President of the University of Tartu Student Union Renar Kihho: let us work together for the best higher education

Speech by President of the University of Tartu Student Union Renar Kihho at the opening ceremony of the academic year on 4 September 2023.

Renar Kihho:

Honourable rector, minister of education and research, mayor, dear guests, dear university family and first-year students!

Greetings to you all on the beginning of the academic year!

I am delighted for you, the first-year students who have decided to start or continue your higher education journey here in the Athens of the River Emajõgi, as it is called among the locals. The well-known student city certainly has a lot to offer you – it is up to you to seize these opportunities to make your student life meaningful, memorable and the cornerstone for your future life.

Today, thousands of students begin another networking process here in Tartu. I encourage all of you to make the most of each meeting, which can lead to an enlightening and successful collaboration. It does not have to be a professional or academic meeting. There are plenty of places around here within a 500-metre radius where you can exchange ideas in a more relaxed atmosphere and meet fellow students from other disciplines. Live the student life and join an organisation! The shared activities and impressions, advice from the more experienced, and the alumni stories are valuable assets. If you think about how this new phase of life differs from the previous one, when you were in secondary school, it definitely brings more independence. I am mostly referring to academic independence, having to take care of your own results and staying on top of things. But there are also more complex problems and more systemic concerns, and so I would like to remind you all, dear students and university family, not to be left alone with your worries. We, the student representatives, are there for you in every institute and every faculty. Meet us, share your thoughts with us, or help us to have a say in improving the university.

A successful example of a problem solved in cooperation is the doubling of the rate of need-based allowances from the start of this academic year. Higher education funding has always been an issue, but most directly it affects students who, when they come to study in Tartu, do not only have to decide on their choice of curriculum. For them, it is even more energy-consuming to find accommodation, in some cases, a job, and to plan costs for the entire academic year ahead. Being a student certainly teaches you how to manage costs, but when it starts to interfere with your commitment to learning, all you are left with are poor choices and a shortage of that other resource – education. Dear students, there are still many steps ahead that need our support. Let us have the courage to speak up and work together to improve the situation regarding dormitory places, student loans and scholarships. Our voice is required to develop the university and higher education.

Dear university family, let us enjoy a new beginning on the path of knowledge and let us work together for the best higher education. Enjoy Tartu, enjoy the Emajõgi, and enjoy your studies.

Vivat Academia!