News

On Thursday, 1 October, the second lecture “How strong is our will to defend?” was held in the lecture series by the University of Tartu’s first Professor of Resilient Futures, Martin Herem. The topic was explored by guest lecturer Kairi Kasearu, Professor of Empirical Sociology.

On 24 and 25 September, a delegation from the universities and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine visited the University of Tartu. The meetings focused on university governance, strategic planning and funding, and opportunities for higher education cooperation between Estonia and Ukraine.

Andy Sturt shares how studying disinformation at UniTartu Summer School deepened his understanding, brought new connections and inspired him to continue learning.

According to the figures, the university’s total greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by more than 2.7 times. Considering the number of staff and students, emissions per person have decreased by as much as 3.4 times.

From 5 to 23 October, the University of Tartu will take part in the ATEENA 2026 crisis exercise organised by the Tartu City Government. The exercise aims to practise crisis management in a tabletop exercise format and to strengthen cooperation between the institutions represented on the City of Tartu crisis committee.

The University of Tartu is looking for two students to represent the university and Estonia at ConSIMium 2027, a simulation of the EU decision-making process.

The Solaride team, comprising students from Estonian universities, secured third place in the Cruiser Class at the iLumen European Solar Challenge held last weekend at Circuit Zolder in Belgium. During the 24-hour competition, both the car’s technical performance and the team’s strategy and resilience were put to the test.

From 17 September to 30 September, University of Tartu alumni are invited to take part in a survey aimed at understanding alumni expectations, needs and their sense of connection to the university.

The Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies and the Ukraine Centre of the University of Tartu are participating in the international project RESTART, which aims to enhance the research and innovation capacity of Sumy State University in Ukraine and support its integration into the international research community.

The University of Tartu, together with seven leading European university networks and research organisations are calling on EU policymakers to increase investment in research and innovation in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

In a nationwide survey on career expectations and employer reputation, students assessed the attractiveness of 326 organisations in Estonia. The University of Tartu ranked third among all students and first among humanities students.

From the beginning of this academic year, free menstrual pad dispensers have been installed in the university study buildings to ensure that hygiene products are always available when needed. A total of 39 dispensers have been placed in the buildings.

Until 30 October, nominations can be submitted for the “Contribution to Estonian National Identity” award, with which the university recognises individuals whose creative work has made an outstanding contribution to promoting the national identity of Estonians and Estonia.

University of Tartu students can stay active and exercise at the university sports hall at a reduced price. A semester pass costing just €50 provides a wide range of opportunities for physical activity throughout the semester.

The DNA of two randomly selected people is approximately 99.9% identical. However, differences in the remaining 0.1% of the genome influence many individual traits, including appearance, disease risk, and the body's response to medications. A study by researchers at the University of Tartu found that this small amount of genetic variation may also be linked to several personality traits.

On 19 September, Solaride’s solar car will compete at the iLumen European Solar Challenge, the largest solar car race in Europe, held at Circuit Zolder in Belgium.

On 16 September, Arun Kumar Singh, Professor of Motion Planning, at the University of Tartu, gave his inaugural lecture titled “Beyond Scaling: Building Safe and Data-Efficient Learning Robots”.

A recently completed study on conspiracy theories, the most extensive one ever conducted in Europe, found that narratives circulating across national borders adapt to local history, cultural memory and social tensions. A book presenting the study’s findings has now been published, co-edited by Mari-Liis Madisson, Associate Professor of Semiotics at the University of Tartu.

At the start of the 2026/2027 academic year, nearly 300 international degree-seeking students and 270 international visiting students began their studies at the University of Tartu.