University of Tartu tops Estonian university rankings for 7th consecutive year

Photo: Margus Ansu

The University of Tartu is the most highly regarded university in Estonia for the seventh year running, a survey by TNS Emor pollsters shows.

The University of Tartu was mentioned by 86 percent of respondents when asked to name one Estonian university, five percentage points more than last year, and it was mentioned first by 52 percent of the polled. Even 82 percent of the polled considered the University of Tartu to be the most prestigious university in Estonia. The university was ranked highest by the 15-19 age group which includes present and future students.

Respondents highlighted the high level of competition for a place in the University of Tartu compared to other universities. «This is for us a quality indicator, because the admission threshold of the University of Tartu is higher than that of other universities,» vice rector for academic affairs Martin Hallik said adding that this is in line with the university's key priority to admit only the best candidate students and thereby ensure high quality of education.

The main strengths of Estonia's most prestigious university are a high level of education, reliability and a diploma that is valued in the labor market and which comes together with the knowledges and skills necessary for working in one's field of study, the polled said. Successful alumni of the university also were mentioned.

The circle of people who hold the University of Tartu in high regard is quite wide. Among them, the number of 25-34-year-olds, people with a higher education, top executives and specialists, and people with an above average income exceeds the average.

TNS Emor conducted the survey of the reputation of universities from April 15-29 by interviewing 1,014 residents aged 15-74.