The small Estonian city where the whole world meets: political studies and online learning at the University Tartu

Anna Beitane is Head of Digital Projects at the University of Tartu’s Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies. First introduced to online learning during her master’s degree, Anna has gone on to develop courses taken by thousands of students worldwide.

It was 2014 when Anna Beitane arrived in Estonia as a master’s student.

Over a decade later, she’s still here.

“It’s certainly been a while since I came to Tartu,” she says with a smile. “So needless to say – I must have liked it.”

Originally from Latvia, Anna completed her bachelor’s degree in the UK and was determined to continue her studies abroad.

After “checking all over the place,” one option stood out.

“I thought, ‘why haven't I checked out Estonia and Tartu? It's a very good university,’ she says, adding that the city, “has always been seen as an intellectual centre for Latvians.”

Before applying for a master’s programme, Anna enrolled in a University of Tartu autumn school – “just to see how things are.”

“That convinced me even more – it was a very nice discovery.”

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A place to connect

With Riga only three and a half hours away, Tartu has never felt far from home.

While there may be occasional “cross-border jokes” and a friendly debate over which of the two Baltic neighbours invented the popular curd snack “Kohuke,” Anna laughs, Estonians and Latvians have a lot in common.

“There are some differences though of course,” she adds.

“In Estonia, you can feel the Finnish influence a bit more. Estonia also feels very pragmatic and disciplined – I really admire that.”

Estonians may also seem reserved at first, Anna says, but learning the language is a sure-fire way to break down barriers.

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“It’s a constant effort and you really have to push yourself because Estonian isn’t easy,” she admits. However, there are plenty of courses available at the university to help foreigners get up to speed.

“But even if you are not pronouncing things correctly or making mistakes, Estonians definitely appreciate the effort – I’ve never had a situation where someone reacted negatively.”

Where the world meets

Now, Anna is Head of Digital Projects at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, working with students and colleagues from all corners of the globe.

“It really feels like the place where the world meets.”

“If something is happening somewhere, you can often talk directly to someone from that country about it. That gives you a completely different perspective that you wouldn’t get from just reading the news.”

Anna describes the institute’s atmosphere as “buzzing,” with the exposure to different perspectives and new ways of thinking constantly pushing her to grow.

“You can’t stay in your comfort zone,” she says.

Students also benefit from direct access to high-level political decision-makers.

“We have a former Estonian president here as our visiting professor,” Anna points out, adding that Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are frequent guest speakers.

“I’m fascinated by how easy it is to reach out to public officials in Estonia and how eager they are to meet with our students. They are always very approachable and answer all the questions.”

From inspiration to impact

During her master’s, Anna began to develop an interest in online learning.

A group project introduced her to “the world of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and other digital courses,” she explains, “and I'm still very passionate about it today.”

Anna has come a long way since then and now works on multiple international projects – turning that passion into impactful study experiences for students across Europe.

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She’s particularly proud of a recent MOOC on social polarisation, developed with partner institutions in Poland, Germany and the Netherlands.

“It not only explores what polarisation is but how we can understand it better – and what we can do about it in real life” she explains.

For Anna, the most rewarding part is the impact on the participants and the sense of “building a community of learners.”

“I’m proud that we’ve had around 7,000 learners from all over the world taking courses I‘ve managed,” Anna says, adding that the MOOCs have also inspired participants to pursue full-time studies in Tartu.

“A couple of times I’ve met people who said they’d seen me in video lectures online, and how nice it is to actually come here and study,” she smiles.

A perfect match

Anna has no doubt that studying in Tartu gave her the skills she needed for her chosen career.

She also sees the benefits for those who, after graduating, have pursued other paths outside Estonia.

“Our alumni work all around the world in the public and private sectors,” she says, pointing to the transferable skills and hands-on experience that have helped them secure leading roles.

More than a decade after moving here, Anna’s connections to Tartu feel stronger than ever. “It was a perfect match,” she says. “Tartu is definitely my second home – or now maybe even my first.”

And for those still wondering whether Tartu is right for them, joining a MOOC is a perfect way to find out.