The University of Tartu gives out annual awards to recognise its members’ outstanding achievements in giving higher education, doing research and serving society to value their visibility at the university and in society. In giving out the annual awards, the university proceeds from its strategic plan and good practices.
Members of the Rector’s Office and the councils of institutes, colleges and non-faculty institutions may propose the nominees for the contribution to society award, research award and language award to the committees formed by the rector. Students can submit nominations for the teaching staff of the year award via the proposal form.
The deadline of submitting the nominees for all annual awards is 20 December.
The University of Tartu contribution to society award is given to recognise a university member or working group who has had a significant impact on the development of society in the previous year. The award has been given since 2021.
The rector presents the contribution to society award in February at the ceremony marking the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The recipient is given a certificate and a bonus.
The contribution to society award is given to the University of Tartu Move Lab for initiatives improving the health and well-being of children and young people.
The Schools in Motion programme, which has reached more than 200 schools, helps schools adapt the school day and school culture to promote the health and well-being of children and young people. From autumn 2024, the modern physical education syllabus developed by the Move Lab was implemented in schools.
The award goes to Associate Professor in Health Education Merike Kull, Specialist at the Move Lab Maarja Park, Specialist of Physical Activity Studies Katrin Mägi, Research Fellow in Kinanthropometry Evelin Mäestu, Lecturer of Didactics of Physical Education Maret Pihu, Specialist at the Move Lab Reelika Kiivit, Training Specialist at the Move Lab Kadi Rutens, Coordinator of the Move Lab network Karmen Moont, Professor in Functional Morphology Priit Kaasik, Associate Professor of Social Innovation Marko Uibu and Professor of Communication Studies Triin Vihalemm.
The University of Tartu research award is given to recognise a university’s academic staff member or working group who has stood out by an extraordinary achievement in basic or applied research in the previous year. The award has been given since 2021.
The rector presents the research award in February at the ceremony marking the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The recipient is given a certificate and a bonus.
The research award is given for discovering glaciation of supercooled clouds at anthropogenic air pollution hot spots.
A research group of the Centre for Climate Research of the University of Tartu Institute of Physics studies to what extent the impacts of anthropogenic air pollution particles on clouds offset global warming. The group was the first in the world to show that these air pollution particles act as seeds for ice formation in clouds, causing snowfall. This reduces cloud cover and affects solar and thermal radiation fluxes.
The award goes to Associate Professor in Climate Physics Velle Toll (head of the research group), Specialist in Climate Physics Jorma Rahu, Professor of Climate Science Piia Post, Engineer at the Centre for Climate Research Tanel Voormansik and Research Fellows in Climate Physics Hannes Keernik and Heido Trofimov.
The University of Tartu language award is given to recognise a university member or working group who has stood out in the previous year by valuing the Estonian language in fulfilling the university’s goals either in giving higher education, doing research or serving society. The award has been given since 2021.
The rector presents the language award in March at the event organised to celebrate the Mother Tongue Day. The recipient is given a certificate and a bonus.
The language award is given for contribution to preserving and developing Finno-Ugric languages through creating a digital translation engine.
Thanks to the work of researchers and developers at the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science, the translation engine Neurotõlge can be used for translating into 30 languages, 23 of which are Finno-Ugric languages. To develop Neurotõlge, computer scientists collaborate with researchers from the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics, who have collected and digitised the rich vocabulary and created corpora of Finno-Ugric languages over decades. Providing machine translation for endangered Finno-Ugric languages will help preserve the languages and support their speakers. The translation engine is publicly accessible on www.neurotolge.ee.
Awardees from the Institute of Computer Science are Professor of Natural Language Processing Mark Fišel, Research Fellow in Natural Language Processing Lisa Yankovskaya, Junior Research Fellows in Natural Language Processing Dmytro Pashchenko, Hele-Andra Kuulmets and Taido Purason, Associate Professor in Natural Language Processing Heiki-Jaan Kaalep, Scientific Programmer Tarmo Vaino, Language Data and Content Creation Specialist Britt-Kathleen Mere, Programmer Aleksei Ivanov and Head of Applied Natural Language Processing Liisa Rätsep. Awardees from the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics are Lecturer in Digital Linguistics Joshua Wilbur, Associate Professor of Finnic Languages Elena Markus, Associate Professor of Finno-Ugric Languages Fedor Rozhanskiy, Research Fellow in Phonetics of Finnic Languages Tuuli Tuisk and Research Fellow in Livonian Marili Tomingas.
The contribution to society award 2023 is for “Moepööre”, a project combining Estonian language learning with sustainable fashion and entrepreneurship studies.
Fashion designers, tailors and dressmakers, designers and cultural managers from Ida-Viru County took part in the programme, which gave them new knowledge about creative entrepreneurship and an opportunity to learn and practise the Estonian vocabulary of the fashion industry and entrepreneurship. At the end of the programme, the participants created their own collection and presented it on stage in a fashion show, involving the local community.
The awardees are from Viljandi Culture Academy: Project Manager Lembe Lahtmaa, Junior Lecturer in Materials Studies Diana Tuulik and Juko-Mart Kõlar, Director of Viljandi Culture Academy.
The research award 2023 is for creating a comprehensive approach to the processes that have influenced and continue to influence the cultural, linguistic and genetic development of the Estonian people.
To better understand the cultural, linguistic and genetic development of the hunter-gatherers who arrived in the territory of Estonia into the digital people of the 21st century, the university’s archaeologists, historians, geneticists, linguists, folklorists, ethnologists, geologists and geographers have placed information from science, linguistics and archaeology together into historical context. The results are presented on the website eestijuured.ee.
The award goes to Associate Professor of Archaeology Mari Tõrv, Professor of Archaeology Valter Lang, Professor of Archaeogenomics Kristiina Tambets, Professor of History and Dialects of Estonian Language Karl Pajusalu, Junior Research Fellow in Archaeology Silvia-Kristiin Kask, and Project Manager Sandra Sammler.
The language award 2023 is for the Estonian-language university textbook “Rakubioloogia” (Cell Biology).
The textbook provides a systematic and up-to-date overview of modern cell biology, covering also developmental biology, immunology, tumour formation and histology. By compiling the cell biology textbook in cooperation with a hundred contributors and 31 co-authors, considerable work was done to create and update specialised Estonian terms and promote their use. This will help preserve the sustainability of scientific thinking in the Estonian language.
The award goes to Vivarium Manager Sulev Kuuse and Professor of Cell Biology Toivo Maimets.
The contribution to society award 2022 is for raising public awareness of insufficient funding for higher education and research in Estonia.
On the University of Tartu Student Union's initiative, students from six Estonian universities organised a student shadowing day during which they introduced the universities' everyday life and concerns to members of the Riigikogu. One of the initiatives the students took to draw attention to their difficult economic situation was the pilot project of the student canteen at Hugo Treffner Gymnasium. They achieved the highest visibility through the loud coin-jingling at the opening ceremony of the academic year, expressing the urgent need for more money in higher education. The award goes to the University of Tartu Student Union and its President Katariina Sofia Päts.
The research award 2022 is for holograms that help children overcome the fear of hospitals and reduce pain levels.
The special value of the innovation lies in the fact that the hologram characters shown to children at Estonian hospitals speak Estonian. The research project has received support from the University of Tartu Feasibility Fund.
The award goes to Associate Professor of Paediatric Neuropsychology Anneli Kolk and her team: Junior Research Fellow in Paediatric Neurology Alina Roštšinskaja, Research Fellow of Paediatric Neuropsychology Marianne Saard, Psychologist at the Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital Liisa Uutsalu and students of the Faculty of Medicine Triinu-Liis Loit, Kätlin Kits and Christen Kööp.
The language award 2022 is for engaging volunteers to teach Estonian to Ukrainian war refugees.
Linguists at the University of Tartu developed a programme to help Ukrainians learn Estonian. Student volunteers helped Ukrainian children learn Estonian and adapt to school, and also taught adults. The particular value of the programme designed for Ukrainians lies in the possibility of using it as a model for bringing learners and teachers together in similar situations.
The award goes to Associate Professor of Psycholinguistics Virve-Anneli Vihman and her team: Senior Specialist in Geology, Programme Director for Geology and Environmental Technology Kairi Põldsaar; Associate Professor of Estonian as Foreign Language Mare Kitsnik; Junior Lecturer in Developmental and School Psychology Ada Urm; Research Fellow in Mordvin Languages Denys Teptiuk and Senior Specialist for International Marketing, a doctoral student in Estonian and Finno-Ugric Linguistics Anna Branets.
The University of Tartu contribution to society award is granted for introducing the nationwide wastewater monitoring method.
The method has been used since autumn 2020 for detecting the spread of the coronavirus. In the future, wastewater monitoring can be applied for various goals, for example for the detection of illegal drugs and drug residues. The award recipient is Professor Tanel Tenson and his research team including Associate Professor Veljo Kisand, Research Fellow Helen Tammert, Research Fellow Peeter Laas and Specialist Kristel Panksep.
The University of Tartu research award is granted for developing tumour-penetrating peptides for drug delivery.
This will allow to use smaller drug doses in cancer treatment in the future, significantly reducing the side effects of drugs. The recipient of the award is Professor Tambet Teesalu.
The University of Tartu language award is granted for research and development combining language and technology in the field of machine translation and neural speech synthesis.
The decisive factor in choosing the language deed was that digitisation enables to ensure the development and preservation of the Estonian language. The award recipient is Professor Mark Fišel and his research team including Head of Applied Natural Language Processing Liisa Rätsep, Junior Research Fellow Andre Tättar, Scientific Programmer Taido Purason, Scientific Programmer Maali Tars, Programmer Agnes Luhtaru, Junior Research Fellow Hele-Andra Kuulmets, Scientific Programmer Annika Laumets-Tättar and Scientific Programmer Rasmus Lellep.
The University of Tartu teaching staff of the year award is given to recognise one academic staff member in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Science and Technology who has stood out by excellent teaching skills in the previous year. The award has been given since 2006.
The rector presents the teaching staff of the year awards in February at the ceremony marking the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The recipient is given a certificate and a bonus.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Teacher of Estonian Language Piret Toomet
Piret Toomet is doing a valuable job teaching the Estonian language and culture to international students. She is committed to making her lectures and seminars varied, informative and engaging – for students, they are the highlight of every day and the best place to learn. She is a great communicator and takes great care in paying attention to each learner. Piret Toomet is truly passionate as a teacher and does not give up before all students have understood the topic. She is remarkably skilled at creating a fun and energetic atmosphere that makes students feel more comfortable speaking Estonian.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Lecturer in Special Education Pille Häidkind
Pille Häidkind is a poised, candid and thorough lecturer who teaches her courses with passion. Her lectures and seminars are always full of energy, engaging and logically structured. When delivering the course, she considers students' expectations of the course structure and deadlines. She keeps to agreements and does not make unfair concessions while being accommodating and considerate. As a lecturer, she considers the research-based approach important, setting a great example for students. Pille Häidkind also led the compilation of the first university textbook on special education. This textbook is valuable material for students preparing for their bachelor's exam and supports all people working in the field of education.
As a programme director, Pille Häidkind considers student feedback important, so she regularly meets with students to collect feedback. In addition, each spring, she organises a popular event to share traineeship and learning experiences in cooperation with students.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Medicine
Lecturer in Radiology and Medical Biochemistry Maksim Zagura
Maksim Zagura creates a learning environment that is student-friendly and varied. Students preparing for his courses appreciate his supportive, clear and comprehensive materials, which include the most up-to-date and relevant information. He always enriches contact classes with plenty of visual materials, breaks, additional information on the topic, and humour. Students receive constant feedback on their learning through tests conducted in a relaxed atmosphere, and he also has prizes for the best. In Maksim Zagura’s classes, all students can actively participate and speak up. He also introduces useful additional materials to students. These textbooks or online environments often also come in handy in other courses. Thanks to his knowledge of the field and a wide range of interests, no question by any of his students goes unanswered. Maksim Zagura is always ready to help students prepare presentations for professional organisations and actively involves students in research. His teaching style reflects his sincere commitment to his field and passing on his knowledge.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Science and Technology
Associate Professor in Developmental Biology Tambet Tõnissoo
Tambet Tõnissoo always prioritises student learning and promotes active collaboration among students, encouraging them to do group work and hold discussions that help them learn from each other and develop critical thinking skills. He is committed to improving his teaching and student development and constantly seeks new and better ways to present materials. He is always open to student feedback. Tõnissoo’s lectures are memorable, interactive, and engaging, and he relies on the latest and most important research in his teaching. He is known for his creativity, which is evident in his teaching methods: for example, he uses random everyday items, acting, and dancing to explain molecular processes. Tõnissoo makes sure that every student understands the material and finds new ways to learn the subject in an interesting manner without oversimplifying it. He provides practical examples that help students see how theoretical knowledge is applied in the real world. Tõnissoo has been chosen as the institute’s teaching staff of the year five times.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Associate Professor of English Language Jane Klavan
She is an incredibly pleasant, approachable and active lecturer who cares about her courses and her students, supports students' independence and values the creation of an environment based on trust. Jane Klavan's lectures and seminars are never monotonous or boring, as she uses a variety of methods to reinforce what she has taught and inspires learning through creative homework assignments. Although attendance is not compulsory in many of her courses, the auditorium is always full, which shows the effectiveness of her teaching: she motivates students with her great work ethic. Jane Klavan appreciates student feedback, knows everyone by name and approaches every problem in a sympathetic and practical way.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Teacher of Social Work Valter Parve
He is a dignified lecturer who puts his heart into his work and is undeniably an expert in his field. Valter Parve knows that learning is based on cooperation. He encourages students to ask questions and always answers thoroughly and with good humour. His enthusiasm and inspiration ignite a passion for social work in the hearts of all. In addition to teaching the basic courses of the curriculum of Administration of Social Work and Rehabilitation, Valter Parve tries to help first-year students settle into university life. Students do not want to miss his lectures for they connect professional knowledge and life wisdom: practical examples help understand the subject matter and the importance of social work.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Medicine
Lecturer in Human Anatomy Helen Zirnask
She is responsible for one of the most challenging courses for first-year students, which is simplified by her sense of humour and manner of presentation. In spite of the large study volume of her course, learning anatomy is somewhat easier thanks to Helen Zirnask, because the practical classes have a good learning environment and atmosphere. Her excellent temperament makes even seemingly frightening visits to the autopsy room bearable. Although the study material is complex, the lecturer maintains a light and positive approach and gives real-life examples from her own work experience. Even at eight o'clock in the morning, students come to her class in a good mood and with a smile on their faces. Helen Zirnask keeps constant contact with students and treats them with understanding. By highlighting the key mistakes of previous learners, she helps current learners not to repeat them.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Science and Technology
Lecturer in Colloidal and Environmental Chemistry Edith Viirlaid
She is flexible in her work and gives students the opportunity to learn and grow as much as possible. Solving the tests in her course requires extensive work with the study material, which gives the learner the knowledge they need for practical classes. Edith Viirlaid is a very helpful, pleasant and enthusiastic teacher who teaches her course with total dedication. Her lectures, practical classes and seminars are never boring and help students to really understand the subject at hand.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Associate Professor of Religious Education Olga Schihalejev
According to her students, she is the epitome of the good practice of teaching. She fascinates students with her exciting topics and her personality. Everything she teaches relates to what we actually experience and what is science-based. Student feedback is important to Olga Schihalejev – she thinks about what could be done better in the future and encourages students to do the same.
Her seminars and lectures are always well-prepared and methodologically varied, so learning in her courses is always meaningful. The intellectually stimulating debates with her were among the most rewarding parts of my master's studies. She is also highly credited for her delightful sense of humour and ability to see everything as a learning opportunity. Schihalejev provides consistent and in-depth support to students, relates to learners and teaches and supervises students as equals.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Associate Professor of Affective Psychology Andero Uusberg
Students find Andero Uusberg a charismatic and engaging speaker with a wonderful ability to talk about things in a very interesting way, using real-life examples. As a lecturer, he always manages to generate a lot of interest in the subject and show you how it could be studied further. His assessment method is motivating because the grade fully depends on the student's contribution. He does not just test your theoretical knowledge with his tests but builds on practice, helping you to learn better. The tasks he prepares allow using your creativity to consolidate what you have learned, and you can always get feedback from him after you have completed the task.
Uusberg also asks for and listens to student feedback. He shares examples from research, yet is also open to approaches that are still looking for a science-based answer. The topics he teaches are well interlinked, and the way the course is structured creates a sense of security in the learner. All materials are available, and clear instructions are given on how to access them. The structure of his Moodle course is the best I have seen so far.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Medicine
Lecturer in Functional Morphology Raivo Puhke
Thanks to Raivo Puhke, students have acquired a strong basic knowledge of the subject, which helps them to master other subjects more quickly. Students say that his lectures and seminars are never boring. Raivo Puhke is always positive, inspires his students and knows how to make even the most difficult topics understandable with humorous expressions, real-life examples and exceptionally good explanations. One can see that he really likes his specialisation. It also motivates students to work harder and do more reading at home. Raivo Puhke knows how to create a safe environment for students – they are not embarrassed to ask questions and interesting discussions arise during the classes. Students are motivated to attend lectures and seminars and always look forward to them.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Science and Technology
Analytical Chemistry Ivo Leito
Ivo Leito, according to his students, is an incredibly charismatic and lively lecturer who is a role model for all. His every sentence radiates an enthusiasm that makes even the dullest topics interesting. In each lecture, he gives real-life examples of how analytical chemistry can be applied to study the environment around us.
In one of his most legendary lectures, he described the process of chemical analysis from start to finish, using the example of pesticide analysis in tangerines. Thanks to Ivo Leito's ability to bring clarity and excitement to complex terms and abbreviations, this process has been etched in every student's memory as a model of chemical analysis on which to build.
Using the flipped learning method, he constantly engages students in discussions and creates a very safe environment for asking questions in lectures. It is worth noting that Professor Leito does not proceed with the lecture until he is absolutely convinced that every last person in the room has understood what he has just said.
In addition to his dedication to educating students in the classroom, he is always available for every learner outside of working hours. He will be happy to answer all your analytics-related questions at the earliest opportunity. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is available 24/7, even when he is abroad. He takes a genuine interest in the progress and development of every student. Ivo Leito also holds regular meetings with all his students planning to graduate in the spring to see if their thesis is going well and to give advice on how to advance with the task. Sometimes he will drop into the lab to ask how it is going and whether the students still like their project. He is genuinely happy every time he gets a positive answer to this question.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Antonina Kostina
According to students, Antonina Kostina, Teacher of Norwegian Language of the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, consciously creates a supportive and open learning atmosphere, where students are not afraid to experiment or make mistakes. In addition to language skills and in-depth knowledge of Scandinavian literature and history, her students acquire public speaking skills, analytical and critical thinking, teamwork skills and the necessary digital competencies for research in the humanities.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Social Sciences
Professor Triin Vihalemm
Students say that Triin Vihalemm, Professor of Communication Studies of the Institute of Social Studies, is excellent in her work. She gives students the opportunity to contribute to the development of Estonia already at the university. Her lectures foster exciting discussions, are up-to-date and student-friendly. Vihalemm’s feedback to students is always constructive, inspiring and explicit, making the students feel and know that they are seen and understood, that their ideas are important and accepted.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Medicine
Professor Külli Kingo
Students describe Külli Kingo, Professor in Dermatology and Venereology of the Institute of Clinical Medicine, as very thorough, intelligent and student-friendly. She uses a variety of teaching and assessment methods that support learning. Professor Kingo is also an excellent communicator who helps to solve problems and explains the material in an inspiring and comprehensive manner. Students have said they learn more in her courses than ever before.
Best teaching staff award of the Faculty of Science and Technology
Ene Kook
According to students, Ene Kook, Lecturer of Botany of the Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, stands out for her exceptional wealth of knowledge, helpfulness and a clear mission to spark interest in every student. All her courses are excellently organised, and the way she shows links between different topics, courses and everyday life increases the value of teaching. Kook is professional, adequately strict and demanding, and the way she loves her field from all her heart and enjoys teaching fascinates her students.