University of Tartu

03/06/2026

🎧 Tiksu to UniTartu is back for Season 3 🎉

Our podcast for international students returns with inspiring stories from students, researchers and alumni, all sharing the journeys that brought them to the University of Tartu 🌍

✨In the first episode, our graduate Vincent talks to Helena Valvur, a global Estonian who grew up in the United States and moved to Tartu to reconnect with her roots. With both grandparents born here, Helena reflects on her journey of rediscovering her heritage while studying at the University of Tartu.🎓

🎙️ Listen now on YouTube and Spotify (links in the comments)

01/06/2026

🤝 President of the Czech Republic and Rector of Masaryk University visited the University of Tartu

👉 On 28 May, as part of a state visit, the President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel and his wife Eva Pavlová visited the University of Tartu. The delegation also included the Rector of Masaryk University Martin Bareš and Ambassador Zdeněk Beránek.

✍ In the university’s senate hall, a cooperation agreement between the University of Tartu and Masaryk University was signed, reaffirming the long-standing and ongoing collaboration between the two institutions.
After the signing of the agreement, Rector Martin Bareš presented Rector Toomas Asser with the Masaryk University Gold Medal in recognition of the long-standing cooperation between the universities and of the outstanding commitment to advancing education.

Read more 👇

On 28 May, as part of a state visit, the President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel and his wife Eva Pavlová visited the University of Tartu. The delegation also included the Rector of Masaryk University Martin Bareš and Ambassador Zdeněk Beránek.

27/05/2026

New student blog post is live ✨

Have you ever walked past a film location without knowing it?

In the final part of the TENET series, International Student Ambassador Temma from Japan explores lesser-known filming locations in Tallinn – from Liivalaia Court House and the railway tracks near Telliskivi to Pärnu mnt and Maarjamäe Memorial. 🎬

The post is a reminder that visiting film locations can be a fun way to discover both iconic and hidden sides of Tallinn.

Read the blog post 👇

Article series: Experiencing TENET Experiencing TENET part 1  Experiencing TENET part 2  Experiencing TENET part 3 👈 You are here! In Part 2, we explored one of the famous filming locations. They may be too obvious for those living in Estonia, as most places are iconic, such as the Estonian Art...

21/05/2026

🏛 Mathematician and former President of the European Research Council (ERC) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon visited the University of Tartu

👉 Bourguignon met with representatives of the Institute of Computer Science and the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics at the Delta centre and shared his experiences and stories from his career and from his time as President of the ERC.

🗣 On Friday, 15 May at 10:15, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon delivered a public lecture “Applying for ERC grants: The future of European research” at the building of the University of Tartu Institute of Cultural Research. Rector Professor Toomas Asser opened the event. The lecture was followed by a discussion moderated by Associate Professor of Technology Research Mihkel Solvak from the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.

Read more 👇

On 14–15 May, mathematician and former President of the European Research Council (ERC) Jean-Pierre Bourguignon visited the University of Tartu and met with researchers from the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics and the Institute of Computer Science. On 15 May, he gave a public lecture in wh...

20/05/2026

New student blog post is live ✨

What do student initiations, Lüübeki Street, Bildungsroman, bicycles and old student traditions have in common?

In the latest International Student Ambassador blog post, Tymofii from Ukraine explores German footprints in Tartu – from Baltic German student customs and Hanseatic history to St John’s Church, literature and even early traces of cycling culture. 🚲

His walk through Tartu’s German heritage shows that the city’s past is not hidden away in archives – it is still part of the streets, traditions and stories around us.

Read the blog post 👇

Now, you may be wondering why I’m writing about German roots in Tartu. Well, I’ve been learning German for so long and I am passionate about it. Entschuldigung for making a promotion for the Department of German Studies. During the History of German-speaking countries course, our lecturer, R**t ...

15/05/2026

✨ This year’s recipients of the University of Tartu Seventh Pillar Fund scholarship will use the support to study abroad

🧠 History master’s student Marie Anna Blehner and pharmacy student Janeli Lember wish to represent Estonia, and later bring the knowledge and experience back home.

📣 Blehner expresses her deep gratitude to the fund’s donors who are willing to support the careers of future researchers. „With their help, I will be able to enhance my skills in archaeological research abroad. This way, donors are also contributing to the advancement of Estonian research.“

📣 „A scholarship can open doors, enable you to commit to research and take part in events where you can form important professional or personal relationships that can last a lifetime,“ Lember said.

ℹ️ After a five-year break, the University of Tartu Seventh Pillar Fund once again offered scholarships to outstanding students.

Get involved and support the University of Tartu Seventh Pillar Fund 👇
https://sihtasutus.ut.ee/support-the-university/university-of-tartu-seventh-pillar-fund

Read more 👇
https://ut.ee/en/news/seventh-pillar-fund-scholarship-opens-doors-two-young-researchers

How does international research cooperation begin? How do new research methods emerge, and how are connections forged that last a lifetime? Sometimes, it all starts with a scholarship. This year’s recipients of the University of Tartu Seventh Pillar Fund scholarship, history master’s student Mar...

14/05/2026

🧠 This year's CERN Fall Campus will take place in the Delta academic building of the University of Tartu

📣 “The CERN Fall Campus is a programme held every year in a different country. The host country is chosen through a competition, and this time, Estonia emerged as the successful candidate. This achievement confirms the strength of Estonia’s research and education landscape and its ability to organise international events to a high standard,” said Veronika Zadin, Professor of Materials Technology at the University of Tartu and Estonia’s representative on the CERN Scientific Policy Committee.

👉 The CERN Fall Campus, which takes place from 2 to 6 November, will offer students and other science enthusiasts a unique opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the development work at one of the world’s leading scientific organisations and to take part in international research collaboration.

ℹ The CERN Fall Campus is primarily aimed at university students and doctoral researchers, but technology-minded upper secondary school students with an interest in physics, information technology and engineering are also welcome. The programme will accept 100 participants.

Read more and register 👇

From 2 to 6 November, the Fall Campus of CERN, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory, will take place in the Delta academic building of the University of Tartu. Organised in cooperation with CERN scientists, the five-day programme offers students and other science enthusiasts a unique op...

13/05/2026

🎉 Happy European Doctoral Day!

ℹ️ On 13 May, the Estonian Doctoral School – a joint initiative of all Estonian universities – celebrates European Doctoral Day. During a social media campaign from 11 to 17 May, doctoral researchers from across Estonia share their experiences, reflecting on the value of doctoral studies and the broader impact of research. The campaign highlights the opportunities offered by doctoral studies in Estonia and showcases diverse career paths in academia and beyond.

🔹 University of Tartu had 1,178 doctoral researchers in 2025
🔹 49% of doctoral researchers in Estonia studied at the University of Tartu in 2024

13/05/2026

New student blog post is live ✨

What can 55,000 steps in Helsinki teach you about the city – and about coming home to Estonia?

In the latest International Student Ambassador blog post, Melih from Turkey takes us across the Gulf of Finland for a weekend in Helsinki. From the ferry ride and Senate Square to Oodi library, salmon soup, saunas and street life, he reflects on what makes the Finnish capital feel different from Tallinn and Tartu. 🚶‍♂️⛴️

His advice for students in Estonia? Take the trip, walk as much as you can, and come back seeing your own city with fresh eyes.

Read the blog post:

Last weekend I walked 55,000 steps in one day in Helsinki. Honestly, I can still feel it in my legs. But that was kind of the point, I wanted to actually see the city, not just the postcard version of it. So I walked, more or less, every street I could find in the centre. […]

06/05/2026

New student blog post is live ✨

What makes Karlova one of Tartu’s most charming neighbourhoods?

In the latest International Student Ambassador blog post, Daniel from the USA takes us on a walk through Karlova – a district just south of Tartu city centre, known for its wooden houses, cosy cafés, street art and unhurried pace. 🌿

From Tähe Street and Barlova to hidden murals, woodsmoke in the air and cats watching the world from windowsills, Daniel shows why Karlova is worth discovering on foot and without a plan. 🐈

Read the blog post 👇

While Tartu may be a city of only around 100k people, that certainly doesn’t mean that there is a wealth of interesting features to the city. Covering an area of about 39 square kilometers, the city packs in 17 vibrant neighborhoods, each with its own unique character. For the last 7 months, my ho...