- The University of Tartu (UT) is the oldest and largest university of Estonia and one of the best-known in Northern and Eastern Europe. From its foundation in 1632 to the first decades of the XX century UT was the only university in the Northern Baltic region.
- Classical university - with its eleven faculties, UT is the only classical university of Estonia. It also includes three specialized research institutions: the Institute of Physics, the Estonian Marine Institute and the Institute of Technology. UT has launched its regional program, in the framework of which it has established a network of six UT colleges located each in a different city.
- Six high-level centres of excellence internationally renowned in their fields have been set up to pursue single research directions – the Centre of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, the Centre of Excellence of Chemistry and Materials Science, the Centre of Basic and Applied Ecology, the Centre of Excellence of Gene and Environmental Technology, the Centre of Behaviour and Health Sciences and the Institute of Physics.
- UT takes an active role providing service to the society as well as implementing innovation policies and advancing knowledge-based Estonia. The Institute of Technology has set the priority to facilitate cooperation with entrepreneurs and support for setting up spin-off companies for high-tech innovation.
- UT has been successful in applied research and development. A variety of new inventions, research-based equipment and technologies are about to hit the market. An excellent example of the latter is the use in a popular series of milk products of beneficial lactobacillus bacteria native to Estonia, discovered by the researchers at UT.
- UT is an internationally recognized research institution bringing together research in a variety of areas. Its research-based education is a guarantee of the continuity of Estonian intelligentsia and science. There are two research and development establishments in UT bearing the title of "European Commission Centre of Excellence" - Centre for Molecular and Clinical Medicine, the Institute of Physics.
- UT is the only Baltic university admitted to the Coimbra Group uniting reputable European research universities of long-standing tradition.
- International cooperation – UT has become a party to the Magna Charta of world universities and is also a member of the European University Association.
- The heart and cradle of Estonian science – more than 60% of the doctoral theses completed in Estonia each year are defended at UT. In an international perspective the research areas important for UT include molecular and cell biology, gene technology, laser and biomedicine, pharmacy, laser physics, environmental technology and semiotics.
- UT is successfully developing its e-learning project, turning internet-based video links of various UT events and public lectures into common occurrence.
- Active student life - UT boasts a number of historical academic student organizations, the oldest of them founded in 1870. The student events of the year culminate in the Autumn and Spring Student Weeks that involve the entire city.
- Leisure time - The UT offers ample opportunity for leisure time - Academic Sports Club facilities, the Botanical Gardens, and a sufficient number of good bookshops, museums, cafés, beer cellars and student clubs are all here to make Tartu an attractive campus city.
- A city brimming with spirits of youth, wisdom and innovation - once you have been here and tasted its academic life, you will never be able to forget either the alma mater or the City of Tartu!
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