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The THE World University Rankings 2016-2017 are the only international university performance tables to judge world class universities across all of their core missions. Estonia's University of Tartu holds the highest place of all time in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, placing 301-350. This year THE assessed the performance of 1,313 universities around the world and ranked 980. The University of Tartu holds the highest place of all time also in this year's QS World University Rankings published in September where it placed 347th.

We are starting the blog to share information about the curriculum of our international master’s programme Wellness and Spa Service Design and Management, introduce our lecturers and their research, share the experiences of our students and alumni etc. So, you can have a closer look at the studies in this curriculum, student life, wellness research and working in the field of wellness.

We have only 48 hours to develop brand new services. And it’s going to be FUN. Almost too much fun! The Global Service Jam is a non-profit event which has been set up to promote the discipline of service design, and to allow interested people to exchange techniques, ideas and experience in a relaxed, energetic environment.

For the second year in a row, the International SPA Association (ISPA) Foundation has awarded two recipients to receive the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship. Taylor Toreno from United States, and Anne-Liise Verpson from Estonia (master student of University of Tartu Pärnu college of Wellness and Spa Service Design and Management), were presented with their certificates during the General Session at the 25th annual ISPA Conference & Expo at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nev. from October 19-21, 2015.

For the 3rd year in a row Garage48 is heading to Pärnu to host the legendary Women Special event! This time the focus is on rocking the TOURISM industry that is in need of big ideas, vision and kick-ass action!

Timo Toikko, Lecturer and Adjunct Professor at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences and a group of MA students of Social Work programme visited the Department of Social Work Administration of Pärnu College from 8 to 9 October 2015.

The 4th Martens Summer School on International Law takes place at the University of Tartu’s Pärnu College from 26 to 31 July and, as usual, the focus is on international law from a comparative perspective.

University of Tartu Pärnu college is organizing from 16. to 19.09.2015 (Ringi 35, room 208) in co-operation with Horisont 2020 funded COST action plan „Dynamics of Virtual Work“ (COST Action IS1202) meeting of Working Groups, which covers topics about virtual work and digital possibilities of labor.

10.-15.08.2015 University of Tartu Pärnu College is hosting an international Summer University „Events as a tourist destination promotion tools“ with students from Georgia and Belarus.

Reet Soosaar, Lecturer in English attended the 2nd International Week for Language Teachers “Language Teaching Tomorrow“ in Jyväskylä and Tampere, Finland 18-22 May 2015 .

Heli Tooman (PhD), Associate Professor of Tourism Management attended an international conference, The t-Forum 2015 Global Conference: Tourism Intelligence in Action in Naples, Italy 4 – 7 May 2015. The conference venue serves as a monastery and modern conference center set in a historical complex in Santa Chiara. More than 250 academics and practitioners in the tourism sector from 30 countries participated in the conference.

Reet Soosaar, Lecturer in English attended the 2nd International Week for Language Teachers “Language Teaching Tomorrow“ in Jyväskylä and Tampere, Finland 18-22 May 2015 .

Dr Heli Tooman and Project Manager Gristel Leetma attended a meeting for the CUBITUS project in Istanbul, 27-30 April, 2015. The project aims to improve academic knowledge and skills to advise entrepreneurs, particularly in the tourism sector with a focus on senior tourism. The CUBITUS partners are universities, businesses and consultant firms from eight countries (Austria, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Turkey and UK).

The international quality assessment evaluation resulted in a positive outcome for the Tourism and Hotel Management programme at the University of Tartu Pärnu College. The International Evaluation Commission and the Council of the Estonian Higher Education Quality Agency confirmed that the study programme and management comply with national and international standards. Continuous programme development activities for lecturers, students, alumni, and employers were highlighted as an advantage of the programme.

On March 17-18th, 2015, Master students from the Wellness and Spa Service Design and Management Program at Pärnu College participated in a field trip in Virumaa. The students visited AQVA Hotel & SPA in Rakvere, Meresuu SPA & Hotel in Narva Jõesuu, Noorus SPA Hotel, Toila SPA Hotel and Vihula Manor as a part of the course „Wellness and Spa Service Quality Management“.

From now on, it should be much easier for students, guests of the university, inhabitants of Tartu, tourists and others to find their way in Tartu as a university town. The University of Tartu launched an innovative virtual tour that gives an overview of the modern study buildings and shows where they are located on the map. The tour also includes study-related buildings in Pärnu, Viljandi, Tallinn and Narva. Have a closer look at virtualtour.ut.ee.

From December 6th-13th, Heli Tooman, the associate professor of the UT Pärnu College, participated in the seminar Sanya International Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Construction. The seminar was held in Sanya, the island of Hainan, South-China.

Narva College of the University of Tartu celebrated the 95th anniversary of Estonia's national university on 28 November 2014, and assigned its highest award - the gold badge - to Dr Arvi Kuura, associate professor of entrepreneurship and project management at Pärnu College.

From October 27th-31st, Kai Tomasberg, the Assistant of the Spa Management Program at the University of Tartu Pärnu College visited the University of Derby Buxton Campus, UK, where she gave lectures on Spa Management to Bachelor and Master students. Additionally, Ms. Tomasberg participated in the Spa and Wellness Conference in Buxton where she ran a workshop on "Wellness concept. Holistic Services in Spas." She was invited by Buxton College, as part of the ERASMUS staff exchange.

Senior lecturers Heli Tooman (PhD) and Melanie Smith (PhD) of the University of Tartu Pärnu College attended an international ATLAS conference Tourism, Travel and Leisure – Sources of Wellbeing, Happiness and Quality of Life in Budapest 22 –25 October 2014. Heli Tooman and Melanie Smith made a presentation „Towards a Baltic Health Tourism Cluster.“