Uudised

On 31 October, the senate of the University of Tartu decided to award the University of Tartu Grand Medal to former rector, Professor emeritus Jaak Aaviksoo, Professor Marlon Gerardo Dumas Menjivar, Professor Kalle Kirsimäe, and Professor Ivo Leito. The recipients of the University of Tartu Star of Appreciation, Medal, Badge of Distinction and the decoration “100 Semesters at the University of Tartu” have also been selected.

On 1 November, the special issue of Estonian Journal of Education (Eesti Haridusteaduste Ajakiri) will be published, focusing on early second language instruction and promoting language skills in kindergarten and school.

On 27 October from 13–18, the University of Tartu development conference “A university for us, Estonia and the world” took place in the university assembly hall and online. Keynote speakers were Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Kersti Kaljulaid and Kristina Kallas.

The University of Tartu was founded on 25 October 393 years ago. This year, the anniversary was marked by memorial ceremonies, a concert and other events.

From 1 to 31 October, FitSphere invites students and staff to take part in the step challenge Sügissammud 2025, aiming to promote regular physical activity. Also, the most physically active higher education institution in Estonia will be determined .

With the annual awards, the university aims to recognise its employees’ and students’ outstanding achievements in teaching, doing research and serving society.

On 27 October from 13–18, the University of Tartu development conference “A university for us, Estonia and the world” took place at the assembly hall of the university's main building and online to initiate a discussion on topics important for society and the university. The discussion were be based on the new University of Tartu strategic plan approved in June.

University of Tartu semioticians Andreas Ventsel and Mari-Liis Madisson, along with Junior Research Fellow in Information Resilience Diana Poudel, have developed tools for enhancing critical digital literacy in cooperation with international partners. The practical materials are designed for use in higher education, schools, companies and organisations to support navigating the digital landscape and countering the spread of disinformation.

On 12 September, the opening event of the Estonian-Ukrainian cooperation project “Enforcing the Ukrainian higher education reform with a focus on modernizing and implementing personnel policy” took place at Mariupol State University in Kyiv.

The Faculty of Social Sciences gave out awards to outstanding support staff at the opening ceremony for the academic year.

All university staff and students are invited to nominate candidates who deserve to be awarded the university’s honorary decoration for their outstanding achievements.

The mentoring programme that has been popular in the previous years will be held again this autumn semester.

On 16 June, the council of the University of Tartu approved the new strategic plan, which sets the direction for the university’s activities for the next ten years.

On 23 May 2025, Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas approved the results of the external evaluation of Estonian research and development. The University of Tartu was the only institution in Estonia to receive a positive evaluation in all six fields: natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, agriculture and veterinary sciences, social sciences, and humanities and the arts.

All students, staff and alumni of the University of Tartu are invited to respond to a physical activity survey of the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club until 20 June.

All Estonian public universities will celebrate Diversity Week from 5–11 May for the second year. This year’s focus is on encouraging people to notice and to act.

Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students from universities in the Baltic countries, including the University of Tartu, are invited to an international student conference ”Bridges in the Baltics“, held at the University of Latvia in Riga from 9 to 10 October 2025. Conference abstracts can be sent until 30 June 2025.

The call for the Erasmus+ intra-European mobility application for the 2025/2026 academic year closed in March, revealing increased interest among students in studying at ENLIGHT universities.

FitSphere invites all University of Tartu students and staff to join the step challenge Spring Steps 2025. The challenge runs from 1 to 30 April and is free for everyone.

Speech by Rector of the University of Tartu Professor Toomas Asser at the ceremony and concert dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia on 21 February 2025.