Founded in 1938, the
Estonian Academy of Sciences is
Estonia's
national academy of science in Tallinn. As with other national academies, it is an independent group of well-known scientists whose stated aim is to promote research and development, encourage international scientific cooperation, and disseminate knowledge to the public. As of December 2012, it had 75 full members and 15 foreign members. Since November 2004, the president of the Academy is Richard Villems, a biologist from the
University of Tartu.