Toomas Asser reelected as rector of University of Tartu

Photo: Kristjan Teedema

The 292-member electoral council of the University of Tartu on Thursday reelected Toomas Asser, the university's current rector, to the position for the next five years, the regional Tartu Postimees writes.

Rector candidates were professor of neurosurgery Toomas Asser, professor of macroeconomics Raul Eamets and professor of bioinformatics Jaak Vilo.

In the first round, Asser received the most votes, 117, while Eamets was supported by 71 and Vilo by 52 members of the electoral council.

Asser and Eamets proceeded to the second round, where Asser received 168 votes and Eamets 68 votes. Thus, Asser was elected as rector.

Toomas Asser is a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and, since 2018, the rector of the University of Tartu. Raul Eamets is an economist and, since 2016, the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. Jaak Vilo is a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences and head of the chair of data science.

Asser was submitted as a candidate by the council of the University of Tartu Faculty of Medicine, Eamets by the council of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Vilo by the council of the Faculty of Science and Technology.

The 292-member electoral council comprises members of the University of Tartu council, the senate, faculty councils and the student union, as well as professors whose workload at the university as a professor is at least 20 hours per week.