VATT Institute for Economic Research is part of Centre of Excellence on Tax Systems Research
The consortium consisting of the University of Tampere, VATT and the University of Helsinki has been selected for the Academy of Finland's Centre of Excellence programme. The consortium will be directed by Professor Kaisa Kotakorpi from the University of Tampere, and its subprojects will be led by Professors Tuomas Kosonen, Jarkko Harju and Jukka Pirttilä. The consortium will focus on leading edge research on taxes and current transfers.
Photo: Professors Kaisa Kotakorpi, Tuomas Kosonen, Jarkko Harju and Jukka Pirttilä.
The Centre of Excellence on Tax Systems Research consortium selected by the Academy of Finland will be directed by Professor Kaisa Kotakorpi (University of Tampere and VATT). The consortium’s subprojects will be led by Research Professor Tuomas Kosonen (VATT), Professor Jarkko Harju (University of Tampere and VATT) and Professor Jukka Pirttilä (University of Helsinki and VATT). The consortium has a number of partners, with the Labour Institute for Economic Research as a key collaborator in Finland. A Centre of Excellence (CoE) is a research community which is about to reach the top of its field or has already made it to the leading edge. The total funding of the consortium project amounts to several million euros.
The fact that the consortium was granted Centre of Excellence funding means that some of the world’s leading tax systems research is conducted in Finland. Eleven units were selected for the Academy of Finland’s Centre of Excellence programme, with research teams from a total of 11 universities and research institutes. When making decisions on the proposals, particular attention was paid to ensuring that the research team selected for CoE status conducts excellent science and breakthrough research and contributes to scientific renewal.
The CoE on Tax Systems Research consortium conducts leading edge research especially on taxation and income transfers as well as their impacts. The goal of the CoE on Tax Systems Research is to build a comprehensive overall picture of how welfare is distributed and how this distribution can be influenced by taxation. Compared to earlier research, the consortium will sharpen the focus on the impacts of institutions and traits of human behaviour. The results will be internationally relevant when planning tax systems aimed at responding to these challenges.
"The CoE funding for tax systems research is important for Finland and for the opportunities of Finnish science at the international level. The Academy funding will make it possible to implement ambitious, long-term research projects. Good tax system planning is the key to securing public sector funding. Taxation can also play an important role in achieving essential societal objectives, including employment, welfare, health and environmental issues”, says Research Professor Tuomas Kosonen.
Tax systems are one of the main themes of VATT 's research, and VATT has been working on the idea of establishing a broad-based research team focusing on long-term tax research for some time. This project has been led by Professor Kaisa Kotakorpi. The shaping of concrete plans began in autumn 2019 as a result of a VATT day seminar themed on taxation.
“The Academy of Finland's CoE funding is a pleasing acknowledgement of the high scientific standard of research conducted in VATT. Essential elements of the project include not only a strong and committed research team but also international cooperation and high-quality register data. I am confident that the Centre of Excellence will produce significant results which will support society’s decision-making”, says Essi Eerola, VATT's Research Director.
Further information:
Research Professor Tuomas Kosonen, VATT. +358 0295 519 440, tuomas.kosonen(@)vatt.fi
Research Director Essi Eerola, VATT. +358 295 519 407, essi.eerola(@)vatt.fi
Further information about Academy of Finland’s news item of 12 December 2021 concerning the selection of Centres of Excellence1
Essi Eerola
Jarkko Harju
Jukka Pirttilä
Kaisa Kotakorpi
Tuomas Kosonen
Press release
Social security, taxation and inequality
Uutiset ja tiedotteet
VATT
behavioural responses
employment
environment
tax and benefit systems
tax policy
taxation
welfare
