---

A visit to the University of Tartu

On Tuesday, February 10th, dr hab. Patrycja Matusz, the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, together with Anna Juras, the manager of the Excellence Initiative – Research University (IDUB) office, went on a working visit to the University of Tartu, located in Estonia.

Meeting with the leaders of one of the top universities in Northern Europe has provided them with valuable insights into implementing the Excellence Initiative – Research University program into our academy.

The program of the visit combined academic tradition with modernity. The delegation visited the historical 18th-century main building, as well as the Delta Centre – the Estonian digitalization and innovation hub where science meets business. Yet the highlight of the trip was the discussion about the university’s success strategy, which strengthens its position amongst the world’s most prestigious universities.

University of Tartu’s strategy was based on the principle: “US – ESTONIA – EUROPE”. Meeting with Professor Tõnu Esko’s (the Vice Rector for Development) team showed the essence of Tartu’s success. This university went beyond formal quality systems. Management is not associated with control, but with the culture of continuous improvement ingrained in its DNA.

– It is an institution that thinks in terms of community. Their priority is the success of the entire university. Simplistic frameworks and rational management aim at building relationships with researchers based on trust and support – emphasized Professor Patrycja Matusz.

Records in acquiring grants

The effects of this approach are impressive. The University of Tartu acquired funding from the prestigious ERC (European Research Council) grants in every category (Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, Proof of Concept, and Synergy). This places the Estonian academy in the elite group of over fifty institutions in Europe. Their success is not a coincidence, but the outcome of working with the centralized Grant Office. It professionally supports researchers in every step of the way – beginning with conceptions and following up to audits.

Transparent and responsible science

During the meeting with the Vice Rector for Research, Mari Moora, and the visit to the Estonian Biobank, building trust for science was discussed. Transparency is Tartu’s main objective:

– Public reports: strategies, business plans, and research results are all publicly available.
– Employee welfare: work-life balance and well-being of the faculty are regularly examined.
– Recognizability: the University stands in the top 1% most frequently referenced institutions in 15 research fields in the world.

Inspiration for the University of Wrocław

The visit has granted our university substantial standards, which could help our development, such as:

– The integration of quality systems with a 10-year development strategy.
– Building effective communication between both inside and outside institutions about research outcomes.
– Creating the culture of transparency and employee care.

The University of Tartu proves that a mid-size university can successfully compete with global giants if it focuses on professional management, systematic cooperation, and authentic care for its people.

More information about the visit to the University of Tartu can be found in the report.

Translated by Weronika Wolak (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice