News

This year’s mentoring programme was launched at the opening seminar in the University of Tartu assembly hall on 16 October, once again bringing together students and alumni mentors from various fields.

At its meeting on 21 October, the council of the Institute of Education re-elected Professor Margus Pedaste as head of the institute.

On 13 October, the University of Tartu hosted representatives of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the leading universities of Singapore, who presented their organisations, research strengths and opportunities for collaboration in entrepreneurship and innovation.

General Martin Herem, the first Professor of Resilient Futures at the University of Tartu, delivers a series of public lectures titled “Comprehensive national defence and Estonia’s future” in the autumn semester. The first lecture in the series, “How to prepare for war”, is now available with English subtitles.

Registration is now open for the University of Tartu’s three-minute thesis competition for doctoral researchers, which will take place on 21 October at the University of Tartu Library. The deadline for registration is 12 October.

The University of Tartu and The Guild of research-intensive universities, together with the Estonian Academy of Sciences and Universities Estonia, call on the Estonian government to oppose cuts to research and innovation funding in the ongoing negotiations over the European Union’s next long-term budget in the European Council.

Akash came to UniTartu Summer School to explore human–robot interaction. He built his first robot to help people learn English and made friends from around the world.

On 8 and 9 October, the University of Tartu Museum hosted members of the European Heritage Label (EHL) network. The meeting brought heritage experts from Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to Tartu. Discussions focused on strengthening international cooperation, launching joint projects, and increasing the visibility of Europe’s cultural heritage.

On 23 October, the 394th anniversary of Academia Gustaviana was celebrated. The occasion was marked by a commemorative ceremony honouring the university’s founders, a lecture by Jüri Luik, and a free concert “Passion and madness” at the university’s assembly hall.

Caoimhe from the University of Galway, an ENLIGHT partner university, shares how she gained hands-on lab experience, grew in confidence and made new friends at UniTartu Summer School.

Gert Prants, Head of the University of Tartu Academic Sports Club, took part in all Tartu Maraton events in 2026/2027 and completed the Tartu Maraton Klassik series on 3 October. This is his reflection on the past season.

Last weekend, the 15th Tartu City Marathon took place, and the University of Tartu came third in the team rankings. The strong result was driven by the active participation of the university community: many students and staff joined the university team both in the main Tartu City Marathon events and the Friday Night Run.

Applications are now open for the DeepTech Accelerator run by Sparkup Tartu Science Park and Tehnopol, which is looking for startups and teams developing science- and technology-based solutions. Companies selected for the accelerator will receive up to €170,000 in business development funding, plus support over 18 months to develop their solutions, enter the market, acquire their first customers, and attract investors. Applications are open until 8 November.

The University of Tartu invites staff and students to apply for the 2027 Active UT role model programme. Up to six people will be selected for the programme to prepare for the Tartu Maraton events, share their experiences, and inspire other university members to be more physically active. Applications are open from 5 to 25 October.

On 14 October, the University of Tartu Asia Centre will celebrate ten years of activity with a symposium.

In September, the University of Tartu safe AI representative group (Tartu Ülikooli turvalise tehisaru esindusrühm or TÜTTE), made up of student volunteers, was established at the University of Tartu.

A health sciences student from Germany explores personal identity at UniTartu Summer School, discovering philosophy, Estonian culture and new friendships beyond her usual field of study.

Around 100 participants from 31 countries joined UniTartu Summer School 2026 for nine practical courses, new connections and trips across Estonia. 98% of survey respondents would recommend it.

The British journal Times Higher Education (THE) has published its 23rd edition of the World University Rankings, in which the University of Tartu is the highest-ranked university in Estonia.