. Donor – MATRA КАР Program, Netherlands (March 2006 – September 2006).
28. Project “Membership of Ukraine in NATO: overcoming the myths – forming our new future”. Donor – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine (2006).
29. 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).
30. Project “Studying of Sweden self-governing experience and opportunities of its implementation in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine (2006).
31. 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).
32. Project “Finland model of local self-governance and opportunities of its implementation in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Finland in Ukraine (2006-2007).
33. 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).
34. Project «Higher Education for Democracy in Russia and Ukraine». Donor – The National Endowment for Democracy (NED, USA), 2007–2008.
35. Project “Reform of the system of local self-governance in Ukraine: formation of optimal model”. Donor – the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (2007).
36. 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).
37. 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).

List of projects completed in 2008

1. Project „Development of cities on the Eurointegration route: experience of the Visegrad Group countries for Ukraine”. Donor – the International Visegrad Fund (IVF).
2. Project „Creation of the professional system of local media-resources is an important condition of Ukrainian citizens’ informing and worldview formation”. Donor – MATRA КАР Program, Netherlands.
3. 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.
4. Project „Local authority and educational community cooperation for the sake of European oriented civil society forming”. Under the support of Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Republic of Poland.
5. Project “Managers of international projects for local authority preparing: usage of Polish experience in Ukraine”. Donor – the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Ukraine.
6. Scientific-technical 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 – Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
7. Project „Creation of Volyn Regional Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration”. Donor – NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine and the Embassy of Republic of Poland in Ukraine.
8. Project „Creation of Zhytomyr Regional Centre for Euro-Atlantic Integration”. Donor – the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine.
9. Project „Creation and activization of Centres for Euro-Atlantic Integration in Chernigiv, Rivno and Sumy regions of Ukraine”. Under the support of the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Ukraine.
10. Project „Creation of Odesa Regional Scientific-Informational Centre for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation”. Donor – The Embassy of Lithuania in Ukraine.
11. Project „Methodology of Regional Centres for Euro-Atlantic Integration creating by the example of Poltava city”. State customer – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
12. Project „Debates in Sumy city: why is youth “for” or “against” Ukraine’s entering in NATO?” State customer – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
13. Project „Working out of the methodology of social polls on the Euro-Atlantic issues conducting with the usage of two last waves of enlargement countries–NATO members experience”. State customer – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Donor – the Embassy of The Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine.
14. Scientific-research project „Research of Ukrainian citizens’ attitudes towards Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine”. State customer – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
15. Project „Social 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.
16. Project „Analysis, presentation and distribution of results of public-opinion poll of Ukrainian citizens on the questions of Euro-Atlantic integration”. Donor – the Embassy of The Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine.
17. 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 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
18. Project „NATO – Ukraine Intensive Engagement and its role in Ukraine’s system reforms implementation”. Donor – NATO information and documentation Centre in Ukraine.