SIHTASUTUS MOTTEKODA PRAXIS

Their core work

Praxis is Estonia's leading independent policy think tank, specializing in evidence-based policy research and analysis. Within H2020, they have focused on healthcare system reform — particularly integrated care models for ageing populations — and on political and social transformation dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe. They bring strong analytical capacity in policy design, evaluation, and scaling of social innovation, serving as a bridge between academic research and practical policy implementation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Praxis began its H2020 involvement with hands-on health systems research, contributing to SUSTAIN's work on sustainable integrated elder care (2015-2019). In the later period, their scope broadened in two directions: deeper into political science with the FATIGUE project studying democratic backsliding in Central and Eastern Europe (2018-2022), and back into health innovation with IN-4-AHA focusing on scaling models rather than direct care delivery (2021-2022). This suggests a shift from studying care systems on the ground toward understanding how to scale and replicate successful innovations at the policy level.

Praxis appears to be moving from direct health systems research toward understanding how to scale innovations and navigate political contexts that affect policy adoption — valuable for anyone working on implementation in the CEE region.

How they like to work

Praxis has never coordinated an H2020 project, consistently joining as a participant or third-party contributor. With 40 unique consortium partners across 17 countries from just 3 projects, they operate within large, pan-European consortia rather than small targeted teams. This pattern suggests they are a trusted country-level expert brought in to provide the Estonian or Baltic perspective within broader European studies.

Despite only 3 projects, Praxis has built connections with 40 partners across 17 countries, reflecting participation in large European consortia. Their network spans broadly across EU member states, with likely concentration in Central and Eastern European policy research circles.

What sets them apart

Praxis occupies a rare niche as an independent think tank from Estonia that combines health systems expertise with deep understanding of CEE political dynamics. For consortium builders, they offer something hard to find elsewhere: a credible, research-capable Estonian partner that understands both the policy mechanics of healthcare reform and the political realities of post-transition societies. Their SME status and think-tank agility make them easier to work with than larger academic institutions for policy-oriented work packages.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUSTAIN
  Largest project by funding (EUR 326,780) and their earliest H2020 involvement, focused on sustainable integrated care models across Europe.
• FATIGUE
  Unusual thematic departure — studying illiberalism and democratic fatigue in CEE, showing Praxis's breadth beyond health into political science and governance.