University’s language award 2025 is given to exhibition of Estonian scientific literature and textbooks

The University of Tartu language award 2025 is granted to the exhibition of the University of Tartu Library, “Teaching creates knowledge. From Estonian lecture notes to academic textbooks”. More than 60 academic staff members contributed to assembling the study materials, which represent milestones in the development of research in Estonia over the past 200 years.

To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Estonian book, the library opened an exhibition of literature related to teaching and learning. Bringing together different fields of research, the exhibition traced the development of Estonian-language study materials from early handwritten lecture notes and the first university textbooks to modern academic publications. The display gave a comprehensive overview of how the Estonian language of science and teaching has evolved and endured across several generations. The exhibition was part of the Year of the Estonian Book programme, supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

The evaluation committee pointed out that the exhibition featured original, simple study materials, the progressively more detailed and higher-quality textbooks compiled on the basis of these, and, finally, modern learning resources of high academic standard. “This way, the exhibition emphasised the importance and value of continuity in Estonian-language higher education,” said Tõnis Karki, Academic Secretary of the University of Tartu and chair of the evaluation committee. The award is presented in recognition of the exhibition’s historical comprehensiveness and for highlighting the Estonian-language academic heritage.

The chief curator of the exhibition Marianne Marlene Tiik said she hoped that every visitor recognised the University of Tartu’s enduring role in the development of Estonian into a modern language of knowledge, education, and research. “Modern Estonian, of which we are rightly proud, allows us to describe and express even the most complex concepts and lines of reasoning with nuance and precision. Every new textbook – especially a university textbook – builds on previous ones but also offers new knowledge that has grown and diversified in the meantime,” Tiik explained.

The language award is presented to the exhibition team from the University of Tartu Library: Librarian Marianne Marlene Tiik, Head of the Department of the Cultural Environment Lilian Mengel, Librarian Katri Armolik, Subject Librarian Signe Bachmann, Head of the Department of Collections Development Kristhel Haak, Librarian Jelena Ivanova, Librarian Avo Kartul, Senior Specialist of Interlibrary Loan Agnes Kivi, Librarian Marika Liivamägi, Head of the Music Department Kaire Maimets, Subject Librarian Pille Naggel, Subject Librarian Ivika Pall, Librarian Svea Pärsimägi, Editor Kaarina Rein, Information Literacy Coordinator and Subject Librarian Vilve Seiler, Designer Eliise Selisaar, Data Librarian Tiiu Tarkpea, Head of the Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books Monika Teemus, Subject Librarian Eda-Riin Tuuling, and Subject Librarian Elo Tõnisoo.

Eleven candidates were nominated for the University of Tartu’s language award. The award is given to recognise a university member or working group who has stood out in the previous year by valuing the Estonian language in fulfilling the university’s goals, either in giving higher education, doing research or serving society.