His Excellency Ambassador of Canada Laird Hindle visited the university

On 22 November, Canada’s first ambassador to Estonia, His Excellency Laird Hindle paid his first visit to the University of Tartu and met with the rector.

The university’s history and the main building were introduced to the ambassador. Rector and Hindle discussed research cooperation and the possibility of developing the teaching of Estonian language and culture at the University of Toronto, which has a Chair of Estonian Studies. Hindle also met Eva Rein, Junior Lecturer in English Language and Canadian Literature, who talked about the research and conferences on Canadian studies that have been organised at the University of Tartu over the years. In addition, the ambassador met Ermo Tikk, a representative of CDL-Estonia. The CDL (Creative Destruction Lab) is an international business accelerator programme that gives early-stage research and technology-based startups access to world-class expertise and international capital. CDL was launched at the University of Toronto and has now expanded to 13 locations in seven countries.

This year, on 18 July, Canada appointed its first ambassador to Estonia to increase Canada’s diplomatic presence in Central and Eastern Europe. Laird Hindle has previously served in foreign missions in Kenya and Japan and, in recent years, as the Deputy Director of the Eastern and Southern Africa Division of the Canadian Department of Global Affairs.