University of Tartu celebrates the 102nd anniversary of Estonia's national university

Wednesday, 1 December, marks 102 years from the opening of the Estonian-language University of Tartu. Although the traditional events of the anniversary of Estonia's national university have been cancelled due to the spread of coronavirus, Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser will announce the recipient of the award "Contribution to Estonian National Identity", 102 birthday candles will be lit in front of the university's main building, and the Arch Bridge in Tartu will turn blue in the honour of the university.

On the morning of 1 December, in his video greeting, Rector Professor Toomas Asser announces the recipient of the award "Contribution to Estonian National Identity", whose creative work has significantly promoted the national and state identity of Estonians and Estonia.

The ceremony marking the 102nd anniversary of Estonia's national university, the torchlight procession and the anniversary ball have been cancelled, but at 11:30, the university family will light 102 birthday candles in front of the university's main building. In the darkness of early morning and evening, the Arch Bridge will glow in blue to honour Estonia's national 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.

See the list of people who have defended their doctoral degree during the past year

• at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities,
• at the Faculty of Social Sciences,
• at the Faculty of Medicine,
• at the Faculty of Science and Technology.

At its session of 29 May, the University of Tartu Senate appointed four honorary doctorates:

• Professor of the University of Turku Marja-Liisa Helasvuo was granted an honorary doctorate in linguistics for her outstanding contribution to the development of linguistic thought and her long-term cooperation with researchers of the University of Tartu;
• Professor of the University of Konstanz Astrid Stadler was granted an honorary doctorate in law for her outstanding achievements in law and years of successful cooperation with the University of Tartu School of Law in forming the new generation of legal scholars;
• Research Director of the University of Helsinki and Director of its Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Academician, Professor Mart Saarma was granted an honorary doctorate in neuroscience for his outstanding achievements in research and long-term supportive and fruitful collaboration with researchers of the University of Tartu;
• Joint Director of EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute John Frederick William Birney was granted an honorary doctorate in bioinformatics for his excellent research work, international cooperation, role as an advocate of open science, and long-term research cooperation with Estonia, incl. support to University of Tartu researchers.

On the afternoon of 1 December, a video created by the UT Student Union will be published on the university's Facebook page to introduce the story of how Estonia's national university came to be.

Further information: Kady Sõstar, Senior Specialist for Protocol, University of Tartu, 737 5685, 511 9188, kady.sostar@ut.ee