UTSU President Eneken Riin Salong: higher education should not be a privilege reserved only for those who have the means to do so

Honourable Rector, Rector’s Office, Mayor, Minister,

dear students, the university community, and all guests,

On behalf of the University of Tartu Student Union, I warmly welcome you and wish you fresh ideas, exciting discoveries, and growth, both academically and personally.

Development and personal growth inevitably involve challenges. There are days when everything seems possible, but there are also days when the burden feels heavier than our ability to carry it.

We live in a time when there is more information than ever before, yet understanding seems to be in increasingly short supply. We are constantly connected to one another, yet often feel further apart. The fast pace of life and the weight of our responsibilities encourage us to focus on ourselves and our immediate needs. In such moments, our perspective tends to narrow, and that is only natural. However, I am increasingly noticing that, alongside all the other crises we face, we are also experiencing something of an empathy crisis, in which people are guided solely by personal gain.

Let us take a moment to think about the people standing beside us. And about those who are not here. Those who cannot attend university because they simply cannot afford to, and those who are absent because they have to be at work.

When we speak about Estonia’s future, we must also speak about students. And not only about our dreams, but also about the burdens we carry every day. We must speak about those who somehow manage to balance their studies, work, and everyday living. We must speak about those for whom obtaining a higher education requires far more effort than simply preparing for exams.

Studying at the University of Tartu, or indeed at any higher education institution, should not be a privilege reserved only for those who have the means to do so. It should be an opportunity for everyone with the will and ability to learn, grow, and fulfil their potential. That is why I encourage you to look beyond your own immediate concerns. Let us notice those whose path to university has been more difficult than our own, and let us stand up for a system in which higher education is accessible regardless of a person’s background, place of residence, or economic circumstances.

We are the living, breathing future of Estonia, not an abstract statistic, the objective of a policy document, or a distant vision, but the people standing here today. Our knowledge, courage, compassion and choices will shape the Estonia of tomorrow.

Estonia’s future depends not only on how many highly educated people we have, but also on who has the opportunity to obtain that education. When a student is forced to choose between studying and making ends meet, it is not only that student who loses. Ultimately, the university, society, Estonia, and the wider world lose as well.

Therefore, I hope that, alongside the knowledge we acquire, we also carry with us the ability to notice, to listen, and to care, because a strong university is not built solely on academic excellence. A strong university and a progressive society are built on a community in which people support one another and work to ensure that opportunities are available to all.

Thank you, and I wish you every success in the academic year ahead.