Overview of the life and activity of Madis Habakuk
We have not come to this world to make footprints but something that creates value to the next generations and would be sustainable.
Madis Habakuk
Madis Habakuk was born on 28th December 1938 in Avinurme, Viru County, as a son of Jaan and Armilda-Kathariina Habakuk. Madis Habakuk started his studies at Avinurme School of 8 classes, which he finished in 1953. Then he continued his studies at Tallinn Technical School of Mining which he graduated in 1958 with the qualification of a technician of underground coal mining.
Madis Habakuk then entered Tallinn University of Technology (until 1989 named Tallinn Polytechnical Institute, TPI), which he graduated in 1966 with the qualification of economics and organisation of machine building. In 1966-1967 Madis Habakuk worked in Norma Eesti Ltd. as a head of department. In 1968-1981 Madis Habakuk worked in the faculty of Industrial Planning and Management of Tallinn Polytechnical Institute : as an assistant, research student, senior lecturer, Doctoral student and finally as an associate professor. In 1968-1970 he completed his candidate PhD thesis "Formalisation Problems of Individual and Group Decisions” and he was awarded the degree of a candidate PhD in economics (a scientific degree in the USSR). In 1970-1971 he worked on probation in the Warsaw Institute of Statistics and Planning, Poland. In 1980 Madis Habakuk successfully defended a PhD thesis "Goal Oriented Approach in the Research of the Decision-making Process in Business Organisations” at the Institute of Economics of the Academy of Sciences of ESSR. Madis Habakuk was awarded the title of a professor in 1981. In 1978-1988 Madis Habakuk worked as the Head of the Faculty of Economic Management at the Institute of Estonian Business Management. In 1981-1985 Madis Habakuk also worked as an expert of the International Labour Organization, ILO. In 1983 Madis Habakuk was awarded a silver medal at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements of the USSR.
In 1988 Madis Habakuk, professor Marshall Fitzgerald (USA) and Mr Ilmar Martens (Canada) founded the first Estonian private university, Eesti Kõrgem Kommertskool, which offers business education. In 2002 the university was renamed Estonian Business School (EBS). In 1988-2003 Madis Habakuk was the President and the Chairman of the Board of Estonian Business School and in 2003-2008 the Rector of EBS.
Since 1990 Madis Habakuk was a member of the Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Club and since 1992 a member of the EBS Masters´ Club. Since 1995 professor Madis Habakuk was a member of the Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE) programme with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD. In 1992 professor Habakuk was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor by the San Francisco Graduate School of Psychology. Since 1992 Madis Habakuk was a member of the Board of the Central and East European Management Development Association, CEEMAN.
In 1994-2000 Madis Habakuk was the President of the Association of Estonian Private Education. In 1996 Madis Habakuk became a member of the European Association for International Education, EAIE. In 1998 Madis Habakuk was one of the founders of the EBS Foundation of Alumni. Since 1998 he was a honorary member of the Who`s Who in Professionals. In 1999 professor Madis Habakuk became a member of the Council of the Foundation of Tallinn University. In 2001 Madis Habakuk was elected the Chairman of the Board of BELLS and in the same year a member of the Council of Riga International College of Economics and Business Administration, RISEBA. In 2001 Madis Habakuk also became a member of the Council of the Foundation for the Construction of Estonian Art Academy. Since 2007 Madis Habakuk was a member of the Council of European Foundation for Management Development, EFMD.
Professor Habakuk was a member of the editorial boards of journals Baltic Journal of Management and Problems and Perspectives in Management.
In 2007 professor Madis Habakuk was awarded a prize of the Student Council of EBS "Golden Haba" in a special category "Magnum Opus Haba“. In 2013 Madis Habakuk was awarded a "Magnum Opus" by Ernst & Young Estonia. In 2014 he was awarded the Order of the White Star Class III and in the same year The Academy of Liberalism awarded professor Madis Habakuk the title of the Liberal of the Year.
Madis Habakuk died on 2 September 2016 in Tallinn and is buried on Metsakalmistu Cemetary in Tallinn.
The auditorium with the name of Madis Habakuk was opened on 2 January 2017 in the EBS building in Tallinn at 3 A. Lauteri Street, room 405.
The bust of Madis Habakuk was opened on 3 January 2019 in the Main Lobby of EBS building in Tallinn at 3 A. Lauteri Street. The sculptor is Terje Ojaver.