Topic: university

A new Estonian-language poetry collection titled Kass on kassas has been published with support from the University of Tartu. The author Mohsen Shourgashti is originally from Iran, but now lives in Tartu and works at the university as a Specialist in Plant Ecology. The book explores the nuances and playfulness of the Estonian language in a humorous and thought-provoking way.

The University of Tartu and Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences have strengthened cooperation in intersectoral doctoral studies to support academic succession at the professional higher education institution and enhance its research capacity. In September, the first intersectoral doctoral researcher began their studies in the collaboration between the two institutions.

The University of Tartu has a Student Union (UTSU) of nearly 140 members, which has been steadfastly standing for students’ rights and solving their concerns for years. Full of initiative, student representatives have brought numerous ideas to life within the university and drawn attention to various institutional shortcomings.

Until the beginning of September, a design competition was open to find a building signage solution for the University of Tartu buildings. Of the two eligible entries submitted, the winning design was “Kõik algab sinisest” (“Everything begins with blue”) by Unt ja Tammik OÜ.

The renovation of the area in front of the university’s main building, which began in May, has now been completed.

On 6 August, Rector Toomas Asser signed the University of Tartu alumni relations strategy for 2025–2035. We spoke with Head of Alumni Relations Kaisa Hansson about the role alumni play at the university and how she envisions the future of collaboration with them.

A recent overview published by the Estonian Research Council (ETAG) reveals that Estonia has performed exceptionally well in the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe (2021–2027). Among Estonian institutions, the University of Tartu has been the most successful participant in the programme, receiving almost €90 million in funding.

On 11 September, following extensive construction work, the Praaga field station was reopened.

All in all, there are 16,052 students at the university.

The Von Bock House of the University of Tartu (Ülikooli 16) has undergone a major renovation, and the Institute of Cultural Research has moved back to the building.