University of Tartu announced rector elections

The University of Tartu announced elections for a new rector. Candidates for the position can be put forward until 13 March, and the elections take place on 20 April. 

"Expectations are very high for the person who will take over the leadership of the University of Tartu for the next five years," said Ruth Oltjer, Chair of the University of Tartu council and founder of the fast-growing biotech company Chemi-Pharm. 

The University of Tartu has come a long way in the last decade and, besides being a leading university in Estonia that preserves national culture, it has become a significant international centre of research and technology. For example, while the top 1% of the world's most-cited researchers included 15 researchers from the University of Tartu in 2011, there are now more than 70 of them. According to the Essential Science Indicators, the number of influential research fields has also increased from 6 to 16.  

"The University of Tartu has reached the next level of development, where we are having an increasing positive impact on the world of science and technology. It is a great place for humanities, science and technology people to meet, collaborate and create a truly inspiring learning environment," added Oltjer.  

The University of Tartu promotes joint activities with the universities of the U4Society network for applying the roadmap of the European Green Deal. The University of Tartu also has an important role in international research policy-making through several cooperation networks (CE7, LERU) to reduce the research and innovation gap between the 'old' and the 'new' Europe, also promoting the achievement of sustainable development goals.  

Eligible candidates for the rector's position are persons who have been elected as professors. Candidates can be submitted by faculty councils of the University of Tartu, councils of other Estonian universities, the board of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, 15 ordinary professors of the University of Tartu jointly, and the University of Tartu student union. 

The rector is elected by an electoral council comprising members of the university council, the senate, faculty councils and the student union, as well as professors whose workload at the university as a professor is at least 20 hours per week.  

The new rector takes office on 1 August 2023. The rector is elected for a term of five years.