Tallinn University cuts number of institutes from 23 to 6
Tallinn University (TU) is undergoing a structural reform that sees large number of units merged and several dozen jobs cut.
The 23 academic units will be merged into 6 umbrella institutes on interdisciplinary grounds.
Luule Sakkeus, the head of the Estonian Institute for Population Studies, said a structural reorganization is inevitable as the number of students in the university is going down. However, larger administrative units may mean more bureaucracy, less autonomy and dispersal of responsibility, she added.
Rector Tiit Land, on the contrary, said the administrative reform will help to optimize the tasks of non-academic staff, some of whom will lose their current positions as a result.
Up to few dozen academic staff will also not see their contracts renewed.
On the other hand, the reform should allow the university to rise minimum wage in the next three or four years.
The reorganization will take effect on September 1.
Editor: M. Oll