In special edition of Mente et Manu, published in April, we turn the spotlight on the upcoming rector elections. Two candidates are facing not just an 11-member board, but also the expectations of 9,100 students, 2,242 staff members, tens of thousands of alumni, and, in truth, society at large. In this issue you'll find long interviews with both candidates and much more.
Our cover feature introduces Annette Vijar, head of the student body, who shares her journey growing up amidst construction projects — a path that naturally led her to study at TalTech. Today, she balances her academic studies and student activism with work in her professional field. Annette believes success starts with getting enough sleep and staying on top of coursework, and she sees the close-knit student community as one of TalTech’s greatest strengths. From university leadership, she expects what TalTech teaches: out-of-the-box engineering thinking, a broad vision, and a deep appreciation for students as the university’s greatest asset. Full interview available in English.
Dr Toomas Vaimann. President of Estonian Young Academy of Sciences and senior researcher at TalTech’s Department of Electrical Power Engineering and Mechatronics, voices concerns about the future of young researchers. “The future of Estonian science and higher education depends on how well we can support and develop early-career researchers,” he writes. He emphasizes their critical role — conducting experimental research, writing scientific articles, mentoring students, and contributing to university development. Yet, the number of PhD students has declined over the past decade, and many young scientists feel uncertain at the start of their academic careers. Their expectations from the universities are clear: stable career prospects, fair and motivating salaries, high-quality supervision, and opportunities to connect academic work with societal and economic development.
Rector Professor Tiit Land is running for a second term. “The second is where you can truly build momentum — and I feel I’m at that point now,” he says. Land envisions an ideal university as one that values every individual: where those expected to deliver the highest results are supported, and those who support them are also recognized and appreciated. He believes TalTech’s key role for Estonia today lies in driving economic growth. “Estonia needs TalTech to be the number one entrepreneurial and innovation-driven university based on top-level science — not just a science university focused solely on fundamental research,” he explains in the interview. If re-elected, Land hopes to steer the university toward fostering Estonia’s high-tech industry, including defense and artificial intelligence sectors. Full interview available in English.
Academician Tarmo Soomere shares why he decided to run for rector. “It seems the university hasn’t fully realized its potential,” he explains. “The arguments presented to me were so compelling that refusing would’ve felt selfish and unstatesmanlike.” For Estonia, he sees TalTech as a guide in the country’s development. While he praises TalTech’s highly skilled people and top-tier infrastructure, Soomere also sees its biggest weakness among its people. “We have too few individuals willing to take on large-scale challenges,” he notes, citing both the lack of rector candidates and limited public engagement from researchers on major societal issues. If elected, he aims to tackle two structural challenges: to infuse TalTech with the spirit of global excellence, and to better define and fulfill the university’s role in serving society.
We asked people within and around the University: What makes a university great? TalTech staff and students shared their honest answers about what an ideal university means to them (p. 28). High school students told us where they dream of studying (p. 16), while entrepreneurs and alumni reflected on what kind of university Estonia truly needs (p. 42). The University’s leadership has also received clear messages from within — expectations have been voiced by both the academic union (p. 48) and the heads of administrative and support units (p. 45).
