History

Year 2006 marked the 60th anniversary of ETLA. Its predecessor Taloudellinen Tutkimuskeskus (Economic Research Centre) was established on August 1, 1946. At the time Finland was recovering from the war and the reconstruction of the society’s economic foundations created demand for economic information. Even some basic statistics were lacking.

To begin with, the institute mainly engaged in gathering data and charting the state of various sectors of the economy. However, quite rapidly the focus moved to more ambitious research activities.

In 1971 ETLA was established to continue the operations of the Economic Research Centre. The insitute’s operations expanded rapidly and the number of employees increased form the early days’ half a dozen to about 50 today. In 1992 separate research projects were grouped into four research programmes. In 2007 two research programmes were merged, reducing their number to the current three.

Since 1946 ETLA has published about 600 extensive studies as books. More than 1 200 smaller research reports and intermediary reports of ongoing studies have been completed.

Suhdanne, ETLA’s economic review that incorporates the institute’s economic forecast, has been published since 1971. Nowadays it appears two times a year.

Throughout the years ETLA has been supportive of its employees’ post-graduate education. About 40 academic publications including doctoral dissertations and licenciate theses have been published in ETLA’s series. As a rule, these studies have been partially funded, among others, by the Academy of Finland and various private foundations.

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