IDIS „Viitorul”

Profil

IDIS is an independent think tank, established in 1993 as a research and advocacy think tank, incorporated by Moldovan laws on non-for-profit and NGOs. As an independent think tank, IDIS is combining social, political and economic research with solid advocacy components. It undertakes applied field research and monitor targeted issues in several fields: economics, subsidiarity, social policy, EU policies, regional development, but also security risks and foreign policy, but, it also plans and implement regular policy debates and conferences, conduct considerable outreach activities, and regularly uphold an active presence in mass media.

IDIS is acting as a multi-issue think tank, which would fit into the ‚2nd phase think tanks’ groups. It combines a group of intertwined professional clusters, organized into thematic areas. IDIS allocates major resources to combine sectorial studies with active networking and advocacy, usually via networks of clients, allies, and stakeholders (unions, business associations, policy innovators, social entrepreneurs, local authorities, educators, and other entities), in several public mobilization projects). Thus, IDIS is ‚tanking’ its ideas, although it uphold a significant amount of analytical products, in various fields of political, social and economic interest. IDIS is not a politically-affiliated think tank, and refutes partisan connections. Following its institutional Charter, IDIS continues to play an important role in assisting policy-makers in Moldova to comply with their institutional responsibilities, build up consensus on national priorities, bringing the country into a normalcy fit to reforms and European values.

IDIS conducts its activities in compliance with its Charter. In 2010, Ministry of Justice reincorporated the Institute as a public association, in accordance with the law on public associations. An Administrative Board is executing oversight on the programs and projects implemented under institutional responsibility of the Executive Director. Consistent with the Charter, the Board is also advising IDIS on strategic and research issues, on programs and
budgetary issues. In 2016, IDIS has established its first International Board, whose Members joined for a 4-years full mandate with the aim to guide, coach new policy areas in the economic and social policy, direct new ideas in business, governmental affairs, foreign policy, education, defense and security, cyber and e-governance. Members of the IAB attend annual or extraordinary reunions of the International Advisory Board traveling to Moldova or to other
places or by holding media communications, on-line coordination meetings with IDIS management team. Participation to the flagship projects gives also important leverages to the IAB Members to oversee and expand IDIS’s field of work, professional networks and institutional affiliations.

Strategic evaluation is conducted at IDIS through Annual evaluation retreats, convened by the Executive Director and members of the Administrative Board. In terms of financial durability, IDIS is getting usually finances mainly on the basis of project proposals, with few developmental purposes. Several IDIS programs have multi-annual duration, which are thus very good in terms of making the programming more effective. In this regard, IDIS needs to orient its priorities through an Operational Plan for more than 3 years, which will project the priorities and projects that correspond to the profile, expertise, experience and ambition of the think tank. Fundraising activities need to respond to the strategic priorities, and not vice versa, on a day-to-day basis. In the areas of organizational development, IDIS has adopted in 2015 a Handbook of Procedures, which defines the proceedings in place regulating almost all legal and technical aspects related to the maintenance, organization of tenders, management of finances, negotiation of payrolls and
individual contracting, workload, salary/benefits formation, hiring and dismissing of personnel, ethics. An Ethical Code of Conduct is being in place since January 2016.

Since, IDIS has grown out from its 1st stage of development, its operational tasks and strategic views became more complex. Diversifying sources of funds, setting higher standards for the implementation of functions, operational standards and clear rules for experts and technical staff would greatly improve IDIS overall management. Often, experts shall dedicate more time on fundraising than on research, while constant changes in the donor’s requirements and their limited resources (small grants) further complicates the access to resources. It is obvious that all strategic documents and new proceedings need to be accepted and internalized by the personnel. Of great use would serve to IDIS to restore regular strategic sessions, where team leaders, resident scholars and other members of the organization, would be able to define, discuss or adjust various indicators of success, benchmarks of good performance for experts and technical staff, which will have a positive effect on the impact assessment for the institutional priorities.

Affiliations

IDIS is today associated with several networks and international organizations:

  • PASOS (Policy Association of the Open Society)
  • GPSA (Global Partnership of Social Accountability)
  • TPN (Transitional Policy Network)
  • NISPAcee (Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe)
  • NDRI (Network of Democracy Research Institutes).
  • EPIN (Economic Policy Institute Network of the UNDP)

Our mission:

To be a leading public policy institute essentially contributing to the growth of independent thinking environment, competitiveness of the Moldovan society and economy, in a wellgoverned state, favorable to educated citizenship. Our Institute consists from a number of cluster-fields (economics, taxation, decentralization, foreign policy, regional development, social and educational policy), where teams of dedicated experts conduct research, train or advocate for policy changes, with outstanding knowledge and expertise. Institutionally, IDIS is organized in the following departments: Functional Market Economy Department runs regular economic analysis and forecast, taxation and tax awareness of citizens, poverty reduction and other social
policies. Decentralization and Regional Development Department operates as a resource center, training and research division in the areas of legal protection of the local authorities, strategic planning and technical assistance, lobbying and tutorials. Competitive Society Department is mainly a specialized team in social policy and democratic education.

 

Priority Fields:

According to our institution strategy for 2009-2014, there are three major areas in which IDIS
“Viitorul” works:

  1. Modernization and Europeanization of the Public Sector;
  2. Strengthening a functional market economy;
  3. Supporting the emergence of a competitive society

Target audience:

The IDIS target beneficiaries include: private business, municipal governments, central governmental agencies, think tanks, academia, and mass media outlets.

 

Current programs and expertise:

–   Developing Economies Locally through Action and Alliance (DELTA) – Moldova.
–   Support to Chisinau Municipality in sustainable provision of heating services
–   Building Effective Private – Public Dialogue through a National Business Agenda
–   Advocacy Campaign in supporting the Moldovan Exporters of Agricultural Goods
–   Study on social protection and social inclusion in Moldova..
–   Moldova decentralization of the education reform and spending for education
–   Legal and regulatory obstacles to poverty reduction in the republic of Moldova
–   Knowledge-generating and disseminating capacity-building tools for local government
–   Stimulating civic responsibility within the election campaign 2009.

IDIS products:

  • Economic Outlook: Quarterly Monitoring Reports including economic analysis, forecasts and early warnings to the Government and the public with respect to the economic trends and poverty developments in Republic of Moldova.
  • Political watchdog in sensitive topics, like; political financing of parties, confidence in institutions, monitoring of the parliamentary and executive public agenda”s.
  • Economic Confidence Index: regular monthly analysis of the confidence level of business representatives.
  • Public Policy Series: regular applied research on key-issues for the policy development in economic modeling, tax policy, health and social issues, relevant to the sectorial reforms and target audiences, assisting political leaders to take intelligent decisions.
  • National Business Agenda – established a national platform aimed at assisting business associations in their policy dialogue with national government.
  • 60 Minutes of Economic Realism – TV & Radio Joint Program broadcasted by RFERL on key-issues of economic and social relevance to the public in Moldova (Rom, English,Russian).
  • Training and Technical support to the Local and Regional Governments in Moldova, in municipal services delivery, access to budgetary information (openpublicbudgets), creating labor and social opportunities to the people in need from the rural areas.
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