A total of 641 applications were submitted to the spring 2023 competition. For the first time, the Development Fund limited the number of applications per student – one student could apply for a maximum of three scholarships. A total of 87 scholarships were awarded this spring, supported by more than 40 partners. This was also the first time that Adven Estonia, Sunly, Artec Design, ORLEN Estonia, and Capital Mill sponsored students through the TalTech Development Fund; moreover, this spring saw the introduction of the new EuroTeQ Continuing Education Scholarship, the Uno Tölpuse Scholarship, and the Wise Scholarship for female students.

Rasmus Udde, the Innovation Manager of Sunly, noted that our future and present are in renewables, supported by the pillars of renewable energy and electrification. ‘That is why Sunly wants to support the builders of a greener world. Sunly awards its scholarship to Anna-Liis Mägi, who shares our vision – the sun and the wind are the keys to saving the world from global warming and renewable energy projects must be implemented,’ he added.

Robert Kitt, Chairman of the Board of the Development Fund of TalTech and Chairman of the Board of Utilitas Tallinn, pointed out that companies contribute to a better future for the entire society by offering scholarships. ‘This benefits the student, the company, and the society as a whole. Scholarships help attract young people to different programmes, where the knowledge they gain can make the world a more sustainable place.’

The ceremony was accompanied by a donor appreciation event, where awards and titles for the year 2022 were handed out to the sponsors of the university. Eesti Energia AS, Nordecon AS, and MTÜ Ledger Trust were awarded the title of Gold Sponsor. Fibenol OÜ, the Lindu family, and Telia AS were thanked as major sponsors. The list of companies that were awarded a title is available on the website of the Development Fund.

Rector of TalTech Tiit Land said in his speech that the university is doing well – we have hard-working students and we offer high-quality education and conduct top class research, but there are also many challenges. ‘One of the concerns is the high drop-out rate, which is mostly caused by the fact that students have to work during their studies,’ he said, stressing the need to improve the financial situation of students. ‘Scholarships are of great help for our students,’ he added, thanking all the sponsors and inviting partners to cooperate more closely with the university.

Kadi Piikov, the Chief of Employee Experience of Eesti Energia, said that cooperation with TalTech is very important for the company and that it invests heavily in it. ‘It encourages and empowers innovation, experimentation, scientific approach, and sustainability,’ said Piikov. She added that cooperation with universities is constantly being developed, both through research and by supporting students with scholarships and professional internships.

Elinor Toming, the Director of the Development Fund, expressed her gratitude to the sponsors who provided the scholarships and had only good words to say about their enthusiasm and commitment. ‘It has been enjoyable, motivating, and very inspiring to meet the representatives of the companies funding the scholarships, whose willingness to support TalTech and the development of Estonian engineering and business education is considerable,’ Toming noted.

The university along with its partners is already planning and preparing for the scholarship competition of autumn 2023. For more information: https://taltech.ee/en/development-fund