News

The university’s main building and the observatory will be lit up in orange to symbolise hope for a violence-free future. This initiative, led by the President Kaljulaid Foundation, aims to spark dialogue, increase awareness, and inspire collective efforts toward a safer society.

In April, the teaching staff, researchers, students, and other staff members of all faculties of the University of Tartu were invited to present joint initiatives for ENLIGHT grants, provided that their projects encourage cooperation within the network. In total, nine educational projects launched with the University of Tartu were funded. 

Today, on 21 November, at 16:00, Rector Toomas Asser presented the university’s honorary decorations at the ceremony in the assembly hall. 

Maarja Öpik, Professor of Molecular Ecology and Director of the Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences of the University of Tartu, will take up the position of Editor-in-Chief of New Phytologist, a scientific journal of plant biology, for five years from January 2025.

On 15 November, the Estonian Research Council recognised outstanding science communicators at its annual science communication conference.

Starting on 25 November, the digital archive of the University of Tartu in DSpace will be called ADA. With the new name, the archive will also have a fresh homepage design that aligns with the design of the university’s website.

On 15 November, at a conference dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Johan Kõpp’s birth, Rector Toomas Asser was presented with Kõpp’s anniversary medal.

To recognise and give visibility to notable research at ENLIGHT universities that are exemplars in planning for and achieving impact, the ENLIGHT network calls for application to Impact Awards. In 2023, the award went to the University of Tartu’s Risk and Resilience Research Group led by Associate Professor of Sociology of Sustainability Kati Orru.

ENLIGHT has launched the campaign “Faces of ENLIGHT” to introduce those members of the community that stand out as role models with their achievements and personal traits. Over a span of three years, each ENLIGHT university will choose six people into the campaign. The first one to represent the University of Tartu is the Professor of Environmental Health Hans Orru. 

The graduation ceremony of the Johan Skytte Institute for Political Studies will take place on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 11:00 in the assembly hall of the university's main building (Ülikooli 18, Tartu)

The exhibition presents traditional woollen blankets woven by the Estonian Native Textile students of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy in their weaving classes.

On 18 November, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will visit the University of Tartu. At 15.00 she will give a guest lecture in the White Hall of the University Museum, to which all are welcome.

On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the national university, a delegation visited the University of Toronto and the local Estonian community.

On 7 November, the Mayor of Lviv Andri Sadovyi, together with the Ukrainian Ambassador Maksym Kononenko, visited the University of Tartu and met with the Vice Rector for Research Mari Moora.

On 20 november at 13:15, Ingrid Rebane will defend her thesis "Structure-property relationships of moldable silicone foams".

On 29 November at 12:15, Ülo Siirak will defend his doctoral thesis "Humaniste français Marc-Antoine Muret comme commentateur de Catulle et de Pierre de Ronsard" ("French Humanist Marc-Antoine Muret as a Commentator on Catullus and Pierre de Ronsard").

All three women received the fellowships of €7,000 in recognition of their research so far and to support further research in their scientific fields.

The solo exhibition of world-famous Japanese artist and composer Ryoji Ikeda, for which the artist collected data and inspiration in cooperation with the University of Tartu Institute of Genomics, was opened on 2 November.

On 29 October, the University of Tartu and the Estonian National Museum signed a framework agreement for industrial doctorate studies to support the education of future researchers for the museum and intensify cooperation between the two institutions.

With the created learning environment and guidebook, teachers can now more effectively address socially sensitive topics.