University of Tartu announced new teaching excellence ambassadors

On 10 June, the University of Tartu announced its new teaching excellence ambassadors, who serve as role models for the entire university community. The title is given to recognise 14 academic staff members who develop their teaching based on evidence and support an open teaching culture that values learning.

Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Aune Valk greeted the new ambassadors and recalled a meeting with ambassadors selected in autumn: “All the selected ambassadors demonstrate, in a highly concentrated form, a readiness, ability and willingness to transform the culture of teaching, which is extremely inspiring. For instance, ambassadors have drawn attention to the fact that in some study buildings, the layout of lecture halls does not support diverse teaching methods. From autumn, through the teaching infrastructure support measure, we are planning to procure lecture hall furniture that encourages interaction among students,” said Valk.

According to Mari Karm, Associate Professor of Higher Education Teaching and chair of the election committee, 27 people applied to become ambassadors in the second round. “In the view of the election committee, several of them are already thinking and acting like teaching excellence ambassadors, and we are pleased to affirm this with the corresponding title. In the latest round, applicants stood out by both a spirit of inquiry and a genuine enthusiasm for teaching and its development,” Karm explained.

Teaching excellence ambassadors

• Faculty of Arts and Humanities
  • Janet Laidla, Lecturer in Estonian History, Institute of History and Archaeology
  • Maarja Ojamaa, Professor of Semiotics of Culture, Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics
  • Riina Reinsalu, Lecturer in Estonian Text Linguistics, Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics
  • Natalja Zagura, Junior Lecturer in English Language and Teaching Methodology, Institute of Foreign Languages and Cultures

• Faculty of Social Sciences

  • Pihel Hunt, Junior Lecturer in Teacher Education, Institute of Education

  • Pille Häidkind, Lecturer in Special Education, Institute of Education

  • Dagmar Narusson, Lecturer in Community Work, Institute of Social Studies

  • Anneli Soo, Associate Professor of Penal Law, School of Law

  • Maria Žuravljova, Junior Lecturer in Youth Work, Narva College

  • Age Värv, Associate Professor of Law of Obligations, School of Law

• Faculty of Science and Technology

  • Reidar Andreson, Research Fellow of Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology

  • Heili Kasuk, Lecturer of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry

  • Tauno Palts, Lecturer in Informatics Didactics, Institute of Computer Science

  • Julia Polikarpus, Lecturer in Mathematics, Institute of Mathematics and Statistics

The aim of creating the system of teaching excellence ambassadors is to strengthen the understanding that good teaching is a skill that one can learn and develop, and a research-based practice that requires dedication, collaboration and continuous self-improvement. Ambassadors are advocates for their field and representatives of the community, helping to make the quality of teaching and its impact visible.

The title of teaching excellence ambassador is awarded for five years and comes with the opportunity to take part in development projects, be a mentor, and contribute to shaping teaching.

This academic year (2025/2026), applications for the title could be submitted in both autumn and spring. In the future, there will be only one application round per academic year. The next application deadline is 15 October 2026.

For application requirements and further information, see the university’s website ut.ee/en/teaching-excellence.