News

Studies will continue largely online and classroom studies should be kept to a minimum in April As the epidemiological situation in Estonia is very serious and the Estonian government has imposed additional restrictions on educational institutions, the University of Tartu will continue with similar organisation of studies as in March.

This week’s results of the wastewater study led by the University of Tartu confirm a continued spread of the coronavirus. In the coming weeks, the number of infections is expected to rise in both southern and western Estonia.

In cooperation between Estonian companies and the University of Tartu and the Estonian University of Life Sciences, technology has been developed for producing nasal and throat spray based on antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Initial studies have shown that it may help prevent infection with the coronavirus.

This week’s results of the waste water analysis led by the University of Tartu reveal high concentration of coronavirus in the samples taken from nearly all larger cities. According to researchers, this indicates that the number of infections is not expected to decrease in the next week or two.

From 1 to 5 March, the ENLIGHT European University network organised its official kick-off week. All students and staff of the University of Tartu, as well as the wider public, was invited. Recordings of some of the exciting international lectures and discussions about the environment, digital solutions, healthcare, equity, energy and teaching are available to watch on YouTube.

Applications to international master’s studies at the University of Tartu can be submitted until the midnight on Monday, 15 March. The application period to international bachelor’s studies is one month longer and ends on 15 April.

The latest results of the waste water study led by the University of Tartu still show high virus concentration in samples collected everywhere in Estonia. According to researchers, there are no signs of stabilisation yet.

The University of Tartu invites international students interested in international bachelor’s and master’s studies to submit their applications in DreamApply. Studies start at the end of August 2021.

Coronavirus is spreading widely and the situation is alarming. It is everyone’s duty to avoid unnecessary contacts. As workplaces are important sources of infection in addition to schools and homes, we must reduce contacts also at the university and ask everyone whose duties allow that to work from home.

The most recent results of the waste water analysis by the University of Tartu indicate that the number of waste water samples with a high concentration of coronavirus has increased even more since last week. The waste water index illustrating the overall situation in Estonia confirms the increased spread of the virus.

To mark the 103rd anniversary of the Republic of Estonia, Rector Toomas Asser and Academic Secretary Tõnis Karki placed flowers at the Estonian War of Independence Memorial to Fallen Students in the university’s assembly hall.

This week’s results of the waste water analysis led by the University of Tartu reveal that in waste water samples taken from most larger cities, the concentration of coronavirus is very high, and average in other locations. For the second week in a row, due to the cold weather, there have been technical issues in the sampling from Tartu, so this result is not included in the overview.

On 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is held in Estonia for the first time, led by the Archemy research group of the University of Tartu and the Estonian Young Academy of Sciences.

In the autumn 2020 call for proposals, the smart ideas fund Prototron received more than 500 ideas, which shows that the difficult year has made people invent. On 29 January, the winners of this round were announced and a record amount of €120,000 was divided between eight teams. The winners also included the idea by Indrek Must, Associate Professor of Soft Robotics at the University of Tartu, which received €20,000.

Yesterday, members of the Rector’s Office discussed the organisation of teaching and studies in February and March, and decided that in both months, teaching will be largely conducted online. However, we are trying to gradually move towards greater openness. We make decisions about teaching and studies in the spring semester for one month at a time – for each month, by the middle of the previous month. The rector’s decree with more detailed guidelines will take effect after passing the bylaw approval process.

An international consortium led by researchers from the University of Tartu (UT) and start-up GScan OÜ received 7.5 million euros from the European Commission to create a large-scale prototype of a cosmic-ray tomography device. In the course of security checks, the device would enable border control, customs and law enforcement authorities to detect illegal goods in trucks and sea containers safely and fast.

Waste water analysis led by the University of Tartu reveals that the spread of the coronavirus remains high and stable. However, the number of waste water samples with a high virus concentration has increased.

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 first edition of the Delta X student competition initiated by the University of Tartu reaches its final on 27 January. From among nearly one hundred submitted solutions, the best will be decided in four categories. The Delta X competition aims to give secondary school and university students an opportunity to test their skills and apply their acquired knowledge in practice. There are four categories: robotics, digital solutions, business models and mathematics. More than one hundred students from all across Estonia will take part in the final.

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.