Book on the first 100 years of Estonian-speaking university

The richly illustrated book on the first one hundred years of the Estonian-language university in Tartu (“Eestikeelse Tartu ülikooli esimene aastasada”) will be presented in the White Hall of the University of Tartu Museum on 28 November.

This comprehensive study of the first one hundred years of the university, which opened as an Estonian-speaking university in 1919, was due to be published already before the centenary celebrations of Estonia’s national university in 2019. According to the author Erki Tammiksaar, UT Associate Professor in History of Geography, the main reason for the delay was that he had greatly overestimated his knowledge of the university’s history and the ease of writing it.

The new book focuses on the University of Tartu in its entirety. It analyses the university’s role in developing teaching and research and in the development of Estonia more broadly, as well as the relations of the alma mater with the authorities. It also reflects the general trends the university has had to adapt to, both in Estonia and globally.

“This book should be seen as a skeleton for interpreting the university’s history, so future researchers could develop the topics presented in the book further, put some flesh on the bones and make the university more complete,” said Tammiksaar.

The book and its presentation are in Estonian.