Rein Raud is the Rector of Tallinn University, writer, and a researcher of Japanese language and culture. His speeches and expressions of opinion on topical cultural and social matters have attracted a lot of attention. For his opinion articles published in 2002, Rein Raud was given the best Estonian feature story award.

In addition to the rectorship, Rein Raud is Professor of Asian and Cultural Studies in Tallinn University, and also Professor of Japanese Studies in the University of Helsinki.

In his analysis of today’s economically tense period, Rein Raud has stated that Estonia should abandon the idea that our economy could be saved by export based on industrial products. As a main source for economic growth, Rein Raud points out the innovative ideas that are born and also first implemented here in Estonia, first and foremost in different creative fields.

In the conference discussion “Opportunities of Markets that Are Open to Innovation” Rein Raud will discuss, which innovation policy will lead the entrepreneur to innovation, which in turn will incite the whole economy. What is innovative business activity? How to make the best use of people’s individual creativity? What kind of environment does a creative and innovative idea need in order to be put in practice?