News

Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates Amna Mahmoud Fikri visited the university at the end of February, and Ambassador of Ukraine Volodymyr Boyechko and Ambassador of Germany Jan Scheer at the beginning of March.

Two international students share their experiences of moving to Estonia to study at the University of Tartu. They discuss adapting to a new culture, coping with homesickness, and building a new life in Tartu.

In this article, representatives from UTSU, ESN, and the ISA programme explain how students can get involved and make friends. These organisations help international students connect with others and feel more at home in Tartu.

At its public meeting on Friday, 20 February, the council of Tartu Observatory unanimously elected Antti Tamm to continue his duties as director of the institute.

From the 2026/2027 academic year, many international master’s curricula at the University of Tartu will offer tuition waivers or reductions to students from the European Union. Students arriving from outside the European Union will have to pay tuition fees.

With wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Nagorno-Karabakh dominating contemporary international relations, the study of secessionist bids and the quest for statehood and recognition becomes paramount. It is essential that students of International Relations hold a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the concepts and practices of secessionism as well as the way in which these aspects impact international order. Questions regarding peace and violence in secessionist bids as well as the possible outcomes of secessionist wars continue to dominate both academic and policymaking debate, making this topic worthwhile for discussion and study.

In the coming years, the University of Tartu will focus on developing practical solutions for promoting equal treatment to maintain and strengthen a safe learning and working environment for the entire university community. Planned activities include preventing sexual harassment and developing a system to handle such cases. An important basis for this work is the new gender equality plan for 2026–2030.

The University of Tartu is launching university-wide awareness activities to improve understanding of the principles of equal treatment and the support options available in cases of workplace bullying, unequal treatment and harassment. This forms part of the university’s ongoing work to create a safe and respectful learning and working environment.

This year’s mentoring programme ended on 19 February, with more than 150 mentoring pairs taking part. The participants included alumni, students and staff members.

Researchers from the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu have shown in a recently published study that antibacterial coatings which initially appear highly effective at destroying bacteria may lose their performance over time. Therefore, long-term testing is essential for developing the best antibacterial materials.

The Guild, including the University of Tartu among its members, is pleased to announce that it has joined the International Coalition for Science, Research and Innovation in Ukraine.

In summer 2026, the University of Tartu will welcome international students and lifelong learners to the UniTartu Summer School in its fifth anniversary year. From 27 July to 7 August 2026, the summer school offers participants the chance to gain new knowledge, meet people from around the world and discover Estonian culture.

Address by Kadri Liis Laas, fourth-year medical student of the University of Tartu, at the concert and ceremony marking the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia on 20 February 2026.

The academic lecture "International law as a solid stronghold amid storms" was delivered by René Värk, University of Tartu Associate Professor in International Law at the ceremony and concert dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia on 20 February 2026.

At the ceremony marking the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the Professor Peeter Tulviste memorial fund prizes, the Ernst Jaakson memorial fund scholarship, and the Lennart Meri awards for research and for master’s thesis were presented.

Speech by Professor Mari Moora, Vice Rector for Research of the University of Tartu, at the ceremony and concert dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia on 20 February 2026.

Last year, two applications submitted by University of Tartu researchers were successful in the call for postdoctoral fellowships funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

Estonia is witnessing a significant rise in the participation and success of female researchers in European Research Council (ERC) funding calls – a shift that is reshaping the country’s research landscape and expanding its talent base.

Juliet Lehtonen is a master’s student in Estonian and Finno-Ugric Languages at the University of Tartu. Outside her studies, Juliet enjoys climbing and has even run the Tartu half marathon.