News

At the end of 2026, the first stage of construction of the academic and research building to be erected on the University of Tartu’s Maarjavälja property will begin. This phase will include the installation of utilities, streets, cycling and pedestrian paths, a 300-space multi-storey car park, and a robotics and drone hall.

On 6 June, the university will, for the first time, take part in the Baltic Pride 2026 March in Tallinn. We invite all students and staff to join.

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.

University of Tartu graduation ceremonies take place from 12 to 20 June. Live streaming, recordings and photos of the ceremonies are available on UTTV.

The legacy of Endel Tulving, the world-renowned researcher of human memory and one of the best-known scientists of Estonian origin, arrived at the University of Tartu Library from Toronto. It includes works on neuroscience, his personal archive of research articles and materials, as well as items and awards related to his scientific achievements.

In the third game of the Optibet Basketball League finals, held on 23 May in Tartu, BC Kalev/Cramo defeated Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits 83-77. Tartu now leads the series 2-1 and needs one victory to secure the Estonian championship title.

Led by University of Tartu researchers, the largest and most comprehensive study to date has been completed on how genetic differences between individuals influence metabolism.

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.

On 13 May, the reputable Baltic Awards 2026 ceremony took place in Riga to recognise outstanding representatives of science, culture, the arts and public life from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The award for significant contribution to science was presented to Vice Dean for Research at the University of Tartu Faculty of Medicine, academician and Professor of Human Genetics Maris Laan.

On 15 May, the University of Tartu opened the Estonian Marine Institute’s new research building and modern living quarters for students and staff conducting fieldwork in Kõiguste, on Saaremaa island.

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.

A new free course combining Estonian language studies with culture studies will begin at the University of Tartu Museum.

On 13 May, the Ministry of Education and Research and the University of Tartu concluded an administrative contract for 2026–2028. It sets out the objectives of increasing student admissions in fields with higher labour demand, expanding the volume of doctoral research related to artificial intelligence, and supporting internationalisation and talent policy.

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.

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.

How does international research cooperation begin? How do new research methods emerge, and how are connections forged that last a lifetime? Sometimes, it all starts with a scholarship. This year’s recipients of the University of Tartu Seventh Pillar Fund scholarship, history master’s student Marie Anna Blehner and pharmacy student Janeli Lember, will use the grant to go abroad to study and represent Estonia, and later bring the knowledge and experience back home.

In the next academic year, the professorship of liberal arts at the University of Tartu will be held by one of the most distinctive creators of audiovisual works in Estonia, the film director, stage director and screenwriter Rainer Sarnet.