TalTech's
Rector elections
Table of Contents
In 2025, the Board of Tallinn University of Technology will elect a new rector for the university. This webpage offers an overview of the information and news about the elections. The page will be updated throughout the election process.
Candidates
Rector Professor Tiit Land
Tiit Land earned a PhD from Stockholm University in 1994. In 2007, he was appointed Professor in the Chair of Chemistry at Tallinn University. From 2011 to 2020, Land served as the Rector of Tallinn University. Since 2020, he has served as Rector of Tallinn University of Technology and member of the University Board of Stockholm University. Tiit Land is Chairman of Universities Estonia.
Professor Tarmo Soomere, member of The Estonian Academy of Sciences
Tarmo Soomere is a marine scientist and mathematician. He earned a PhD from Moscow P.P.Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in 1984 and his second PhD from the University of Tartu in 1992. In 2005, Soomere was appointed Professor of Coastal Engineering at Tallinn University of Technology. From 2014 to 2024, he served as the President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. He is currently a Tenured Professor of Coastal Engineering at Tallinn University of Technology, Chairman of the Council of the Estonian University of Life Sciences and Chairman of the Council of the Foresight Centre.
Read interviews with rector candidates
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.
Candidate fo the Rector Tarmo Soomere: The society is grateful when the discussion is led by wise people
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.
Election timeline
Election procedure
In 2025, the Board of Tallinn University of Technology will elect a new rector for the university. This webpage offers an overview of the information and news about the elections. The page will be updated throughout the election process. You can find information on the composition and responsibilities of the Board here.
The rector elections, as well as the work of the Board and the rector, are governed by:
- Tallinn University of Technology Act
- Statutes of Tallinn University of Technology
- Procedure for Electing the Rector
The rector is elected by the Board, composed of the following members:
- Heiti Hääl, Chairman of the Board
- Tõnis Kanger, Vice-Chairman of the Board
- Miina Karafin
- Ülo Langel
- Madis Margus
- Arvo Oorn
- Tiina Randma-Liiv
- Maive Rute
- Riin Savi
- Tanel Tammet
- Ants Vill
The new rector will assume office at the start of the upcoming academic year.
“The rector of Tallinn University of Technology will serve an exceptional four-year term this time to prevent future overlaps between the cycles of the elections of the Board and the rector. This ensures that the rector elections is not the first issue a newly elected Board must address. This is a one-time decision, and future rectors will be elected for a five-year term unless the Board decides otherwise,” said Chairman of the Board, Heiti Hääl.
Election Committee
The Election Committee is responsible for ensuring the lawful organisation and conduct of the elections, and shall:
- publish a notice about the rector elections and the terms of the nomination process in at least two nationwide newspapers and on the university’s website within one week of the election announcement;
- register the candidates for rector;
- present candidates for rector to the Board for their position statement;
- inform the Board of the Election Committee’s decisions and, if necessary, propose changes to the deadlines for the election procedures;
- organise the rector candidates’ debates and the presentation of their action plans at the university;
- present the candidates for rector on behalf of the Board to the Senate for a position statement;
- prepare the Board meeting for the rector elections;
- decide on other organisational and technical matters related to the elections.
The Committee includes:
- Madis Margus, Chairman (valimiskomisjon@taltech.ee)
- Tõnis Kanger
- Tõnu Pihelgas
- Arvo Oorn, alternate member
Media contact:
- Krõõt Nõges, Head of Media Relations
- Phone: +372 620 3594
- Mobile: +372 5303 6163
- email: kroot.noges@taltech.ee
Election news
In special edition of Mente et Manu, published in April, we turn the spotlight on the upcoming rector elections. Two candidates are facing not ju...
