The University of Tartu is known for its high reputation of the quality of studies and research. Students choose our university, because they can count on the excellent reputation of the diploma they receive upon graduation.
The University of Tartu is one of the oldest universities in Northern and Eastern Europe. It was founded in 1632 by King Gustavus Adoplhus of Sweden. The university, modelled after the University of Uppsala in Sweden, was intended to pursue research and advance learning in a wide variety of disciplies. It has continued to adhere to this tradition.
The University of Tartu is the leading centre of research and training and the only classical university in Estonia. It preserves the culture and language of the Estonian people. For many Estonians higher education equals with the University of Tartu.
Read more about the history of the university.
The University of Tartu belongs to the top 1.2% of world's best universities (THE World University Rankings 2020, QS World University Rankings 2020) and is the fourth university in the Eastern region (QS EECA 2020). It is the highest ranked university in the Baltics.
Estonian science, led by the University of Tartu, belongs to the upper 50% of the world's countries in all 22 fields of research specified in the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database. According to the ESI, the University of Tartu has reached the top 1% of the most-cited universities and scientific institutions in 11 fields.
According to QS Subject Rankings 2019, 21 subjects at the University of Tartu are among the world's best ones.
The University of Tartu is the strongest research university in Estonia. It is the only Baltic university that has been invited to join the Coimbra Group, a prestigious club of reowned research universities, and it also belongs to the Utrecht Network and U4 Network.
The university's hall of fame includes physicists Moritz Hermann Jacobi and Emil Lenz, chemists Carl Claus and Wilhelm Ostwald, physiologist Carl Schmidt, pharmacist Johan Georg Dragendorff, anatomist August Rauber, naturalist Karl Ernst von Baer, founder of cultural semiotics Juri Lotman, and many more. High-level research is conducted as well by the university's Centres of Excellence. UT is an innovative R&D partner for small entreprises and multinational corporations.
Satellite EstCube-1 made Estonia the 41st space nation in the world. sTARTUp Lab of the university connects students from different faculties to develop innovative solutions to complex problems.
The University of Tartu includes 4 faculties. Most of the university is located in Tartu; however, it also has colleges in Pärnu, Narva and Viljandi and a representation & a section of the School of Law in Tallinn. The University of Tartu is the biggest university in Estonia with 13 395 students, incl. 1660 international students.
The University of Tartu follows the Bologna process in the organisation of its studies and programmes. The quality of study programmes is assured through programme-based organisation of study designed to pay more attention to the needs of society and prospective employers. Annual polls are conducted among graduates of the university to evaluate their initial success in the labour market. Relevant findings contribute to the development of further curricula.
Several joint-degree programmes at the University of Tartu hold the prestigious status of Erasmus Mundus programmes, awarded to selected curricula in the EU as a sign of high quality. Several of UT's international master's programmes have received the "Most Attractive International Master" national award from the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia. And last but not least, the International Master in Applied Measurement Science has been awarded a "EuroMaster" label.
The University of Tartu's graduates are competitive in the job market at home and abroad, and many enjoy successful careers in international companies, government organisations, and within Europe and Estonia's leading businesses and institutions.
Internationalisation is an important part of the university's stragic plan. The University of Tartu has many partner universities all around the world and it cooperates with many world-class universities: the University of Helsinki, Moscow State University, Tsinghua University, University of Melbourne, Uppsala University, Lund University, Hokkaido University etc. The university's scientists conduct research with global companies like Samsung, Philips, Mercedes-Benz and ImmonoQure. Students have an opportunity to study abroad through various student exchange networks (Erasmus+, ISEP, AEN etc.). The University is a member of many prestigious international networks.
The University of Tartu is known for its active student life. There are many faculty-based clubs, international student organisations, an orchestra, various choirs and a theatre for students to join. There's four centuries of student life. Estonia has been voted as the #1 place to stay by Erasmus Student Network and the average level of satisfaction with experience in Estonia is 89% (I-Graduate ISB).
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