Those arriving at the TalTech Development Fund scholarship ceremony were this time unexpectedly greeted by TEMI service robots based on facial recognition. In addition, a humanoid robot took the stage and delivered a speech that set the right atmosphere for the awarding of scholarships worth €293,000.
According to Elinor Toming, Head of the TalTech Development Fund, bringing robots on stage is part of a longer tradition of showcasing the TalTech’s most recent and exciting student and university projects at the scholarship ceremony. “In previous years, we have rolled out a world-class student formula car and an autonomous model car on the red carpet – this year, a humanoid robot stepped in instead of the host. While the robot is not yet ready to host the entire ceremony, such interludes offer an exciting change of pace and demonstrate the wide-ranging innovation taking place at TalTech,” Toming said.
Nearly 900 applications and more than €293,000 in scholarships
On this occasion, with the support of the Development Fund, scholarships worth 293,700 euros were awarded by 56 cooperation partners. The competition was exceptionally intense: 475 candidates submitted nearly 900 applications in total, averaging 12 applications per scholarship. Altogether, 117 students received scholarships, including outstanding talents at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
During the competition period, the Development Fund’s website was visited by nearly 4,000 people, confirming the very high demand for study support and the importance of scholarship competitions for students. The greatest interest continues to be in scholarships in IT, energy, and other engineering fields. At the same time, the School of Science would benefit from more attention – especially students of applied physics, whose potential is high and whose career opportunities range from IT and the financial sector to ministries and the defence industry.
Jervan: a scholarship is a vote of confidence, not merely financial support
Gert Jervan, Member of the Council of the TalTech Development Fund and Dean of the School of Information Technologies, emphasized that the Development Fund has grown into Estonia’s largest foundation supporting students – and that this is a joint effort by supporters, students, and the university alike. “A scholarship is not a ready-made solution, but a vote of confidence in students – an opportunity that creates better conditions for focus, learning, and finding one’s own path of development,” Jervan noted. “Supporters are investing not only in their visibility, but in shaping Estonia’s future, which makes their contribution especially valuable.”
Students: “It’s a boost of confidence”
According to students, a scholarship is much more than financial support. Previous scholarship recipients have repeatedly emphasized that a scholarship is “a boost of confidence and a sign that dedication pays off.” This year’s Lembit Maiste Young Researcher Scholarship recipient Karolina Kudelina, who has been recognized several times as a doctoral student, noted that scholarships have been a major motivator for her to continue her research work. “This support gives me confidence that I am on the right path.”
Companies are contributing more than ever – a record number of additional scholarships
This year’s competition clearly demonstrated the growing interest of companies in supporting students. Construction company NOBE, participating for the first time, decided after reviewing the candidates to award as many as five additional special scholarships on top of the main scholarship.
ETS NORD, familiar from the spring competition, also continued its strong support, once again recognizing second- and third-place candidates with additional scholarships. Several long-term cooperation partners – Merko Ehitus, the EERO Canada Fund, Endel Palla, and others – were unable to choose just one candidate and therefore awarded multiple additional grants.
The message from companies is clear: investing in future talent pays off many times over and is critical for the continued technological development of Estonia.