Topic: international

From 25 to 29 May, the University of Tartu hosted an Erasmus+ Staff Week, which brought representatives of partner universities from 12 countries to Tartu.

Academic freedom is not merely an abstract principle, but one of the essential foundations of democratic societies, scientific progress, and international research cooperation. It is also fundamental to Europe’s competitiveness and to our ability to attract and retain world-class talent.

On 14–15 May, mathematician and former President of the European Research Council (ERC) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon visited the University of Tartu and met with researchers from the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics and the Institute of Computer Science. On 15 May, he gave a public lecture in which he addressed, among other topics, the ERC grant application process.

At the Tartu Observatory of the University of Tartu, the optical periscopic imager for comets OPIC was completed and will be handed over to the European Space Agency (ESA).

TEDx University of Tartu brings people together to share “ideas worth spreading” across diverse topics on 2 June at the University of Tartu Delta Centre.

According to recent data from the international Web of Science database, the University of Tartu now also ranks among the top 1% of the world’s most highly cited research institutions in the field of physics. This is the sixteenth field of research in which research carried out at the University of Tartu has reached the global top level in impact.

Konsta Rauhala studied a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA) at the University of Tartu. Now working in procurement in Finland, Konsta describes his time in Tartu as the best three years of his life.

The Europe Universities Summit 2026, organised by Times Higher Education in Milan from 5 to 7 May, brought together university leaders, policymakers and sector experts.

On 15 May, from 10:15 to 11:45, he gives a public lecture “Applying for ERC grants. The future of European research” in the building of the Institute of Cultural Research (Ülikooli 16–216).