News
Maarja Ojamaa is the new Professor of the Semiotics of Culture
Reedel, 31. novembril valiti Maarja Ojamaa Tartu Ülikooli senati poolt uueks kultuurisemiootika professoriks.
Seminar on large language models and the Estonian language on November 19
On November 19 from 14:00 to 16:00, the University of Tartu Centre for Digital Humanities will host an English-language seminar titled Large Language Models and the Estonian Language: the State of the Art. The event is organized by the Centre for Digital Text Studies (DigiTS) in cooperation with the Language Data Research Infrastructure (KeTa).
Recipients of honorary decorations talk about meaning of University of Tartu
We asked four recipients of honorary decorations to share what makes the University of Tartu special to them.
This year’s recipients of honorary decorations have been announced
On 31 October, the senate of the University of Tartu decided to award the University of Tartu Grand Medal to former rector, Professor emeritus Jaak Aaviksoo, Professor Marlon Gerardo Dumas Menjivar, Professor Kalle Kirsimäe, and Professor Ivo Leito. The recipients of the University of Tartu Star of Appreciation, Medal, Badge of Distinction and the decoration “100 Semesters at the University of Tartu” have also been selected.
Young researchers were awarded at the MEDAL final conference
From 8–10 October, the final conference of MEDAL (Methodological Excellence in Data-Driven Approaches to Linguistics) took place.
At the end of the conference, the best young researchers were announced.
Watch the recording: University of Tartu development conference “A university for us, Estonia and the world”
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.
Best speakers in three-minute thesis competition focused on expressing uncertainty and waste gas-eating bacteria
The three-minute thesis competition for doctoral researchers, held at the University of Tartu Library on 22 October, featured 13 popular-science short lectures in Estonian and 14 in English.
Linguist Patrick O’Rourke awarded Waterfowl Fund scholarship
This year’s Lennart Meri Waterfowl People’s Fund scholarship was awarded to Patrick O’Rourke, a doctoral student at the University of Tartu’s Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics.
Graduate School of Humanities (HUMA) Autumn School 2025
The 10th conference will take place on the 27th–28th of November at the University of Tartu Library.
Students are invited to a proofreading workshop with morning coffee
Students who speak Estonian as a second language are invited to a proofreading workshop, where you can improve your text in an open and supportive atmosphere.
Olli Nurmi will talk about Finnish President Urho Kekkonen’s multifaceted relations with Estonia
Olli Nurmi " Finnish President Urho Kekkonen’s multifaceted relations with Estonia"
University celebrated its 393rd anniversary
The University of Tartu was founded on 25 October 393 years ago. This year, the anniversary was marked by memorial ceremonies, a concert and other events.
Doctoral defence: Igor Kotjuh „Igor Severyanin within the Estonian Literary Field and the Formation of Estonian Russian-Language Literary Identity (1918–1941)“
University Senate Hall (Ülikooli 18-204) on October 29 at 14.00
ERC Information Event for University of Tartu researchers
Interest in the European Research Council (ERC) programme has grown among University of Tartu researchers. In response, the Grant Writing Unit is organising an ERC Information Event on 4 November 2025, focused on individual ERC Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants.
Hungarian dance evening welcomes everyone
On 16 October from 6-9 pm, an autumn Hungarian dance class will be held at Korp! Ugala Hall (J. Kuperjanovi tn 16), where everyone is welcome to dance!
Call for papers for the 3rd CONNOR Annual Conference "Critical Turns in Conspiracy Theory Studies"
Deadline for submissions: 15 November 2025
Ambassador of the Czech Republic and vice-rector of Masaryk University 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.
Re-watch: venia legendis by Maarja Ojamaa, Sara Bédard-Goulet and Mari-Liis Madissoni for the Professorship of the Semiotics of Culture
On October 8, 2025, the candidates for the Professorship of the Semiotics of Culture at the University of Tartu – Maarja Ojamaa, Sara Bédard-Goulet, and Mari-Liis Madisson – delivered their venia legendi lectures. The public lectures can be re-watched via UTTV links available under each lecture title.
University of Tartu and Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences launch collaboration in intersectoral doctoral studies
The University of Tartu and Tallinn Health University of Applied Sciences have strengthened cooperation in intersectoral doctoral studies to support academic succession at the professional higher education institution and enhance its research capacity. In September, the first intersectoral doctoral researcher began their studies in the collaboration between the two institutions.
Riikka Taavetti's lecture "Queer Connections between Finland and Estonia, from the 1970s to the 1990s"
On 9 October at 16:15, Riikka Taavetti, a lecturer at University of Turku will give a lecture "Queer Connections between Finland and Estonia, from the 1970s to the 1990s" in room 114 of Jakobi study building.
