From 13 March, the Estonian government declared an emergency situation, which has required significant reorganisation of studies. Distance learning solutions are provided in almost all the courses taught at TalTech and the feedback from the participants in the studies indicates that TalTech has succeeded very well in doing that. Special thanks to all the active contributors – the lecturers and students as well as the university staff who support this activity daily!
The changes in studies introduced in March were made knowing that face-to-face teaching (e.g. practical training) will be possible starting from 1 May. Based on our current knowledge, in the near future, some sort of face-to-face teaching will resume by the decision of the Government of the Republic also in higher education institutions. In such a scenario, studies at Tallinn University of Technology will be organised as follows:
1. Current smooth operation of distance learning provides grounds to believe that the majority of the courses will be completed by 17 May and the students will pass their exams and assessments by the deadline set in the academic calendar, i.e. by 10 June. In exceptional cases and in compliance with the rules of the emergency situation, face-to-face teaching can be carried out also in the period from 17 May to 10 June. This means that the university extents the deadline for completing face-to-face teaching until 10 June (instead of 17 May as set originally in the calendar). It should be ensured, however, that students are able to complete their courses also by distance learning methods (since some students have left for their home countries abroad, some are in quarantine in Saaremaa, etc.). At the request of the programme director and by dean's order, the deadline for completing a course can be shifted, if necessary, to 19 August. The study load of students as at the end of academic year will be calculated after 19 August.
2. The deadline for the defence of graduation theses is 11 June. In exceptional cases, the deadline for the defence of graduation theses may be extended until 19 August in accordance with the procedure established by the dean of the school.
3. In exceptional cases, it is possible to defend a graduation thesis conditionally, i.e. a student is allowed to defend his/her graduation thesis even if he/she has not completed all the courses included in his/her study programme yet. More specifically, students
- who have not completed all the courses included in the study programme or
- whose grades for the courses included in their study programme have not been entered in the study information system ÕIS at the latest three working days before the defence of the thesis,
may exceptionally, by dean's order, defend their graduation thesis or take the final examination based on a digitally or hand-signed application submitted no later than 25 May 2020.
4. The deadline for confirming the study place will be extended until 30 August, in order to give the bachelor's and professional higher education graduates the opportunity to continue their studies at the master's level at TalTech starting from the autumn.
5. It is unlikely that in June the university will be able to organise such large-scale events as TalTech festive graduation ceremonies, but it will be decided as soon as possible, whether and when the graduation ceremonies will take place.