Rector of the University of Tartu took part in a meeting with Olena Zelenska

On 9 June, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena Zelenska visited Estonia. At Tallinn University, Olena Zelenska met with the Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas and the rectors of Estonian universities.

Opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Estonia and Ukraine in the fields of education and research were discussed. The University of Tartu was represented by Rector Professor Toomas Asser, Head of International Cooperation Kristi Kerge, and Dmytro Khutkyy, Research Fellow in Digital Governance at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies and Head of the University of Tartu Ukraine Centre.

Following the meeting, Estonian universities signed memoranda of cooperation with the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies, which the University of Tartu joined last year. Established in 2024 at the initiative of Olena Zelenska, the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies brings together universities and research institutions worldwide to strengthen Ukrainian studies and support the development of Ukraine’s education and research system.

The University of Tartu was the first Estonian higher education institution to join the initiative in spring 2025. The University of Tartu Ukraine Centre also participated in preparations to join the coalition. Membership in the coalition reflects a commitment to advancing Ukrainian studies and promoting international academic cooperation. As part of the meeting with Olena Zelenska, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences, and Tartu Applied Health Sciences University also joined the coalition.