On Tuesday, 1 December, the university members celebrate the 101st anniversary of Estonia's national university. Although the traditional anniversary ceremony and the torchlight procession have been cancelled due to the spread of the coronavirus, everybody will be welcome to watch the video greeting by Rector Toomas Asser and the academic video lecture by Professor of German Studies Marko Pajević on the university’s website. On 1 December, also the recipient of the award for contribution to Estonian national identity and the new expatriate Estonian visiting professor will be announced.

The rector’s video greeting and the academic video lecture “Interculturality and the virus” (in Estonian) by Professor of German Studies Marko Pajević will be published on the university’s website on the morning of 1 December.

In his video greeting, Toomas Asser will announce the recipient of the award for contribution to Estonian national identity: an individual whose creative work has significantly promoted the national and state identity of Estonians and Estonia. The new expatriate Estonian visiting professor, who will be teaching and doing research at the University of Tartu in the next academic year, will be announced on the university’s website.

During the past year, the university has become richer by five honorary doctors and 110 doctors. While traditionally, doctoral degrees are conferred at the ceremony marking the anniversary of Estonia’s national university, this time, the conferral ceremony will take place in spring 2021.

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See the list of people who defended their doctoral degree during the past year.

• Faculty of Arts and Humanities
  • Oksana Belova-Dalton, Doctor of Philosophy (English Language and Literature)
  • Mariko Faster, Doctor of Philosophy (Finnic Languages)
  • Anastasiya Fiadotava, Doctor of Philosophy (Folklore Studies)
  • Ksenia Filimonova, Doctor of Philosophy (Russian Literature)
  • Tiina-Erika Friedenthal, Doctor of Philosophy (Theology)
  • Anna Gerasimova, Doctor of Philosophy (Russian Literature)
  • Feliks Gornischeff, Doctor of Philosophy (History)
  • Sven Karja, Doctor of Philosophy (Theatre Studies)
  • Liina Kilemit, Doctor of Philosophy (Religious Studies)
  • Kristina Koppel, Doctor of Philosophy (General Linguistics)
  • Tiina Laansalu, Doctor of Philosophy (Estonian Language)
  • Tatjana Menise, Doctor of Philosophy (Semiotics and Culture Studies)
  • Annika Mikkel, Doctor of Philosophy (Classical Philology)
  • Karina Novaševskaja, Doctor of Philosophy (Russian Literature)
  • Maarja Olli, Doctor of Philosophy (Archaeology)
  • Holger Rajavee, Doctor of Philosophy (Art History)
  • Ragnar Saage, Doctor of Philosophy (Archaeology)
  • Irina Sadovina, Doctor of Philosophy (Folklore Studies)
  • Lyudmyla Zaporozhtseva, Doctor of Philosophy (Semiotics and Culture Studies)
  • Ilze Tālberga, Doctor of Philosophy (Estonian Language)
  • Denys Teptiuk, Doctor of Philosophy (Uralic Languages)
  • Terje Toomistu, Doctor of Philosophy (Ethnology)
  • Roger Michael Alan Yallop, Doctor of Philosophy (General Linguistics)
• Faculty of Social Sciences 
  • Raili Allas, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Science)
  • Gaygysyz Ashyrov, Doctor of Philosophy (Economics)
  • Madis Ernits, Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
  • Shota Kakabadze, Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)
  • Katrin Kukk, Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)
  • Triinu Kärbla, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Science)
  • Kadi Luht-Kallas, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Science)
  • Tõnis Männiste, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Science)
  • Karin Naruskov, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Science)
  • Liliia Oprysk, Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
  • Mari-Liisa Parder, Doctor of Philosophy (Media and Communication)
  • Kärt Pormeister, Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
  • Katrin Sepp, Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
  • Annika Talmar, Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
  • Kadi Tulver, Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology)
  • Tõnis Tänav, Doctor of Philosophy (Economics)
  • Kaire Uiboleht, Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Science)
• Faculty of Medicine
  • Roman Balõtšev, Doctor of Philosophy (Neurosciences)
  • Kati Braschinsky, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Maarja Hallik, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Epp Kaleviste, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Sergo Kasvandik, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Hardo Lilleväli, Doctor of Philosophy (Neurosciences)
  • Natalia Lobanovskaya, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Julia Maslovskaja, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Raili Müller, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Kristiina Ojamaa, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Liisi Raam, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Madis Rahu, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Sten Saar, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Marianne Saard, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Helen Zirnask, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Kadri Toome, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
  • Mari Urb, Doctor of Philosophy (Neurosciences)
  • Helen Vaher, Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
• Faculty of Science and Technology
  • Behzad Abdolmaleki, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Sofia Raquel Alves Oliveira, Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)
  • Adriano Augusto, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Karim Baghery, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Jelena Beljantseva, Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)
  • Iuliia Burdun, Doctor of Philosophy (Physical Geography)
  • Artur Gornischeff, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Max Hecht, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Ruta Hecht, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Meelis Härmas, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Larisa Ivanova, Doctor of Philosophy (Molecular Engineering)
  • Kristjan Kalam, Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Science)
  • Ott Kangur, Doctor of Philosophy (Plant Ecology and Ecophysiology)
  • Sergey Koshkarev, Doctor of Philosophy (Physics)
  • Jekaterina Kozlova, Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Science)
  • Kristi Krebs, Doctor of Philosophy (Molecular Biomedicine)
  • Timmu Kreitsmann, Doctor of Philosophy (Geology)
  • Viktorija Kukuškina, Doctor of Philosophy (Molecular Biomedicine)
  • Ilja Kuzovkin, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Maike Käärik, Doctor of Philosophy (Molecular Engineering)
  • Anu Lepik, Doctor of Philosophy (Plant Ecology and Ecophysiology)
  • Reet Link, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Orlenys López Pintado, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Priit Lätt, Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)
  • Martin Maide, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Rihhard Nadel, Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)
  • Kaarin Parts, Doctor of Philosophy (Plant Ecology and Ecophysiology)
  • Pilleriin Peets, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Evelin Pihlap, Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Technology)
  • Katriin Pirk, Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)
  • Helen Post, Doctor of Philosophy (Gene Technology)
  • Ida Rahu, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Janika Raun, Doctor of Philosophy (Human Geography and Regional Planning)
  • Sumaira Rehman, Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)
  • Faiz Ali Shah, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Janno Siim, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Elin Soomets, Doctor of Philosophy (Animal Ecology)
  • Ardi Tampuu, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)
  • Indrek Teino, Doctor of Philosophy (Cell Biology)
  • Kadi Tilk, Doctor of Philosophy (Genetics)
  • Kunter Tätte, Doctor of Philosophy (Zoology and Ecology)
  • Kärt Ukkivi, Doctor of Philosophy (Genetics)
  • Egon Urgard, Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)
  • Kristi Uudeberg, Doctor of Philosophy (Physics)
  • Maarja Vaikre, Doctor of Philosophy (Animal Ecology)
  • Martti Vasar, fDoctor of Philosophy (Plant Ecology and Ecophysiology)
  • Triinu Vihmann, Doctor of Philosophy (Materials Science)
  • Edith Viirlaid, Doctor of Philosophy (Chemistry)
  • Mikk Vikerpuur, Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics)
  • Birgit Viru, Doctor of Philosophy (Physical Geography)
  • Meeri Visnapuu, Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Engineering)
  • Huishi Yin, Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science)[/collapsed]

At its session of 29 May, the University of Tartu Senate appointed five honorary doctorates:

• Aleksander Pluskowski, Associate Professor of Medieval Archaeology at the University of Reading, was granted an honorary doctorate in archaeology for his outstanding achievements in medieval archaeology and long-term successful cooperation with UT researchers;
• Göran Bolin, Professor in Media and Communication Studies at Södertörn University (Stockholm), was awarded an honorary doctorate in media sociology for his considerable support in promoting the international renown and forming the new generation of social and media researchers of the University of Tartu and Estonia;
• Robert-Jan Simons, Professor emeritus of Utrecht University, was granted an honorary doctorate in education for promoting and strengthening educational research in Estonia and at the University of Tartu and helping to make the research results of our researchers visible in the world;
• Helena Kääriäinen, Professor, head of the Department of Clinical Genetics at Turku University Hospital, was granted an honorary doctorate in medical genetics for her achievements in the research and development of medical genetics and long-term successful cooperation with the University of Tartu researchers;
• Richard Kerner, Professor emeritus of Sorbonne University, was granted an honorary doctorate in mathematical physics for his long-term successful cooperation with the University of Tartu mathematicians and physicists and integrating them into the international research community.

From 1 December, the dance performance “Oh, otsigem…” (“Seeking for…”) by Raul Markus Vaiksoo can be enjoyed on the university’s video portal uttv.ee. Dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the University of Tartu student union and the past century of the national university, the performance explores the various aspects of student life through the ages and finding one’s own path in life.

Today, on 30 November at 16, the book “Sada aastat üliõpilasesindust Tartu Ülikoolis” (“A hundred years of student representation at the University of Tartu”) and the cap badge, chest badge and ring of the University of Tartu will be presented among a small circle of invited guests at the UT Library. Watch the recording of the event on uttv.ee (in Estonian).

Last week, the anniversary celebrations started with the popular online conference “Intelligent adaptation to the coronavirus”, at which the university’s researchers introduced studies that help to solve the bottlenecks related to coronavirus pandemic in the society. Nearly 6,600 people watched the live broadcast. The recording of the conference is available on the web page koroonakonverents.ut.ee.

Due to the coronavirus, also the presentation of the university’s honorary decorations and the autumn semester scholarships of the University of Tartu Foundation have been postponed to spring. 

Further information:
Kady Sõstar, Senior Specialist for Protocol, University of Tartu, 737 5685, 511 9188, kady.sostar@ut.ee
Tõnis Karki, Academic Secretary, University of Tartu, 529 7917, tonis.karki@ut.ee