News

On Thursday, 4 November, Tartu will host Gustavus Adolphus Day celebrations to mark the 389th anniversary of the founding of the University of Tartu. The programme includes laying flowers on monuments, a book presentation, a concert and a film premiere.

Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus signed the foundation decree of Academia Dorpatensis (Academia Gustaviana) in 1632. The day dedicated to this event begins on 4 November at 15:20 with the laying of flowers on the monuments of Gustavus Adolphus and the University of Tartu’s first chancellor Johan Skytte.

At its meeting on Tuesday, 2 November, the University of Tartu Rector’s Office decided that block mode study will be organised in distance learning until the end of December.  

The reason for the decision is the critical situation in Estonian hospitals due to the spread of COVID-19. As block-mode students come together from all over Estonia and usually do not permanently live in the place of study, it increases the risk of spreading the virus. 

The university aims to keep studies open as long as possible, which is why stronger safety measures are imposed.

Safe distancing should be maintained between people during classes, in public rooms and all, including those who are vaccinated, must wear masks in the university buildings. Only protective masks, not scarves or visors, may be used to cover the nose and mouth.

In order to keep the working and learning environment as normal as possible in the new academic year, the general rule of conduct applies that staff and students who work and study in the university buildings have been vaccinated against the coronavirus or wear masks.

At the beginning of the academic year, the University of Tartu and Tartu University Hospital are jointly organising vaccination days near the university’s study buildings to further improve the chances of starting face-to-face studies and meeting in the lecture halls.

University members who have not been vaccinated yet can get the vaccine against Covid-19 without prior booking in the following places:

at the university’s main building in room 140 (the first room on the right from the main entrance)

The U4Society Social Sciences, Economics and Law (SSEL) Online Conference on Social Responsibility in Challenging Times will be held on 7–8 October 2021. The conference aims to bring together researchers and PhD students from the participating U4 Society Network universities (Ghent, Göttingen, Groningen, Uppsala and Tartu) and the universities from the ENLIGHT consortium (Basque Country, Bordeaux, Comenius Bratislava, Galway, Ghent, Göttingen, Groningen, Tartu and Uppsala).

We'd like to start teaching and studies in the autumn as normally as possible and meet face to face in class, and therefore it is important that as many of our new and returning students and university staff as possible are vaccinated. The nearest vaccination locations can be found on the website vaktsineeri.ee.

The graduation ceremonies of the University of Tartu are held from 15 to 30 June in person. In Tartu, the ceremonies take place on the square in front of the Old Anatomical Theatre. The graduation of Viljandi Culture Academy will take place as individual ceremonies that were well-received last year. In Narva, Pärnu and Tallinn, graduation ceremonies are held indoors.

The university’s orienteering month – May – is about to end, but as the initiative has attracted much interest, the orienteering course will remain open until 6 June. The university invites all employees, students, alumni and their families as well everyone else to orienteering in the city of Tartu. Come to discover places where the university family has done exercise and sports since the early 19th century!

Despite the government’s decision to allow face-to-face studies also in higher education starting from 17 May, the university continues work as previously planned. Decisions about the organisation of studies continue to be made by the head of institute in cooperation with the vice dean for academic affairs.

The only change is that the requirement not to exceed 25% room capacity has been lifted. The allowed percentage of room capacity is to be decided by the head of institute.

This year marks a quarter of a century since the opening of the Pärnu College of the University of Tartu. On 14 May, this milestone is celebrated with a ceremony, an appreciation event and giving recognition, with presentations and discussion groups, and the symbolic opening of a part of the college building that has been newly renovated for a joint project.

The Office of Academic Affairs in cooperation with the Student Union have chosen the new course registration start time. Based on the results of the survey conducted, registration will start at 21:00.

Throughout May, the university invites all employees, students, alumni and their families to orienteering in the city of Tartu. The spring orienteering course, compiled by the university museum, focuses on places related to sports and recreation. Did you know that according to architect Krause’s initial floor plans there was supposed to be a fencing hall on the ground floor of the main building? If not, come orienteering and find out other exciting sports-related facts about the university.

The University of Tartu has decided to provide extended application deadlines for international master’s studies in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The University of Tartu invites everyone to participate in a photo contest to get photos by talented amateur and professional photographers depicting the University of Tartu buildings, students, events, studies, and everything else related to the University of Tartu. The contest takes place from 29 March to 30 September and all participants enter a draw to win prizes.

Studies will continue largely online and classroom studies should be kept to a minimum in April

As the epidemiological situation in Estonia is very serious and the Estonian government has imposed additional restrictions on educational institutions, the University of Tartu will continue with similar organisation of studies as in March.

The University of Tartu has decided to provide extended application deadlines for international master’s studies in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the Faculty of Social Sciences.

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Visiting Professor of Democracy in the Digital Age at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies of the University of Tartu, will be giving four public lectures on “Security, Democracy and the Digital World” in the spring semester 2021.

This century has seen rapid technological developments and emerging possibilities for governance, such as more precise and faster decision-making and better public services.