About us

The Scientific Foundation NORDEN CENTRUM is an independent, nonpartisan, non-governmental research and educational centre, operating as a non-profit organisation, that was established in 2011 and registered in The National Legal Register (KRS) under the number 0000405836.

The activity of the Foundation is set by its statutory mission and goals, and oriented towards stated areas of thematic interests and various forms of projects.

Two bodies, in accordance with its Statute, oversee the Foundation’s activities: the Council and the Board

Foundation Council – appointed for four years, sets out main lines of action and supervises their implementation, including periodic review and approval of the activity reports of the Board.

Foundation Board – appointed for three years, directs the activities of the NORDEN CENTRUM and represents it vis a vis external partners. Approves and monitors the implementation of particular projects, establishes regular work programs and budget plans, determines the Foundation’s organizational structure, decides on employment and financial management.

Advisory Committee, appointed by the Board, is a group of distinguished personalities, with varying professional backgrounds, who provide valuable counsel and input on the full range of Foundation projects, and to its long-term strategy.

Appointed by the Board, the Executive Director takes care of documentation, correspondence, financial matters and efficient functioning of the Foundation, and the Programme Director is in charge of its research and educational activities (projects, conferences, publications etc.).

The Foundation’s projects involve a team of experts and associates, whose expertise and competences (both scientific and practical) allow the Foundation to achieve specific educational and research goals.

In carrying out its tasks, the Foundation actively cooperates with the following Polish and foreign, in particular Nordic, partners:

1. research institutions, think tanks and universities,
2. public administrations, including local municipalities,
3. companies and associations,
4. NGOs and the media.

The long-term intention of the NORDEN CENTRUM is to build Polish-Nordic and European institutional networks cooperating in order to achieve the objectives set for the Foundation in the areas of its interest.

For companies, institutions of public administration and other organisations the Foundation offers various forms of consulting services, such as expert advice, reports and analyses, seminars, courses, trainings, etc., with participation of highly-renowned professionals on specific issues, both researchers and practitioners, including those from the Nordic countries. Revenue from these projects, after covering costs, will be fully transferred to the implementation of the statutory objectives of the Foundation (see: Cooperation).

Mission and objectives of the Norden Centum Scientific Foundation

The main mission of the NORDEN CENTRUM Scientific Foundation can be summarized as follows: Modernization through innovation, inspiration and mutual learning.

The Foundation’s mission is to contribute to the processes of social modernization and the development of international dialogue by supporting European and sub-regional exchange of ideas and experiences in solving important social and economic problems. The Foundation focuses on developing related issues and contacts between Poland (and other Central and Eastern European countries) and five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

With respect to the qualities of the Nordic model of development (confirmed by the high position of the Nordic countries in various international rankings and comparative studies) the Foundation considers its primary goal as taking actions favourable to:

1. the deeper analysis of,
2. the wide dissemination of,
3. and the transfer to and adaptation in Poland of

the most valued elements of the Nordic model of development and reform strategies from the Scandinavian countries, as well as their best practices in social, economic and foreign policies.

The accompanying goal is to highlight the experience of socio-economic cooperation within the Nordic-Baltic region, in order to support the most innovative solutions in various sectors of public policies and areas of international activity of the region states, particularly with regard to their Eastern policy (including the Eastern Partnership) and European Union membership. In this way, the Foundation emphasizes the need and importance of a mutual exchange of experiences, innovative ideas and best practices in Polish-Nordic relations.

The Foundation directs its activities towards experts and opinion makers in the fields of public policy, business and academia. The aim is to stimulate public debate about the most important civilizational challenges currently facing Poland, the Nordic-Baltic region and Europe. It is also to define effective strategies and methods for modernizing the state, the economy and society, with particular emphasis on lessons learned from the experience of the Nordic countries.

The Foundation formulates guidelines and recommendations regarding the validity of and conditions for applying the experience of foreign countries to diverging internal realities in other countries. These recommendations may be useful to a variety of governmental agencies, companies, business leaders, NGOs, trade unions, local governments and local economic organizations.