1 December marks 102 years from the opening of the Estonian-language University of Tartu. Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser announced the recipient of the award "Contribution to Estonian National Identity", 102 birthday candles were lit in front of the university's main building, and the Arch Bridge in Tartu turned blue in the honour of the university.
During the past year, the university has become richer by four honorary doctors and 106 doctors. Traditionally, doctoral degrees are conferred at the ceremony marking the anniversary of Estonia's national university, but this time, the conferment ceremony will take place in June 2022.
The University of Tartu Senate also appointed four honorary doctorates:
- Professor of the University of Turku Marja-Liisa;
- Professor of the University of Konstanz Astrid;
- Research Director of the University of Helsinki and Director of its Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academician, Professor Mart Saarma;
- Joint Director of EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute John Frederick William Birney.
Since 2004, on the anniversary of the national university, the University of Tartu has recognised individuals whose creative work has made an outstanding contribution to promoting the national identity of Estonians and Estonia. On the anniversary, the Rector of the University of Tartu, Professor Toomas Asser announced the laureate of the Contribution to Estonian National Identity award, composer Erkki-Sven Tüür.
University of Tartu was founded in 1632 by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, but since 1919 it is the first university in the world to teach in Estonian. A video created by the UT Student Union was published on the university's Facebook page to introduce the story of how Estonia's national university came to be.
More information about anniversary on the website of the University of Tartu: https://www.ut.ee/en/news/university-tartu-celebrates-102nd-anniversary-estonias-national-university