Ceremony and concert marking the 108th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia

On Friday, 20 February, at 12, university staff and students are invited to the ceremony and concert dedicated to the 108th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in the university’s assembly hall. At the event, the contribution to society award, research award and teaching staff of the year awards of 2025, the Ernst Jaakson memorial fund scholarship, the Lennart Meri award for research, the Lennart Meri award for master’s thesis, and the Peeter Tulviste memorial fund prizes are presented.

University of Tartu Vice Rector for Research Mari Moora will give the opening speech of the ceremony. The academic lecture "International law as a solid stronghold amid storms" will be delivered by René Värk, University of Tartu Associate Professor in International Law.

At the ceremony, the university’s contribution to society award, research award and language award and the teaching staff of the year awards for 2025 are presented. The contribution to society award is granted for creating the Estonian Cancer Network, the research award is granted for discovering genetic mechanisms affecting female reproductive health, and the language award is given to an exhibition of Estonian scientific literature and textbooks.

The University of Tartu teaching staff of the year award at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities goes to Teacher in Finnish Language and Culture Margit Kuusk, at the Faculty of Social Sciences, to Junior Lecturer in Teacher Education Pihel Hunt, at the Faculty of Medicine, to Associate Professor in Human Physiology Jana Kivastik and at the Faculty of Science and Technology, to Junior Research Fellow in Computer Engineering Renno Raudmäe.

Urmas Klaas, the Mayor of Tartu, and Kadri Liis Laas, a fourth-year student of Medicine at the University of Tartu, will deliver their greetings to university members.

Music will be performed by Academic Women's Choir of the University of Tartu, conducted by Triin Koch, and Maarja Nuut.

Please dress in formal attire.

Simultaneous interpretation into English is provided at the ceremony. The ceremony can be watched live on UTTV.