News: Active UT

Nine University of Tartu employees and students have been selected to take part in all events of the Tartu Maraton series in 2027 and share their journey with the university community.

As many as 622 university members participated in the University of Tartu step challenge in October, completing a total of 170.09 million steps. That would be enough to walk around Estonia approximately 31 times.

In October, a step challenge takes place at the University of Tartu. We invite members of the university community to be more active, log their steps using the StepUp app, and take part in a friendly competition. The six most active participants will receive prize packages, and additional prizes will be drawn among everyone who records at least 200,000 steps during the month.

In the Latvian–Estonian Basketball League game played in Tartu on Saturday, 24 October, Tartu Ülikool Maks & Moorits defeated TalTech/ALEXELA 65–41. The duel between the two universities attracted a large crowd to the University of Tartu sports hall, and, backed by strong home support, Tartu secured the win.

The University of Tartu invites staff and students to apply for the 2027 Active UT role model programme. Up to six people will be selected for the programme to prepare for the Tartu Maraton events, share their experiences, and inspire other university members to be more physically active. Applications are open from 5 to 25 October.

Gert Prants, Head of the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club, took part in all Tartu Maraton events in 2026/2027 and completed the Tartu Maraton Klassik series on 3 October. This is his reflection on the past season.

Last weekend, the 15th Tartu City Marathon took place, and the University of Tartu came third in the team rankings. The strong result was driven by the active participation of the university community: many students and staff joined the university team both in the main Tartu City Marathon events and the Friday Night Run.

University of Tartu students can stay active and exercise at the university sports hall at a reduced price. A semester pass costing just €50 provides a wide range of opportunities for physical activity throughout the semester.

At the Rowing Championship of the European University Sports Association (EUSA Rowing 2026), held in Zagreb, Croatia, from 6 to 9 August, University of Tartu athletes represented the university with distinction, achieving excellent results in strong international competition.

Staff and students of the University of Tartu can take part in Tartu Maraton events with a 30% discount. This gives university members an affordable opportunity to represent the University of Tartu at sporting events together with colleagues and fellow students.