A total of 752 applications were received for the autumn 2022 competition. The scholarships were awarded in cooperation with Estonian companies and private individuals. Through the Tallinn University of Technology Development Fund, the students were supported for the first time by Playtech Estonia, Fibenol, Baltic Workboats, the City of Tallinn, Ösel Consulting, Estonian Cell, Grant Thornton, Prysmian Group Baltics, PricewaterhouseCoopers, real estate agency Uus Maa, Finestmedia, Saku Metall, Favorte OÜ, SA Southwerstern Advantage, R8 Technologies, Interconnect Product Assembly, and Kristel Kruustük. In addition, students were able to apply for several new scholarships named after well-known individuals: Rein Lind, Lembit Maiste, and Arvo Ots.

The biggest contributor – XRP Ledger Trust – distributed scholarships in the amount of EUR 23,000 to TalTech students. ‘I am pleased to see that so many companies are willing to contribute to good students. Scholarship providers are helping to popularise important areas among today’s students,’ said Elinor Toming, Director of the Development Fund, adding that the financial support allows students to devote more time to studying. ‘I call on companies to award a wider spectrum of scholarships that students from all disciplines can apply for.’

For example, the TREV-2 Group has been supporting TalTech master’s students through the Development Fund for many years. ‘We are a construction company with a long-standing history in Estonia, and we know from our experience how important it is to add educated and active young people to infrastructure construction,’ said Sven Pertens, Member of the Management Board of TREV-2 Grupp. ‘Therefore, for more than two decades, we have been awarding a scholarship bearing our own name, to help create an opportunity for students to devote themselves fully to their studies and also to recognise students for their excellent academic performance,’ added Pertens.

Baltic Workboats contributed to doctoral studies for the first time during the autumn competition. ‘As a shipbuilding company, we wish to recognise the excellent work done by young researchers with a doctoral scholarship and to support Estonian maritime education. Sustainable shipbuilding is important to Baltic Workboats, which is why both educated engineers and researchers play an important role in our daily work,’ said Nalmond Meri, Member of the Management Board. ‘We were pleased to see that a large number of students applied for the scholarship – this also confirms interest in our field. Making the choice was difficult, as in our eyes all of the candidates deserved a scholarship,’ noted Meri, adding that the final decision was made based on the candidate’s wish to contribute to engineering education being offered in Saaremaa. ‘We hope that the scholarship we have offered will be of help to good engineers and researchers in obtaining an education, with whom we can work together in the future.’

Robert Kitt, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the TalTech Development Fund and Chairman of the Management Board of Utilitas Tallinn, noted that the scholarships help encourage students to devote themselves more to areas in which solutions must be found to solve the bottlenecks of everyday life in a sustainable way. ‘Infrastructure, energy, information technology, the economy, the environment – all areas need smart and motivated new generations in order to develop,’ Kitt said. He added that the Utilitas Clean Energy Scholarship recognised courageous, green, and sustainable thinkers this year.

Planning for the spring 2023 scholarship competition and preliminary work with cooperation partners is already underway. Additional information: https://taltech.ee/en/development-fund