Volli Kalm re-elected rector of University of Tartu
Kalm received 147 votes in the 250-strong electoral body in the second round of elections for rector of the University of Tartu (TÜ) on Thursday.
Candidates for the position were incumbent rector and applied geology professor at TÜ Volli Kalm and TÜ practical philosophy professor Margit Sutrop.
In the first round of voting, Sutrop earned 97 and Kalm 113 votes. In the second round, where the minimum number of votes needed to be elected was 126, Kalm received 147 of 208 valid votes cast.
Kalm was born Feb. 10, 1953 in Vändra Municipality, Pärnu County. He earned a degree in geology from TÜ in 1976 and from 1988-1989 was a postdoc at the University of Alberta.
The re-elected rector has worked in various positions at TÜ since 1986. His fields of research include paleoclimate, the chronology and paleogeography of continental glaciation, sedimentology and geoarchaeology.
From 1998-2003, Kalm served as TÜ's Vice Rector for Academic Affairs. He first ran for rector in 2007, however he was not elected at the time. On May 31, 2012, he was elected rector of the university, beating out Mart Ustav and Toivo Maimets for the position.
In his campaign platform, Kalm has promised to continue that which he began during his current term.
The electoral body elects the rector for a five-year term. Kalm's second term as rector will begin on July 1.
Editor: Aili Vahtla