News

Diversity Day is celebrated in Estonia and across Europe on 13 May, the second Wednesday in May, and the whole month is marked as Diversity Month. The aim is to value the uniqueness of every individual and emphasise the importance of an inclusive, respectful and fair working environment.

On 15 May, from 10:15 to 11:45, he gives a public lecture “Applying for ERC grants. The future of European research” in the building of the Institute of Cultural Research (Ülikooli 16–216).

From 20 April, all University of Tartu staff and students will receive an email invitation to participate in a study that aims to provide an overview of attitudes, knowledge and experiences related to sexual harassment, workplace bullying and discrimination at the university.

The University of Tartu Spring Run, held on 15 April, featured a more varied programme and brought more than 1,000 sports enthusiasts to the banks of the river Emajõgi.

The University of Tartu museums, with their rich collections, offer discovery and excitement for visitors of all ages. During the spring holidays, you are welcome to visit the university’s museum, art museum, botanical garden, natural history museum and the library. Read and find out which exciting exhibitions and events are taking place in Tartu during the holiday week.

From 24 April, Eveliis Padar will start work at the university as an equality officer to support university members in cases of unequal treatment and to help handle them in a fair and professional manner.

The university is launching a physical activity and wellbeing programme to support the mental and physical wellbeing of the university community and shape a learning and working environment that fosters physical activity.

Speaker application is open until April 1 for TEDxUniversity of Tartu.

On 21 April at 18, all students and staff of higher education institutions in Tartu are invited to join a group cycle ride, “Rattaga saab!” (“Cycling works!”), starting from Town Hall Square.

Kārlis is a master’s student in Bioengineering at the University of Tartu. Outside the lab, he enjoys sampling coffees in Tartu’s vibrant cafés and trying new sports – powerboating and Jiu-Jitsu.

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.

Ahead of the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, the University of Tartu announced the recipients of the contribution to society award, research award, language award and the teaching staff of the year awards for 2025.

University of Tartu students can submit applications to study abroad under the Erasmus+ programme in the 2026/2027 academic year until 9 March 2026.

On 6 February, the Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser, together with the university mascot Tiksu, welcomed Karl Jürgenstein, Kait Kaarel Puss, Arnold Rein Tatunts and Andres Käosaar in the university’s main building after their successful row across the Atlantic.

On 2 February, IT Office will delete Teams and SharePoint groups without an owner. Before this, automatically selected group members will receive a notification email with instructions on how to proceed.

We wish our university community and friends a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

In the recent call for the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants, University of Tartu researchers received funding for three projects: to study the climate impact of air pollution particles, the formation of cell patterns in plant leaves, and women’s hormonal sensitivity. Each grant amounts to nearly two million euros, and the projects last for five years.

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

On 1 December, the 106th anniversary of Estonia’s national university, 142 doctoral degrees were conferred.