Politician Rainer Vakra submits new bachelor's thesis to Tallinn University
Social Democratic Party (SDE) politician Rainer Vakra announced on Thursday that he had submitted a new bachelor's thesis to Tallinn University (TLÜ) to replace his original thesis after the latter was declared plagiarized.
"Done and submitted," Vakra wrote on social media. "Defense in two weeks already. Fingers crossed!"
Vakra's bachelor's thesis is titled "Environmental awareness and the role of waste management as based on the example of Nõmme District."
Vakra, who is currently working as an assistant to MEP Sven Mikser (SDE), served as Nõmme city district elder from 2005-2011.
Last March, the Tallinn University Academic Committee voted unanimously to confirm Rainer Vakra's bachelor's thesis as extensively plagiarized. The committee likewise voted to propose to the rector of the university that Vakra's degree be revoked.
Rector Tiit Land decided to strip Vakra of his bachelor's degree, but allowed him to keep his master's degree on condition that he writes a new bachelor's thesis within two academic years.
According to administrative practice, all Estonian universities have allowed students whose thesis is determined to be plagiarized to write a new thesis.
Vakra originally defended the bachelor's thesis deemed to be plagiarized in 2002.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
