Centre for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR)

The Centre for Economic and Financial Research (CEFIR) is an independent economic policy think tank established in 2000. CEFIR’s mission is to improve Russia’s economic and social policies by producing cutting-edge academic research and policy analysis; in other words, CEFIR makes it possible for both policymakers and the public to make informed choices. CEFIR researchers use advanced methods of economic analysis to contribute to Russia’s economic and social policy by informing policymakers and the public about the costs and benefits of specific policy actions.

CEFIR’s critical resources are its high-quality human capital and its efficient academic infrastructure. Centre for Economic and Financial Research is ranked 42 among Top 25% Think Tanks in the world by RePEc* (as of December 2014). In January 2015 CEFIR has been ranked six among 55 Top Think Tanks in Central and Eastern Europe and the third among Russian think tanks in this particular field according to the annual 2014 The Global Go To Think Tank Index. CEFIR has been ranked 26 among 80 Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks and the first among Russian think tanks in this particular field. CEFIR is closely integrated in the world economic community and has partner relations with leading economic think tanks in many countries. CEFIR outperforms all other Russian economic think tanks — combined on the number of publications in top Western economics journals, including American Economic Review, Journal of European Economic Association, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Economics of Transition and others.

CEFIR’s project portfolio includes research done for the improvement of Russia — for the Central Bank, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Health and Social Development, and Presidential Administration — and for the benefit of organizations abroad — for the World Bank, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, Swedish International Development Agency, USAID, International Finance Corporation, and the United Nations Development Programme.