Erasmus Charter

The Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) provides the general quality framework for European and international cooperation activities a higher education institution (HEI) may carry out within Erasmus+. The award of an Erasmus Charter for Higher Education is a pre-requisite for all HEIs located in a Programme country and willing to participate in the learning mobility of individuals and/or cooperation for innovation and good practices under Erasmus+. More information about ECHE can be found here.

TalTech Erasmus Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027

Established in 1918, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) is a technical university of international scope that provides high-level research education in engineering, natural and social sciences. TalTech is tightly integrated with international cooperation networks and projects, participates actively in creating the European higher education and research area and is attractive among international students as well as international teaching staff and researchers.

The mission of Tallinn University of Technology is to be a promoter of science, technology and innovation and a leading provider of engineering and economic education in Estonia. TalTech values professionalism and reliability, entrepreneurship and innovation, openness and cooperativeness. 

The aim of the university is to integrate innovation, entrepreneurship and technological development with the study and research activities so that it would increase significantly the university development, percentage of foreign students and the quality of study activities; as well as to participate successfully in forthcoming EU research, development and educational projects.

The University is cooperating with European, Asian and USA top universities as well as promotes mutual development projects with international and fast growing enterprises. Tallinn University of Technology aims to foster the international recognition of being a reliable partner and to enhance the reputation and attractiveness of education and R&D activities.

As managing international cooperation, it is the aim of TalTech to broaden the scope of internationalisation into all core activities by developing partnerships with international organisations and cooperation networks, higher education as well as R&D institutions around the world.  

Over the past years Tallinn University of Technology has been an active and reliable partner in both, EU and international projects, for example Tempus, Lifelong Learning, Erasmus+, Erasmus Mundus, Nordplus etc. Such cooperation has since grown into over 500 bilateral and multilateral joint agreements with universities around the world.

In numerous EU funded projects, TalTech is valued as a reliable and responsible partner, with the capacity to host both students and staff mobility, as well as organize training and development programmes. 

According to the Strategic Plan of Tallinn University of Technology, TalTech is an internationally outstanding university of engineering and technology, which brings together motivated employees and ambitious students.

The objectives of Tallinn University of Technology are the following:

1. TalTech's key objective is to develop professional potential of its employees, which shall be based on the employee's motivation, international openness and well-targeted selection of staff. TalTech expects the academic staff to have international work experience, regularly engage in self-improvement and actively participate in international research and development and studies.
2. TalTech will introduce an integrated tenure-team academic career model. Student and stakeholder feedback, academic performance, international outreach and industrial partnerships play a key role in the implementation of the career model.
3. TalTech will increase the share of internationally recognised top researchers in the academic family and strengthen its capacity for research, thereby laying a strong foundation for all the activities of the university.
4. TalTech's main task is to provide up-to-date, knowledge-based and learner-focused education at all levels of higher education and in continuing education courses and to develop science and new technologies. TalTech wants to be the first choice for secondary school graduates for continuing their studies and it expects students to be motivated and ambitious. Internationalisation of the student body is considered to play an essential and natural role in further improvement of academic quality.
5. TalTech regards doctoral students as researchers, who, together with post-doctoral fellows, have a vital role in consistent strengthening of the university's capacity for research. TalTech will internationalise doctoral studies and search for talented doctoral students from Estonia as well as from all over the world.
6. TalTech seeks actively new opportunities for multifaceted international cooperation with other universities, research institutions and companies.
7. TalTech shall increase its international visibility and strengthen cooperation with technology-intensive enterprises and the public sector.
8. In order to foster teaching and learning, TalTech will set higher requirements for the teaching staff and students. Valuing of the work of lecturers will be a key element of its organisational culture. TalTech wants to increase the percentage of high-level international students, in particular in master's and doctoral studies, while improving its capacity to provide education in English and fostering joint study programmes with strong academic partners all over the world.
9. In its activities TalTech abides by the principle that the university's strong international position and carefully focused contribution to excellence and state-of-the-art technologies serve the interests of Estonian economy and people in the best way.

All of the above shows very clearly that one of the goals of Tallinn University of Technology is to support international mobility and internationalization and to encourage overall mobility, be it the mobility of students, administrative staff or lecturers. Tallinn University of Technology also considers international cooperation with both higher education institutions and companies and thereby ensuring better quality of studies to be very important.

The Erasmus programme, which provides an opportunity for many employees and lecturers to participate in international development initiatives and teaching and for students to gain experience in international studies or internship, plays a very important role in the implementation of the Strategic Plan of Tallinn University of Technology. In addition, the Erasmus programme helps to actively develop international cooperation and enhance international visibility and position of Tallinn University of Technology.

Tallinn University of Technology confirms that, similarly to the current Erasmus period, the following activities will certainly continue under the new programming period: 

1. All applicants (both students and employees/lecturers) are provided equal opportunities for participating in the project. Everyone, regardless of the applicant's nationality, gender or skin colour, can apply for the vacant mobility positions on uniform and transparent basis that are available to the public and accessible to all interested parties in good time. 
2. TalTech takes into account the studies completed abroad.
3. TalTech does not impose tuition fees on incoming Erasmus students.
4. The list of courses offered by TalTech to international visiting students is available (also in English) to the public and accessible to all interested parties. The list of courses is updated each semester.
5. TalTech makes sure that the outgoing students and staff receive the necessary instructions and have adequate language skills to cope in the host country.
6. TalTech provides full support for both incoming and outgoing mobility regarding information on required documents (incl. visas, residence permits), insurance, accommodation and everyday matters. 
7. TalTech treats both its own and international students and staff equally.
8. TalTech makes sure that the knowledge and assistance of the students and staff returning from a mobility reaches the new potential applicants. For this purpose, information sessions and study abroad fairs and seminars are held with the help and support of participants in mobility programmes.

TalTech´s priority is to develop consistent and successful co-operation on international level and to proceed co-operation with existing partners as well as to share new innovative project ideas with the new ones. Tallinn University of Technology is looking for universities that share common interests to start efficient co-operation. TalTech is also always open to novel ideas and possibilities for their implementation. Because of collective action, all parties are able to contribute to the development of their universities and to achieve beneficial results on international level.