Geoff's blog

Appetite for learning

Geoff Mulgan - 24.10.2011

I've just been on a brief fact-finding mission to Estonia - a country that counts a hunger to learn among its many virtues.  Estonia has often been at the forefront of e-government, and at one point (almost) cut and pasted laws from other countries which it liked.  A session with senior officials in the Estonian equivalent to the Cabinet Office also brought home how much we can learn from nimbler countries. 

When the economic crisis loomed in 2008, Estonia's government pushed through cuts in public sector pay of 10-15 per cent. They had reasonable reserves, and no banks to bring them down in the manner of Iceland and Ireland. But they knew that the economy would face a terrible year in 2009.   Decisive measures paid off and now the country is growing by some 8 per cent. Cutting pay also avoided the need to cut jobs and services - something no senior politician, or union leader, has dared suggest in the UK.  During my visit, our discussion took place at their Cabinet table which famously has digital screens for each minister to call up papers and data, another reminder of how different things can be if you start with a clean sheet of paper.

My main host during my trip was an organisation called Praxis, a very creative think tank, working on issues ranging from virtual healthcare to open data. I also attended an event with the Estonian Development Fund, an organisation quite similar to NESTA, combining foresight work with investment in early stage technologies.   The visit ended with the 20^th anniversary party for Estonia's civil society umbrella organisation NENO, which was set up when Soviet troops were still on the streets, celebrating with an eclectic mix of astrology, folk dancing, clubbing and stand up comedy. The only unwelcome knocks on the door at 3am now come from the hoards of foreigners who descend on the city every weekend to drink rather more than they can handle.

Showcasing Innovation in Giving

Back home at NESTA, we closed the Innovation in Giving fund's initial call for ideas on the 14 October. We received over 400 applicants, many of which look remarkably creative in finding new ways to use technology to increase the giving and sharing of time, money, assets and skills.  Alongside the traditional application form, we asked applicants to post videos summarising their ideas, which are collated in a single channel on Vimeo. Our hope is that even before any grants are made, we'll have helped the field to learn and be inspired.

BIS Consultation

Last Monday BIS put out the consultation on NESTA's future. It sets out the rationale for turning NESTA into a charity. Helpfully for us, it also confirms the Government's commitment to the important, and often unique, role that NESTA plays. If you have views please do send them in. This is an important process - and a crucial decision for us - so we're hoping that there'll be a wide range of voices and views.