Science-Education

Estonia's R&D funding below European average

05.12.21 NEWS ... According to Eurostat, Estonia spent 1.8 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on research and development (R&D) in 2020, while the average in the European Union was 2.3 percent.

Sixteen-year-olds among most active and independent voters

13.10.21 NEWS ... Advance voting is underway in the second local government council elections in Estonia in which young people 16-18 years of age are allowed to vote. They are more eager voters compared to 20-30-year-olds and the average voter, Anu Toots, professor of social policy at Tallinn University, said. According to Toots, having few financial links to the state makes more independent decision-makers out of young people.

Anthropologist: Tallinn losing its distinctive face copying the West

13.10.21 NEWS ... While anthropology has traditionally taken an interest in the ways of endangered exotic native peoples, modern anthropologists also study their own countries and especially the periphery. The organization of peripheral parts of society reveals the central values of its culture and the functioning of social relationships, Tallinn University senior research fellow Francisco Martinez said.

State to pay Tallinn EUR 2 mln for costs of private schools

12.01.16 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The Estonian Supreme Court ruled that the Ministry of Education and Research has to pay the City of Tallinn two million euros to compensate for costs deriving from the implementation of the Private Schools Act.

10,000 signatures handed to Parliament in support of private schools

08.12.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... A 10,000-signature-petition was handed to Parliament speaker Eiki Nestor on Monday to try and stop amendments to the Private Schools Act.

Estonia’s national university celebrates 96th anniversary

01.12.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The University of Tartu (UT) celebrates its 96th anniversary today, December 1, with the traditional ceremony, torch-light procession and a ball.

Estonia to organize biggest European science contest in May

20.11.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Estonia has earned the right to organize the next European Union Science Olympiad (EUSO), a team-based competition in natural sciences.

Growing municipalities 2,300 nursery school places short

11.11.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... According to the National Audit Office, although the number of children in Estonia is decreasing, there is a shortfall of more than 2,300 nursery school places in 45 local governments in Estonia as of early 2015, half of which are located in Harju and Tartu counties.

Work in Estonia – fair for foreign students

09.11.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... SA Archimedes, Work in Estonia and Ülemiste City are organizing a recruiting event for foreign students studying in Estonia. The fair will take place at restaurant Dvigatel, located in Ülemiste City, on November 11.

Estonia ranks high for English proficiency

04.11.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... EF Education First released today the 5th annual edition of EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), the world's largest ranking of countries by English skills. Estonia occupies a respectable seventh place out of 70 countries and is classified as having a very high proficiency level.

Studies: Majority of IT students drop out of university

27.10.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Of all new information and communication technology (ICT) students since 2015, 60 percent have dropped out of universities, and of those who have left for jobs, most are not working for ICT companies.

University of Tartu 4th in regional university rankings

21.10.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The new and expanded edition of the QS University Rankings: Emerging Europe and Central Asia was released on Wednesday, highlighting the top 150 universities in the region, including four from Estonia.

TUT opens Korean institute

13.10.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) opened Korean institute in Tallinn to promote Korean language, culture and business contacts in the Nordic region.

Where have all the good men gone? Estonia lacks male teachers

02.10.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... October 5 is the World Teacher's Day. According to Eurostat's data released on the occasion, Estonia has the smallest share of male teachers in the EU.

Two Estonian universities among top 600

01.10.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The University of Tartu (UT) and Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) are among the 600 best high-level educational institutions in the world, according to latest ranking.

University of Tartu rated highly by international students

28.09.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... StudyPortals, which introduces study programs all over the world, conducted a feedback survey among international students that evaluated the level of universities all over the world from the perspective of international students. Excellent reviews earned the University of Tartu the StudyPortals International Student Satisfaction Award.

Science festival's 400 shows will spark more than just interest

18.09.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The annaul Researchers' Night Festival, which bills itself as the biggest and oldest science event in the Baltic States, celebrates its 10th birthday this year. The jubilee program features over 400 science events.

Audit office scolds schools for collecting 'donations' from parents

10.09.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The legality of the "compulsory donations" system, said to be in place in several of the country's top general education schools, has been called into question on several occasions as irritated parents regularly raise the alarm. The National Audit Office has now ruled that regular collection of money from parents is incompatible with the principle of tuition-free education and should not be allowed to continue.

Dutch look to Estonia for education reform inspiration

10.09.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Over the years, Dutch and Estonian students have shown similar results in PISA tests. Dutch Undersecretary for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science Sander Dekker visited Estonia this week to see what his country could learn from the Estonian school system.

Integration Foundation to organize Estonian language classes for almost 6,000 people

03.09.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Starting this September, the Integration and Migration Foundation will be offering free Estonian language courses at the elementary and intermediate levels to residents of Estonia whose integration has been limited. Almost 6,000 people applied for places on the A2, B1 and B2 courses, registration for which opened in June.

School's back: It's Knowledge Day in Estonia

01.09.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Nearly 140,000 Estonian children, taught by over 14,000 teachers in 533 schools, start another school year today. But it's not only children, who welcome the arrival of September with excitement. Ever since 2009, the share of adult learners in the society has passed the 10 percent threshold.

Tallinn, Tartu universities short on student rooms

27.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Although universities in Tartu and Tallinn have all been refurbishing their residence halls, many new students still struggle to secure a room.

Catalan jazz pianist to lead UT Viljandi Culture Academy

18.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... A renowned jazz pianist Iñaki Sandoval Campillo has been named as the new rector of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy.

Problem lies in the system, not with teachers, says NE school head

18.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Head of a Russian-language school in Kiviõli, Aarne Piirimägi, said it is still difficult to find teachers who speak Estonian for Russian-language schools and a third of young Russian-speakers leave school without sufficient Estonian language skills.

University of Tartu celebrates 100 years of female students

17.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Today, 100 years ago, Estonia's oldest and largest university, the University of Tartu, accepted women as full-time students for the first time.

New bill would give teachers more rights in the class room

13.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... A draft law being drawn up by the Ministry of Education will give, if passed, teachers the right to search childrens' school bags and apprehend those misbehaving, among other rights.

Estonia to create 4,700 apprentice places in 3 years

07.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Education Minister Jürgen Ligi approved a project to create 4,700 apprentice jobs in three years. The aim is to give students more work experience and bring them closer to the job market.

Court case against new TUT rector election dropped

07.08.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Four Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) employees, who took the decision that appointed Jaak Aaviksoo as the institution's rector to court, have dropped the case.

Aaviksoo: Now that the mess is behind, it's time to look to the future

31.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Jaak Aaviksoo, named as the new rector of Tallinn University of Technology on Thursday, after a 2-month scandal-filled election process, said it is time to look towards the future, rather than stop and contemplate what went wrong in the elections.

Aaviksoo finally named TUT head

30.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) Board of Governors have named Jaak Aaviksoo as the rector, after months of bitter accusations and recounts.

Free Estonian language lessons for 200 Ida-Viru teachers

29.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... From August, an education ministry funded project, run by the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA), will begin to teach Estonian on B2 and C1 levels to 195 education workers in the predominantly Russian-speaking Ida-Viru County.

Ossinovski: TUT rector election result should be annulled

22.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... SDE head Jevgeni Ossinovski told Estonian daily Eesti Päevaleht that to restore the normal working atmosphere at one of the leading academic institutions in Estonia, the Tallinn University of Technology (TUT), it is necessary to organize a new rector contest.

Ligi: Paperless education by 2020

22.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The Ministry of Education is to spend 40 million euros in digitizing studying in schools by 2020.

Students from 30 countries attend Tartu summer school

22.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Tartu became a center of multi-cultural learning this week after more than 200 students from 30 different countries gathered in town for the university's international summer school.

Over half of TUT foreign students plan to remain in Estonia after studies

14.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... A study found that more than 50 percent of Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) foreign students plan to find work in Estonia. That percentage is over 67 percent among the masters-degree-level students.

TUT rector appointment stalled, four governors resign

07.07.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Four members of the Board of Governors of Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) stood down today, amid controversy surrounding the election of the new rector, former education minister and IRL politician Jaak Aaviksoo.

Local youth conduct record-breaking chemical experiment in stratosphere

30.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Last weekend, a Viljandi youth group launched a balloon to the stratosphere to conduct a popular science theater experiment 'Elephant's Toothpaste'. The experiment was the first of its kind to be conducted in the stratosphere - 30 kilometers above ground - and will be nominated for the Guinness Book of Records.

Aaviksoo appointment taken to court

25.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Four Tallinn University of Technology employees have taken the decision to appoint Jaak Aaviksoo as the university's new rector, to court.

TUT Council confirm Aaviksoo appointment

17.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... A veto on the appointment of Jaak Aaviksoo as the next rector of Tallinn University of Technology did not receive the necessary number of votes for a veto and Aaviksoo will soon be named as the university's new head.

Kindergarten teachers petition for higher salaries

15.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Estonian kindergarten teachers have collected 20,000 signatures to support their call for a minimum salary set by the state. The petition was presented to the Parliament today.

School-leavers dream of studying medicine, IT, civil engineering at TUT, UT

12.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The latest survey conducted by the market research company Turu-uuringute AS indicates that high school graduates prefer to continue their education in major universities.

Forensic tests to go ahead in TUT rector election fraud case

09.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Sandor Liive, the head of a Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) committee tasked with electing a new rector, said forensic tests will go ahead, after four of the 11-strong committee claimed they did not vote for Jaak Aaviksoo, who officially received eight votes, just enough to be elected rector.

Fraud accusation arises on Aaviksoo's TUT appointment

05.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Four Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) committee members, part of a 11-strong council which elected Jaak Aaviksoo as rector, said on Tuesday that they did not vote for the former government minister, meaning that at least one of the eight votes Aaviksoo received, could have been forged.

Tallinn University cuts number of institutes from 23 to 6

05.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Tallinn University (TU) is undergoing a structural reform that sees large number of units merged and several dozen jobs cut.

No student referendum on Aaviksoo appointment

03.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... The student union at the Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) has decided not to organize a non-biding referendum on the appointment of Jaak Aaviksoo as the university's new head.

Education minister: We cannot be satisfied with the concentration of EU research funds in certain regions

03.06.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Education minister Jürgen Ligi has called for European Union research funds to be distributed more fairly to help research and development and to avoid “damaging” countries' competitiveness.

Ministry supports foreign students to study in Estonia

29.05.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Foreign Minister Keit Pentus-Rosimannus approved the financing of ten scholarship programs for students from Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, the Palestinian Authority and Kazakhstan to study at Estonian universities.

German team wins European Championship of Forestry Skills in Estonia

26.05.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... Organized by Luua Forestry School, the competition measuring the latest achievements in logging techniques, logging machinery tools, logger’s safety equipment, and a comparison of these at an international level in theory and practice, took place over the weekend in Luua village in Jõgeva county, eastern Estonia.

Estonian language proficiency examination held outside Estonia for first time

26.05.15 SCIENCE-EDUCATION ... An Estonian language proficiency examination was held for the first time abroad, when 17 examinees gathered at the Estonian House in Helsinki on Monday.

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