Sustainability news

Speaker application is open until April 1 for TEDxUniversity of Tartu.

The aim of recovery colleges is to support personal recovery among people experiencing mental health challenges, drawing on principles of co-production and adult learning.

On 21 April at 18, all students and staff of higher education institutions in Tartu are invited to join a group cycle ride, “Rattaga saab!” (“Cycling works!”), starting from Town Hall Square.

The conference "Less Noise, More Dialogue! Agreements for Good Communication“, organised by the University of Tartu Centre for Ethics, the Institute of Social Studies and the think tank Praxis, brought together different stakeholders who influence public communication, including researchers, journalists, representatives of various organisations, members of civil society, schools and kindergartens.

In the coming years, the University of Tartu will focus on developing practical solutions for promoting equal treatment to maintain and strengthen a safe learning and working environment for the entire university community. Planned activities include preventing sexual harassment and developing a system to handle such cases. An important basis for this work is the new gender equality plan for 2026–2030.

The University of Tartu is launching university-wide awareness activities to improve understanding of the principles of equal treatment and the support options available in cases of workplace bullying, unequal treatment and harassment. This forms part of the university’s ongoing work to create a safe and respectful learning and working environment.

Researchers from the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology of the University of Tartu have shown in a recently published study that antibacterial coatings which initially appear highly effective at destroying bacteria may lose their performance over time. Therefore, long-term testing is essential for developing the best antibacterial materials.

On 9 March, an international workshop entitled „Animal Ethics at the Boundaries of the Human: Moral Status and Normative Authority“ will take place at the University of Tartu (Jakobi 2–336, Tartu). The workshop will focus on current issues in animal ethics and will be conducted in English.

A record number of university members took part in the Digital Cleanup Month 2026. This shows that conscious digital hygiene has become a natural part of everyday work.

On 2 February, IT Office will delete Teams and SharePoint groups without an owner. Before this, automatically selected group members will receive a notification email with instructions on how to proceed.

Communication seems simple… until you realise you’re talking to a wall. We invite you to a conference where we ask when dialogue is actually needed in society and which shared agreements form the basis of good dialogue.

On 5 February 2026, the symposium “Semi-natural grasslands in the European agricultural landscape: plants, pollinators and people in the winds of change” takes place.

On Friday, 30 January, at 14:15, an English-language colloquium will take place at the University of Tartu Philosophicum (Jakobi 2–336), exploring how Stoic ideas and practices can be applied in contemporary psychotherapy to help people cope more effectively with difficulties.

In 2025, the study that drew the most attention in public digital channels was led by Professor of Botany Meelis Pärtel and confirms the negative effect of human activity on wildlife biodiversity.

We wish our university community and friends a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!

In the recent call for the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants, University of Tartu researchers received funding for three projects: to study the climate impact of air pollution particles, the formation of cell patterns in plant leaves, and women’s hormonal sensitivity. Each grant amounts to nearly two million euros, and the projects last for five years.

Adult learners are welcome to participate in micro-degree programmes starting in the spring semester to acquire an additional specialisation or competence in a narrow field. Applications can be submitted until 25 January.

As possible ways forward, participants proposed strengthening digital and health literacy, providing institutional support for professionals, and raising awareness among both healthcare workers and patients.

University of Tartu computer scientists have developed artificial intelligence based tools that help companies in Ida Viru County use technology in their day to day operations. These solutions aim to make data driven planning and decision making simpler, more transparent and accessible to all.

University of Tartu Asia Centre Annual Conference: Asia Update. Transformations and Futures of the Middle East will be held in Tartu on 23-24 April, 2026.