„TalTech’s architecture programme has been the most popular choice for studying architecture in Estonia for seven consecutive years. With four doctoral defences this year and more than 20 early-career researchers, we have also established ourselves as an important research group in doctoral education,“ said prof Lylykangas.

„It is important to recognise that not all assumptions about funding and performance that apply in engineering can be readily transferred to architecture. Differences in educational approaches and the resulting resource requirements are recognised across universities and at ministry level. The solution is therefore not to force architecture to operate according to the performance criteria of another discipline, but to gradually develop field-specific performance objectives that will guide TalTech’s architecture programme towards internationally recognised standards of quality in research and education,“ Professor Lylykangas explained.

Prof. Lylykangas also wishes to highlight the high standard of TalTech’s support services: „I am very grateful for all the support I have received over these eight years. I would particularly like to acknowledge the work of TalTech’s HR team, the legal services and the support staff of my research group. At many universities, one can only dream of such prompt and personalised problem-solving.“

The duties of the head of the Academy are now transferred to Ioannis Lykouras, who has long experience in architecture education. The master´s theses under his supervision at TalTech have been frequently awarded. Lykouras practices architecture in Tallinn since 2012 and is known, for example, as one of the authors of the EU-Lisa building at Lennusadam. Currently, his office LÜNK arhitektid is working on another competition-winning project, the Pirita beach promenade. As Lykouras holds degrees in both civil engineering and architecture, and is fluent in the Estonian language, he has excellent capacities to develop further TalTech's local and international networks in education and research. He was a key contributor in the Erasmus+ -funded project that developed an online curriculum for climate-conscious architecture in collaboration with four other European schools of architecture.