Topic: international

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.

Preliminary results of the International Student Barometer (ISB) show that international students are satisfied with their studies at the University of Tartu. They highlight strong academic quality, supportive learning conditions and the city of Tartu as an excellent living environment.

23–24 April 2026 Tallinn University, Estonia

From 28 to 30 January 2026, the 10th international business festival Startup Day takes place at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu. The University of Tartu will be present with a diverse and engaging programme.

On 27 October from 13–18, the University of Tartu development conference “A university for us, Estonia and the world” took place in the university assembly hall and online. Keynote speakers were Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Kersti Kaljulaid and Kristina Kallas.

On 7 October, members of the Committee on Education of the Swedish parliament (Riksdag), accompanied by the Swedish Ambassador Charlotte Wrangberg and the Swedish Honorary Consul Madis Kanarbik, visited the University of Tartu.

On 2 October, the UT Vice Rector for Research Mari Moora and Professor of Cell Biology Toivo Maimets met with the Ambassador of the Czech Republic Zdeněk Beránek, the Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies of Masaryk University Šárka Pospíšilová and Professor Michael Doubek.

University of Tartu semioticians Andreas Ventsel and Mari-Liis Madisson, along with Junior Research Fellow in Information Resilience Diana Poudel, have developed tools for enhancing critical digital literacy in cooperation with international partners. The practical materials are designed for use in higher education, schools, companies and organisations to support navigating the digital landscape and countering the spread of disinformation.

A recent overview published by the Estonian Research Council (ETAG) reveals that Estonia has performed exceptionally well in the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe (2021–2027). Among Estonian institutions, the University of Tartu has been the most successful participant in the programme, receiving almost €90 million in funding.