Uudised

With the extensive use of distance learning in 2020, patterns of communication and cooperation between the home and school have changed, a study led by University of Tartu researchers reveals. The importance of informal communication has grown. Schoolchildren and their families need more advice and information to adapt to the new routines and new learning environments.

This week, the Digital Cleanup Week takes place at the university. Its aim is to declutter one’s personal or the unit’s digital life, and move in small but effective steps towards a greener university. The Digital CleanUp Week ends on 29 January, the nationwide Digital Cleanup Day.

The University of Tartu Centre for Ethics and School of Law participate in a new research project of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020, which studies the social and psychological aspects of cybercrimes committed by children and adolescents.

On 17 and 18 August, the Institute of Education of the University of Tartu together with Riga Technical University and Utrecht University organises an online conference entitled “How to Re-imagine Teaching and Learning in Uncertain Times?”. It is open to everybody interested in new developments in educational technology and teaching in a world affected by COVID-19: parents, teachers, lecturers, researchers, politicians, technology entrepreneurs, etc.

Due to the state of emergency declared by the government of Estonia, the University of Tartu cancels face-to-face classes from today to 1 May 2020. Instead, e-learning and other forms of distance learning will be used. Students who stay in residence halls are recommended to return home, if possible.

Today a student of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tartu was confirmed to have coronavirus disease COVID-19. The student took part in studies from Tuesday to Wednesday.

The University of Tartu Futulab, a platform for mediation of internships, enables organisations and the university alumni to find motivated interns and employees from among more than 13,600 students.

The University of Tartu Mentoring Programme is open for applications. The programme, created for the students and alumni of the University of Tartu, was first introduced in 2017 and is now for the first time also available for international students and alumni.

Aune Valk, University of Tartu Vice Rector for Academic Affairs

The University of Tartu School of Law is launching a series of Tartu International Law Conversations. The first event of the series „International Law in a Biden Administration“ will take place on 13 January at 17–18 (GMT+2). The aim of this series is to invite academics and practitioners from Estonia and abroad to talk about various aspects of international law. Depending on the circumstances, the events are conducted in person or online.

After having received the regulation of the government of Estonia, and discussing with the Rector’s Office the exceptional situations in which it is very difficult to apply distance learning, we now add more detailed information to the message sent on Wednesday. These guidelines will be in force until the beginning of the spring semester.

As of January 2021, President Toomas Ilves will be Visiting Professor of Democracy in the Digital Age at the University of Tartu. During a year, Ilves will deliver lectures to students and participate in developing teaching and research activities in the field of e governance in the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.

In the newly published ranking list of universities from emerging Europe and Central Asia, the University of Tartu has reached the second place, which is also the highest among Estonian universities.

The government of Estonia decided today that as of 14 December, all educational institutions, including universities, will be closed. Therefore, the university leaders decided that no classroom studies are conducted at the University of Tartu at least until the spring semester.

Students’ business idea competition Kaleidoskoop invites student teams to join the competition for the 15th time already. In the online competition, every student team has three minutes to present their idea to a panel of judges. Registration for the pre-selection is open until midnight on 7 December.

On Tuesday, 1 December, the university members celebrate the 101st anniversary of Estonia's national university.

Next year, the expatriate Estonian visiting professorship of the University of Tartu will be held by Jaan Valsiner, professor of cultural psychology at Aalborg University. He is one of the world’s leading cultural psychologists, whose research focuses on the intersections and interconnections of psychology and semiotics, and who has helped to promote Estonian research in the world. Jaan Valsiner has worked as a professor of psychology at Clark University in the USA, and is currently a professor of cultural psychology at Aalborg University in Denmark.

So far, the university has favoured preferring face-to-face learning to distance learning. However, as the coronavirus infection rate is increasing, the Rector’s Office decided at its today’s meeting that it is reasonable to rapidly reorganise studies wherever possible to safeguard the health of all university members.

View the video address of Rector Toomas Asser focusing on coronavirus prevention at the university on UTTV and read revised coronavirus guidelines at the university. This week the Government of Estonia announced new coronavirus measures and based on the government’s recommendations, members of the UT Rector’s Office have laid down the following guidelines.

Quite understandably, the university cannot remain untouched by the spread of the coronavirus. The growth in the number of the infected has put the Health Board under a lot of pressure, which is why the necessary information does not reach all potential close contacts as quickly as we would like. The least we can do to help the Health Board is inform the members of our university. Thereby we help ensure that students and employees do not unknowingly spread the virus.