The Vilnius Institute of Policy Analysis (VIPA) is an independent organisation uniting different policy experts
Associate experts of the VIPA investigate important problems of the state and society, address uncomfortable issues, search for fact-based answers, and propose solutions to make public life more transparent.
Our activities are aimed at increasing freedom, transparency, democracy, and civic awareness in Lithuania. We want the Lithuanian citizens to participate actively and boldly in the development of their state, thus removing power from stagnant bureaucracy and large monopolies in the state. We are united by our commitment to the future of an open democratic Lithuania and Europe. The Institute’s activities are supported by the Open Lithuania Foundation.
The Vilnius Institute of Political Analysis consists of the following experts:
Virginija Būdienė is Associate Professor in Partnership Studies at VU, a former advisor of the President of the Lithuanian Republic, former Vice-Minister of Education and Science, and an expert at the World Bank and OECD. Head of the VIPA, expert of public policy.
Simas Čelutka is a graduate of the University College London (UCL), a former analyst at the Russian Studies Centre in the UK and the magazine IQ. Reviewer at The Economist. At the VIPA, he analyses Ukrainian issues of democratization, information security, and the political issues of Central-Eastern Europe.
Donatas Puslys is a publicist, an editor of the online daily Bernardinai.lt, an alumnus of the IIRPS VU. At the Institute, he analyses media literacy and disinformation campaigns.
Eglė Kavoliūnaitė-Ragauskienė is a lawyer, member of different national, regional, and international working groups and initiatives (United Nations, European Council, and GRECO), and an expert in the projects of the World Bank, Global Integrity, and World Resource Institute. At the VIPA, she deals with such issues as good governance, transparency of public decisions, and social inclusion.
Algis Davidavičius is a lecturer at VMU. He investigates the involvement of non-governmental organizations in decision-making, as well as nepotism and other forms of corruption.
He also conducts media literacy training events. Šarūnas Liekis is a Professor at VMU, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy, and an expert of the European Commission at ECRI. His research areas include history, comparative public policy, and political ideologies.
Algirdas Zabulionis holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and has been working for more than a decade in the projects of the World Bank, USAID, the European Council, OSI, and other international organizations in more than twenty world countries. He is a former Head of the Department of Mathematical Methods at VU and Director of the National Examination Centre. His main research areas include education policy as well as assessment and analysis of education quality.