UNU-WIDER is affiliated with the United Nations University and its key aims are to: (1) undertake multidisciplinary research and policy analysis on structural changes affecting the living conditions of the world's poorest people; (2) provide a forum for professional interaction and the advocacy of policies leading to robust, equitable, and environmentally sustainable growth; and (3) promote capacity strengthening and training for scholars and government officials in the field of economic and social policy-making.

TAPRI affiliated with the University of Tampere, specializes in peace and conflict studies and international politics. Its mandate is four-fold: research, publishing, expert advice, and international cooperation. Research programs focus on peaceful change, and projects cover European change and security, the Mediterranean region, and newly arising conflicts and their resolution. All research at TAPRI is open, and research results are published through a variety of media.

ETLA, a private research community, carries out economic, business, and social policy research as well as makes economic forecasts. Its activities facilitate financial and economic policy decision-making in Finnish companies, organizations that sponsors ETLA, and the entire Finnish economy. ETLA tries to promote the spreading of research information in companies, the association that sponsors ETLA, and the economy as a whole. In addition, the institute is an outstanding training place for economists.

FIIA's mission is to promote the analytical discussion of international affairs in Finland, thereby supporting decision-making in the field of foreign policy through activities centering on substantive research. In all its activities, FIIA seeks to anticipate the needs of officials, politicians, journalists, the Finnish public, and foreign experts. FIIA puts its aims into practice through conducting research, maintaining networks of researchers at home and abroad, and organizing lectures, seminars, and conferences. FIIA publishes its research findings as books and research reports and emphasizes the importance and usefulness of analytical information, recognizing that such information should be up to date, applicable, and easy to digest. Founded on the initiative of the Paasikivi Society and as a private institute maintained by the Foundation for Foreign Policy Research, FIIA's duty is to assist the public administration, but operating as an autonomous research institute, it is independent of political parties and the administration.