Interview. Vice Rector for Development Tõnu Esko: new strategic plan is the result of teamwork and reflects the values of university community

On 16 June, the University of Tartu council adopted the university’s new strategic plan. We spoke with Vice Rector for Development and chair of the strategic planning committee Tõnu Esko about how the strategic plan came about.

The University of Tartu council adopted the strategic plan for 2026–2035. The university’s three main directions are increasing international competitiveness, increasing its impact on Estonian society and creating the best learning and working environment. How did you arrive at these three directions?

We started with the question of where we, as a university, can make the greatest change in the next ten years. The strategic plan was not born in some high tower. We listened to our students, staff, researchers and management – their thoughts helped us clearly understand the expectations. We also considered societal trends, i.e., what society and the world expect from the university, and we took an honest look at our opportunities and limitations.

What development trends and factors influenced this choice the most?

We do not operate in a vacuum. The changing security environment, technological advancements, climate issues – all these directly affect higher education. Before drafting the strategic plan, an analysis conducted at the university’s Centre for Applied Social Sciences showed what expectations society has for us. After that, over 700 university employees participated in assessing development trends and, through heads of units, employees of 44 units provided feedback on the five proposed development directions.

What makes this strategic plan different from the previous ones?

Previous strategic plans tried to cover a very broad spectrum of activities. This time, the council and senate agreed that we will not aim to describe all activities of the university, but make a conscious and justified choice. This allows us to focus on topics where we see the greatest opportunity or need for the university.

We also abandoned numerical key performance indicators – not because goals are not important, but because it is simply not possible to make precise ten-year forecasts in the current world. What matters is the direction we collectively move towards, and this has been debated, agreed upon, and documented during the drafting of the strategic plan. Numerical indicators will be recorded in action plans.

When will the action plan be completed?

The rector will approve the action plan for 2026–2028 by the end of 2025. The first draft has already been written, and we will continue working on it in the summer and autumn. If the strategy provides direction, we want the action plan to say how we will move towards it, how fast and with what means.

How is the flexibility and resilience of the strategic plan ensured?

We must have the ability to react. That is why we specify more concrete actions and indicators in the action plan – where they are directly related to resources and responsibilities. This way, we can be sufficiently flexible.

Were the university’s vision, mission and values also updated?

The wording became more precise, but the content remained the same. Our role as the Estonian-language national university, our commitment to research, and serving society have remained, as these are part of our identity.

What is the role of the University of Tartu in Estonia by 2035?

The most significant impact of the University of Tartu on society is primarily through its alumni. If our alumni can make companies smarter, policy directions more research-based, and society more cohesive, that is our greatest impact. At the same time, the transfer of knowledge to business and politics could be much more vigorous. This requires active cooperation with companies and the public sector. By 2035, we want to see Estonia that is smarter, more flexible, and relies more on research – and this together with the University of Tartu.

How will the strategic plan affect our people – staff and students?

Right from the start, we decided that at least one development direction must be inward-looking. We are not only building a better university for the world but also a better environment for our people. Leadership culture, the new generation of academic staff, equal treatment, work-life balance are not just “nice to have” but prerequisites for the university to develop.

Which topics did not make it into the strategic plan as a separate direction but are still important?

There are areas that are not separate development directions but are clearly present in our activities – for example, sustainable development, digital technology, the role of the national university. These are principles that permeate the entire strategy, not stand apart from it.

How does the strategic planning process reflect the values and expectations of the university community?

The strategic plan is the result of teamwork, thanks to which it has been agreed upon what our community actually considers important. As a result, the created plan is not a compromise but shows our strength.