The Finnish Centre of Excellence in Russian Studies – Choices of Russian Modernisation is a Centre of Excellence funded by the Academy of Finland for years 2012-2017. In the Centre of Excellence modernisation in Russia is understood as a set of choices made under certain structural conditions. As the traditional frameworks, theories and concepts of individual disciplines are clearly inadequate for analysing the contradictory developments in Russia, the Centre of Excellence strives to redefine the agenda on Russian modernisation. The multidisciplinary research conducted in the Centre of Excellence will produce a new paradigm into Russian studies. At the same time, it will also provide a new platform for policy implications at the most fundamental level of EU-Russia relations.

The CoE is coordinated by the Aleksanteri Institute. Besides researchers from the Aleksanteri Institute, it consists of researchers from the Department of Modern Languages (Russian language and literature) at the University of Helsinki and the School of Management (Politics) at the University of Tampere. In addition, several distinguished scholars both from Finland and abroad are involved as associated partners, including those from CEMAT (Aalto University) and the European University at Saint Petersburg, Russia.