The Institute for Economic Research (IER) is an autonomous non-governmental research organisation with a long tradition in the field of macroeconomic and microeconomic analysis. In the beginning of the 1990s, the European integration process and the growing awareness of the importance of entrepreneurship gave rise to research and consulting activities in the fields of international competitiveness, strategic planning, organizational and financial restructuring of enterprises, feasibility studies etc.As part of its operations Institute organizes international workshops, seminars and conferences on current economic issues, and offers facilities to visiting researchers.

The Institute has developed a wide range of international research and consulting activities as well as contacts. Since 1994 the Institute has been an institutional member of EADI (European Association of Development and Training Institutes) with headquarters in Bonn. Contract research and consulting was established with the World Bank, EU, UNIDO and OECD. The cooperation in research and consulting projects like PHARE-ACE, PHARE-CONSENSUS, PHARE-CBC, PHARE-PARTNERSHIP, COST and INCO-COPERNICUS enabled the Institute to become part of the West and East European networks of research organizations, such as: IMD International – Institute for Management Development, WEF – World Economic Forum, ICEG – International Centre for Economic Growth, NISPAcee – Network of Institutions and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe, and WAITRO – World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations. In addition, the Institute cooperates in the 5th EU Framework Programme and cooperates closely with the IRC Slovenia - an Innovation Relay Centre that is part of the European network.

The results of the IER’s research work are published as books, reports, working papers and journal articles, moreover, they are disseminated through the media and teaching activities.