News

University of Tartu placed 347 in the QS World University Rankings—this is the highest position an Estonian university has held since the first ranking was published in 2012. Last year UT placed 400 in the ranking. This year UT improved its position for five of the six QS indicators, including academic reputation which improved 22 places, employer reputation which improved more than 50 places and citations per faculty which improved two places.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplastic disease of bone marrow and accounts for approximately 13% of all hematologic cancers. In Estonia the survival of MM is only 30 months whereas in the US it is considerably higher. This difference is mainly explained by different access to anti-myeloma agents in the US and Europe. On 9 September, experts of the subject from Estonia, the US and elsewhere will meet at the University of Tartu to discuss the latest developments of the disease and increase research cooperation with the US to improve the survival of MM patients in Estonia.

On 7 and 8 September, coordinators of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) space science and robotic explorations Professor Alvaro Giménez Cañete and Dr Fabio Favata will visit the University of Tartu, Tartu City Council and Ministry of Education and Research to discuss the future of new European space missions.

Under the leadership of the University of Tartu medical researchers, a 958,804 euro grant was received in tight competition from the European Commission to develop medical education in Vietnam in cooperation of four European and four Vietnamese medical universities. European researchers will support creating the first doctoral programme of medicine which is also supported by the government of Vietnam.

The opening ceremony of the new academic year begins on 29 August at 10am in the UT assembly hall. In the new academic year more than 3,900 new students, incl. nearly 700 international (visiting) students, begin studies in all study levels at UT.

From 27 August to 1 September the UT Institute of Physics organises Vibronic Coupling and Electron-Phonon Interactions in Molecules and Crystals: XXIII International Symposium on the Jahn-Teller Effect.

On 28 and 29 August, international research conference “Reflective Minds and Communities” takes place at the University of Tartu. The conference introduces the objectives and methods of reflection and presents ways to apply these to solve the key issues in modern education. Reflection is a systematic process of thinking where you learn from experience. Reflective thinking helps integrate knowledge and makes it better accessible and applicable. This way reflection also supports deep learning.

Marta Tarkanovskaja, doctoral student of materials science at the University of Tartu and University of Turku and the best young Estonian scientist, was one of the 400 young people representing 80 countries who participated in the reputable Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. This year’s Lindau Meeting was dedicated to physics. In six days young scientists over the world had the opportunity to participate in inspiring lectures, master classes and meetings in an informal atmosphere with more than 30 Nobel Laureates.

On 26–29 August, the international game developing event Ludum Dare 36 brings to Tartu people with a desire to learn about game development and find a long-term development team with whom to continue working. The event takes place at the same time also in France, Spain, Malaysia, Brazil and the USA. In Estonia the meeting is organised by UT Institute of Computer Science together with Tartu Art School’s 3D specialisation which are united by the organisation for computer game development enthusiasts APT Game Generator.

Tomorrow, on 23 August the conference “Estonia AND the Nordic countries—Estonia AS a Nordic country?”, dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Estonia’s re-independence, takes place at the Art Museum of Estonia. The conference focuses on the narrative of Estonia as a Nordic country, its historical background and real perspectives. Authors of the best works of the preceding essay and photography contest on the same topic will also be awarded at the conference. The patron of the contests is President of the Republic Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

At the international innovation competition in Shanghai, which had more than 700 participants from 40 countries, UT doctoral students won first place with their idea about creating an innovative environmental indicator based on the analysis of the chemical composition of honey and which also promoted keeping bees in urban environments.

The Harry and Reba Huge Foundation, which has supported the mobility of UT students and lecturers with Nebraska Wesleyan University and the College of Charleston for the past ten years, has in the last two years also contributed to promoting entrepreneurship among students. Recently, the foundation and university signed an agreement according to which the foundation will support the development and implementation of research-based business ideas of entrepreneurial students with 50,000 dollars to the Vega Fund.

The portrait of Rector Georges Frédéric Parrot by Gerhard von Kügelgen has arrived back at UT Art Museum after long travels. In 1803 Gerhard von Kügelgen painted the charismatic UT Rector and Professor of Physics Georges Frédéric Parrot who was also a close acquaintance of the artist. The portrait completed in 1803 and the replica made later by the artist went missing at the beginning of the 20th century.

Because human activities and their impacts do not stop at national sea borders, there is a need for coordination among national Maritime Spatial Plans and planning processes. With this in mind relevant Maritime Spatial Planning authorities will cooperate over the coming three years within the two sister projects “NorthSEE” and “Baltic LINes”, funded through Interreg. University of Tartu Estonian Marine Institute is one of the partner of the projects.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Ieva Ilves visited IT companies that operate in Tartu and met at Garage48 HUB Tartu with representatives of the community of local start-up companies to discuss recent developments in the business environment of Tartu.

The “Research in Estonia” initiative will take part at the Europe’s largest interdisciplinary science meeting „EuroScience Open Forum“ July 23-27, 2016 in Manchester, United Kingdom. We showcase some of the highlights of Estonian research in the exhibition area through the theme of health technologies and spread information about research opportunities in Estonia. Researchers in Estonia have reached the forefront in several fields on a global level.

The 5th Martens Summer School of International Law, organized by the School of Law of the University of Tartu, will take place in Pärnu on 25-29 July 2016. This year, 30 students from Estonia, Belarus, Czechia, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Russia, Spain and Sweden will attend the Martens Summer School on International Law.

The Estonian Bar Association and the University of Tartu IT Law Programme announced the competition in order to develop solutions that would make it easier for specialists, and for people not practising law, to find answers to questions regarding legal matters.

On 15 July 2016, the lists of students admitted to the University of Tartu’s 2,342 bachelor’s and 1,417 master’s study places were published. 425 of Estonia’s best high school graduates, students who finished with a gold or silver medal, are on the lists, incl. 350 students who finished high school this year. By now the applicants have received the first results regarding the UT admission. All those who exceeded the admission threshold were guaranteed a study place.

The University of Tartu Rector invites all golfers who appreciate the beauty of the game to the traditional University of Tartu Rector’s Cup Golf Tournament, which takes place on 21 August 2016 at the Otepää Golf Center between the hills of South-Estonia. Players compete in individual class and, for the first time, also in the faculty competition. It is an open tournament and in addition to alumni, students and lecturers all competitive golf enthusiasts are welcome.