Estonians don't tend to go about things in the same way as everyone else. The summer of 1988 is a case in point: over 300 000 Estonians gathered in the capital city, Tallinn, and voiced their demand for freedom from Soviet rule by singing national songs played by rock musicians. This historic 'singing revolution' - in which not a single drop of blood was spilt - culminated in Estonia declaring itself independent on 20 August 1991.

In May 2001, Estonia enjoyed another national musical achievement: it won the Eurovision Song Contest and hosted the event a year later. The theme used to promote the Contest was 'A Modern Fairy-tale', based on Estonia's rapid rise into one of the most successful independent states of the former socialist bloc. Some analysts rank Estonia in particular as one of the most promising economies in the world, and there are visible signs of its success everywhere. Towns and cities have changed beyond recognition: streets and buildings have been painted and smartened up; instead of old Russian Trabants, the roads are populated with Porsches and BMWs; and an abundance of computer and mobile-phone advertising testifies to the fact that Tallinn is known as the 'Internet Capital of the Former Soviet Union'.

The efficiency with which Estonia threw out the old Soviet regime and re-embraced its Baltic cultural identity and historic links with the West undoubtedly played an important part in its economic success. The same thoroughness was applied to its research infrastructure. Under Soviet rule, research had been carried out at institutes affiliated to the Academy of Sciences, while the role of the universities was limited largely to teaching. Unlike other states, Estonia rapidly stripped out the Russian apparatus and fused the institutes with the universities, bringing research and teaching under one roof. "It makes sense," says Professor Andres Metspalu at the University of Tartu. "Instead of having to fund two systems, which doubles cost and reduces efficiency, we're concentrating all our funding into one system."

Another plus for Estonian science, adds Professor Metspalu, has been the availability of a stable government funding system. Since 1996 there have been specific mechanisms for funding individual scientists or large research programmes, and an innovation fund to support applied research likely to lead to new technologies or products. "Scientists know there is a defined system, and they know what to expect." The Government recently increased the 2004 research budget by 15 per cent - a clear sign that science remains a priority.

Since 2002, Estonians have also been able to apply for Wellcome Trust International Senior Research Fellowships (SRFs). The scheme was launched to enable outstanding postdoctoral scientists in selected countries in Central Europe and the Baltics (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary and Poland) to establish scientific careers in their home country.

Estonians have been particularly successful in their applications. With six international senior fellows out of a population of only 1.5 million (half that of Greater Manchester), Estonia has the highest density of active Wellcome Trust senior fellows in any country (see box).

In September 2003, the Estonian people voted to join the European Union (EU) - an appropriate move, not only as a precaution against the return of Soviet rule, but also because of the similarity of Estonia's goals with those of the EU's Lisbon Strategy.* "We want to develop a new knowledge-based economy, based on investment in research and development to generate science-rich technology or products," explains Professor Metspalu. "When we join the EU in May 2004 we'll be entitled to some EU structural funds, which most countries will use for roads, airports and bridges, as the EU expects them to do. But Estonia has persuaded the EU to allow us to use around 700 million Estonian krooni out of those funds to support research. It was a very unusual decision - we had to negotiate hard for it."

As a pre-accession country to the EU, Estonia had given careful thought to its long-term investment strategy. After much debate, the Estonian Parliament decided that research and development should focus on three main areas: molecular (genetic) biotechnology, information technology and material sciences.

"Because we're a small country, we can only do a few things," says Professor Metspalu. "Not every branch of science is well developed: in some areas we are not strong at all. So we asked ourselves, what do we do best? There's a saying here that you should only water the cabbage that is growing. It's much better to be very good in one field, than be below average in all fields."

Molecular biology is a particularly strong area, thanks to some visionary Estonian scientists who started to build up the field as early as the 1960s and 70s. It took a big leap forward in 1986, when the Estonian Biocentre was founded.

"We persuaded Moscow to give us US$10 million to develop biotechnology in Estonia," says Professor Metspalu. "That was a pretty unique step for Moscow to take, but at the time, no one imagined that the Soviet Union wouldn't be around for the next 100 years or so, so they probably felt safe in investing in us.

"The grant was for five years, but after three it was clear that Estonia would become independent, and Moscow stopped the funding. But we were still able to use about US$6 million to employ more researchers and kit out the laboratories with modern equipment. Working conditions weren't perfect by any means, but they were acceptable, so when the wall came down and scientists in other fields left Estonia in the early 1990s, we didn't lose so many molecular biologists."

The Wellcome Trust's International Senior Research Fellowship scheme has a similar purpose: to enable scientists to do their research in Estonia and develop a world-class science base.

"The scheme aims to help these countries maintain and foster their scientific capacity, bridging the difficult times between now and their full membership of the EU," explains Hans Hagen at the Wellcome Trust. "We hope that the Estonian Government (and those of the other countries) will take this opportunity to build on this scheme by continuing to support the fellows and the next generation of researchers. The Trust's rigorous selection process means its SRFs really are the best people, they'll be successful, and their success will attract more funding. The scheme provides the countries involved with a great opportunity to use the groups established by the fellows to attract competitive postgraduates and postdocs, generating a cadre of excellent young scientists for the future.

"These are the people who will sit on committees, counsel ministers and lobby the Government: they could change the course of history in their own country. We've seen something similar in India where our International SRF scheme has been running for longer. The SRFs have attracted more money than other fellows and become bigger players in the political landscape. The Government is even contemplating its own SRF scheme."

That's all in the future, however. Right now, the Estonian Senior Fellows say they are glad to be home. Dr Maris Laan at the University of Tartu worked as a researcher in Finland, Germany and the USA before returning to Estonia. "It's easier, more natural, to establish yourself and your own group in your own country," she points out. "It's also easier to teach students in your own language.

"Estonia is so small that in the biomedical scientific community we all know each other. We all come from the same school or university and have shared memories. It's like a family. It's a kind of 'good corruption' - you know people's background, you can go and talk to people at a higher level informally. But at the same time, everyone has gained different experiences while working abroad, which is a good thing. A group must have members with different experience - no one can know everything."

The SRF will make it easier for Dr Laan to enjoy a satisfying and fulfilling career in the place where her heart is. "I enjoyed travelling, living in foreign countries, but your home country is where you have your roots. My husband and I want our small children to grow up in Estonia."

*At the Lisbon Council in March 2000 the EU adopted its strategic goal to become "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world".

External links

• University of Tartu, Estonia
• University of Tallinn, Estonia