Consortium whose members include University of Tartu awarded European Commission funding

Last week, the ENLIGHT consortium, one of whose members is the University of Tartu, was one of 24 consortiums chosen as international unions of institutions of higher education of the European Union to be funded by the European Commission, of which there are now 41 in total. The European Commission has allocated 287 million euros to the work of the consortiums.

These consortiums of European universities represent cross-border unions that promote European values and identity and boost competition. With the financial support of the European Commission, the consortiums will be helping to improve the quality, inclusivity, digitalisation and attractiveness of higher education in Europe.

University of Tartu Vice-Rector for Development Erik Puura says he is proud that the University of Tartu is a member of a network of such strong European universities. “We have a lot to learn from our partners, but at the same time, as the leading university in New Europe, there’s a lot we ourselves can contribute as well,” he said.

Puura added that working with the consortium will lead to a new era in the internationalisation of the University of Tartu, opening up new international study opportunities for students, supporting collaboration in research and forging a much stronger bond between the university and the three regions of Northern, Central and Western Europe.

The University of Tartu is a member of ENLIGHT (the European University Network to Promote Quality of Life, Sustainability & Global Engagement through Higher Education Transformation) alongside eight partner universities based in Ghent, Göttingen, the Basque Country, Bordeaux, Galway, Groningen, Uppsala and Bratislava. The consortium’s mission is to transform European higher education so as that its students become global citizens with the drive to tackle the complex challenges facing society and promote quality of life and sustainability in cities and communities.

Through close interaction with local socio-economic environments, ENLIGHT will be looking to develop flexible, forward-looking study programmes throughout its network that are based on the latest scientific studies and focus on innovation.

Further information: Erik Puura, University of Tartu Vice-Rector for Development, 506 9882, erik.puura@ut.ee