13.05.2026
governance university
Further information
Toomas Asser
cand (Medical Studies)
Area of Rector
Rector, Academician
Ülikooli 18–222
Institute of Clinical Medicine
Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery
Professor of Neurosurgery (on extended leave), Academician (on extended leave)
+372 737 5601
+372 516 6849 (5601)

University of Tartu and the Ministry of Education and Research signed the new administrative contract

Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser and Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas signed the administrative contract
Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser and Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas signed the administrative contract
Author: Raimond Vink

On 13 May, the Ministry of Education and Research and the University of Tartu concluded an administrative contract for 2026–2028. It sets out the objectives of increasing student admissions in fields with higher labour demand, expanding the volume of doctoral research related to artificial intelligence, and supporting internationalisation and talent policy.

In the coming years, the number of young people aged 18–21 in Estonia will increase by more than 10,000. To ensure that access to higher education for upper secondary school graduates does not deteriorate, the number of student places must be increased. The university is ready to expand admissions in teacher education, IT, and medicine, provided that additional funding is secured.

According to Rector Toomas Asser, with the signing of the new administrative contract, the University of Tartu confirms its readiness to increase admissions in fields critical to Estonia; however, the agreed objectives must be followed by real investment by the state. “It is important to understand that increasing the number of admitted students is only possible if the government provides the necessary additional funding. We hope that the funding level planned by the Ministry of Education and Research will be confirmed in the state budget strategy this autumn,” the rector emphasised.

It is important to understand that increasing the number of admitted students is only possible if the government provides the necessary additional funding. We hope that the funding level planned by the Ministry of Education and Research will be confirmed in the state budget strategy this autumn.

Toomas Asser
Rector of the University of Tartu

Expanding admissions is not planned across all fields; rather, at the ministry’s request, the university will create new student places primarily in areas with greater labour demand. “For the most part, the number of student places will remain at its current level, meaning that competition in admissions will become tighter,” Asser noted. It is therefore important that information about the ministry’s priority fields reaches upper secondary students as quickly as possible, so that young people can make informed education and career choices in good time.

The university undertakes to admit at least 183 students per year to the Estonian-taught curriculum of Medicine, with the capacity to increase this to 200 if sufficient funding is available. At that level, the additional funding required up to 2032 would amount to nearly €7 million. In teacher education, the contract provides for the admission of at least 560 students, which could rise to 900 with additional funding.

The state will continue to fund the admission of 164 new doctoral researchers annually. In addition, with state support, the university will create 20 additional doctoral positions each year in fields with high labour demand and for research related to artificial intelligence. In cooperation with external partners, 50 intersectoral doctoral positions will be created during the contract period.

The new contract no longer sets the previous 15% cap on the proportion of international students. This gives the university greater flexibility for internationalisation and the development of education export. The contract provides that the state will develop a comprehensive talent policy to attract talented individuals to Estonia, retain them, and integrate them into Estonian society. The state also undertakes to support universities in implementing this policy. In admitting international students, the university will, in turn, be guided by the needs of the Estonian labour market and the aim of integrating international students into Estonian society and the economy. In addition, the university will support international students in establishing links with employers, create conditions for involving international students and academic staff in Estonian society, and offer them opportunities to learn the Estonian language and culture.

According to the rector, removing the cap on international student admissions is important, since more than half of international students already remain in Estonia for work after graduation, thereby helping to alleviate labour shortages and strengthen the economy. “However, the role of international students is broader than merely meeting labour market needs: they support the creation of an international learning environment, help maintain the quality of higher education, bring additional funding into universities, and sustain the viability of smaller fields of study,” he said.

As a new topic, the administrative contract includes cooperation with the Estonian Olympic Committee. Together, the university and the Estonian Olympic Committee will create conditions enabling top athletes to enrol in Estonian-taught curricula without paying the tuition fee, even in part-time study.