News

On 3 October, the faculties’ electoral bodies elected new deans for the University of Tartu. The Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Anti Selart, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Margit Keller, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Külli Kingo, and the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology Leho Ainsaar will assume office on 1 January 2024.

On 28 September, five lifetime achievement awards and 44 Teacher of the Year titles were presented at the recognition ceremony for educators of the city and county of Tartu. One of the recipients of the lifetime achievement awards was Enno Akkel, long-time coach of the UT Academic Sports Club.

On 6 October at 12, a commemorative plaque will be unveiled on the wall of the Von Bock House of the University of Tartu, as the Estonian University of Life Sciences celebrates the 175th anniversary of teaching veterinary medicine. The first patient – a horse – was admitted to the Von Bock House on 13 October 1848.

The three-minute thesis competition for University of Tartu doctoral students brought together young researchers of many disciplines.

The University of Tartu, in cooperation with the Tallinn University of Technology, have developed a strategy and action plan for developing health technologies and services for 2023–2028. By the end of the decade, the strategy aims to have at least 200 research-intensive companies with international reach operating in this field in Estonia, helping prevent and treat diseases both in Estonia and worldwide.

The Association of Estonian Adult Educators Andras gave the Tartu county education deed award of the year to the UT Tartu Observatory and the European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO) Estonia’s continuing education course for teachers “United by Space”. The best adult educators of Tartu county 2023 were awarded at the appreciation event for the educators of the city and county of Tartu in the University of Tartu assembly hall on 28 September.

Universitas Tartuensis paid a visit to Rector Toomas Asser, now in his second term of office, at his summer house to ask him about his thoughts ahead of his new term in a more relaxed atmosphere. It should be noted that the meeting took place just before the summer holidays of July and the heated discussions on research ethics and data protection of August.

The British journal Times Higher Education (THE) has published its 20th edition of the World University Rankings. This year's table, compiled based on a new methodology, ranks the University of Tartu in the 301–350 bracket.

On 27 September, the presentation of the new university textbook took place at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology.

Last week, Helen Eenmaa, Research Fellow in IT Law at the University of Tartu and member of the Estonian Young Academy of Sciences, was elected President of the Young Academies Science Advice Structure (YASAS). With that, she also became a member of the board of the Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) consortium.

Experts see digitised cell line development as one of six key deep technologies for Estonia, with a breakthrough expected within the next twenty years. Estonia’s possibilities in this field are mainly linked to pharmaceutical development and personalised medicine, shows the Foresight Centre in its recent brief report “Digitised Cell Line Development: State of Play and Prospects”. The Univeristy of Tartu will offer strong research competence on these fields.

On Wednesday, 27 September, Katri Raik starts work as the representative of the University of Tartu in Ida-Virumaa. Her main duties will be developing the university’s activities and promoting cooperation with local entrepreneurs in Ida-Viru county.

From 25 September to 1 October, the Tartu Student Days Festival invites new students to settle into life in Tartu and make new friends in a fun way.

In the first edition of the ranking of top European universities, compiled by the global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the University of Tartu ranks 137th.

On September 18, at the invitation of the Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas, representatives of Tartu's higher education institutions go on a bike ride together. The event aims to bring attention to mobility issues, discuss how universities and the city can cooperate to promote sustainability and a sustainable mobility environment, and set an example for the residents and students alike.

The bronze footprints of Hele Everaus, Professor emerita of the University of Tartu Faculty of Medicine, and Krista Aru, Director of the University of Tartu Library, have been added to the Tartu Pioneers' Alley next to the Tasku Centre.

The Teaming centres of excellence in digitalised bioengineering and personalised medicine at the University of Tartu are expected to become lighthouses in the region, attracting the best scientists and bringing change to the innovation landscape nationally and internationally.

University of Tartu rowers won in men’s eight at the European Universities Rowing Championship in Poland.

On 12 September, the commission formed for the dean elections registered the dean candidates of the university’s four faculties.

The University of Tartu is participating in an international project to help African countries better understand the health impacts of climate change and to develop adaptation measures.