Uudised

The University of Tartu (UT) has almost broken into the top 300 places in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, its highest ranking to date. The university has climbed 160 places in the rankings since 2014, BNS reports, and rose another 20 since last year, to 301st, university spokespeople say. QS uses six indicators when ranking universities. The first two cover the academic and employer reputation of the institution, weighted 40 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The opening assembly of the University of Tartu of the Republic of Estonia on 1 December 1919 marked the establishment of an Estonian-language university that was above all designed for Estonian students and to serve Estonian society. The centenary of the national university is celebrated throughout the year with a nation-wide cultural programme, an opinion festival and the largest gathering of alumni to date. The anniversary year draws to a close in December.

On 15 January, the new academic and research building of the Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy of the University of Tartu and the sports complex extension were officially opened. The total cost of the works exceeded 10 million euros. According to Priit Kaasik, Head of the Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy, the new building offers improved conditions for teaching physiotherapy and training coaches and physical education teachers. There are also rooms for research.

On 30 November, the University of Tartu became a full member in the EIT Health network of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), and also participates in two new Knowledge and Innovation Communities that were announced on 5 December: EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility. EIT funding to the new innovation communities will increase over the next three years from four to 80 million euros per year.

Public lecture of prof. Ilpo Tapani Huhtaniemi, the honorary doctor of Tartu University 2018, is taking place on Thursday, Nov 29th, 2018 at 2 p.m. in Biomedicum hall 1006 (Ravila St.19). Lecture title: "Young mice and old men unraveling secrets of testicular function”.

On Saturday, 1 December, the University of Tartu celebrates the 99th anniversary of the Estonian national university. At the anniversary ceremony, doctorates and honorary doctorates are conferred and the award for contribution to national identity is presented. During the week, many fascinating anniversary events take place at the university – for students, alumni and all those interested.

On 13 November, the Minister of Health and Labour Riina Sikkut met the dean and vice deans of the UT Faculty of Medicine to discuss issues related to medical education and research. At the meeting, the dean and vice deans gave an overview of the topical issues and main problems of the faculty and, in particular, pointed to the fact that the Research, Development and Innovation Strategy for the Estonian Health System was prepared nearly four years ago, but its objectives still remain unimplemented.

On 28 September, the University of Tartu, North Estonia Medical Centre and Tartu University Hospital signed a trilateral agreement to jointly conduct clinical research and participate in international research cooperation networks, as well as develop new research-based methods for treatment and diagnostics, and specialised care.

Today, on 26 April 2018, the 263-member electoral council elected Professor of Neurosurgery Toomas Asser as rector of the University of Tartu with 187 votes.

University of Tartu graduate schools hold an orientation session on September 20, 2018, that aims to give our doctoral students a better understanding of grants and resources available after receiving their PhD. Doctoral students and supervisors from all faculties are welcome!

You are invited to attend a seminar by Dr. Diego Bohorquez (Duke University, USA) entitled “How your brain makes sense of food in the gut”. Diego grew up in a farm in the Ecuadorian Amazonia. In 2005, began a Ph.D. in Nutrition at NC State University and realized the profound influence the gut exerts on the brain and behaviors. In 2010, he began Postdoctoral Training in Neurogastroenterology at Duke University and discovered that the cells that sense food and microbes in the gut are hardwired to the brain, opening an entire new field in gut-brain biology.

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The members of the “conect4children” (c4c) initiative announced the start of a large collaborative paediatric network that will facilitate the development of new drugs and other therapies for the entire paediatric population in Europe.

UT scientists are developing medicines suitable for newborns and young children and studying the suitability of existing drugs because there is a great need for pharmaceutical preparations meant for young patients. Currently, children often need to use adult medicines that have been adapted for them but which may also contain excipients unsuitable for children.

We kindly invite doctorate students of the Faculty of Medicine to participate in Science Day held by Faculty of Medicine at 25.–26.05.2018 in Vehendi motell. This year our key presenter is prof Mart Saarma from University of Helsinki Institute of Biotechnology. Science Day is excellent way for PhD students to practise presenting your scientific work and network with other PhD students.

You are invited to join the lecture by Professor Anne Agur (PhD, University of Toronto, Canada) on Friday, 27 April at 13:00 at A. Linkbergi auditorium (Puusepa Street 8) titled „Peripheral sensory nerve blocks and radiofrequency ablation: An alternative pain management strategy".

An international hackathon devoted to finding innovative solutions in the fields of bioeconomy, biotechnology and biomedicine will take place on 27th-28th of April 2018 in SPARK (Narva mnt. 3, Tartu, Estonia) a HUB of the start-up community in Southern Estonia.

Estonian Academy of Sciences organised a national competition in Estonia in autumn 2017 and based on the results, submitted three candidates to the international final round. 1. Uku Haljasorg, PhD, Research Fellow of Molecular Immunology; 2. Kristi Huik, PhD, Research Fellow of Medical Virology and Microbiology; 3. Liis Lemsalu, doctoral student, Junior Researcher at the National Institute for Health Development.

At an extraordinary meeting on 1 March, the council of the Faculty of Medicine decided to submit professor Toomas Asser as a candidate to the post of the rector of the University of Tartu. All members the council of the Faculty of Medicine who attended the meeting voted for nomination of professor Toomas Asser as the rector’s candidate.