Estonia: Technology, Innovation and European Competitiveness


The course will meet from Monday, 03 June 2013 until Friday, 21 June 2013 in two different Estonian cities - Tallinn (at the premises of the University of Tartu Office in Tallinn) and Tartu (at the main campus of the University of Tartu). The students are expected to arrive on Sunday, 02 June 2013.

The goal of the program is to examine how Estonia (a member of the European Union since 2004 and the last country so far that has switched to euro) shapes its economic strategy from the angle of technological innovation. The program will explore how private corporate innovations complement public policy directions. Thanks to its innovative environment, many technological achievements that Estonia now takes for granted were invented in Estonia - among the best known in Skype. Estonia has one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union after the economic slowdown.

The program includes seminars on the public policies, combined with private initiative, which have led to Estonia’s economic success. Students will be able to hear from individuals who have actively shaped the country’s strategic choices and who have been at the birth of various “winning” initiatives. The practical seminars are complemented by theoretical reflections from the University of Tartu's leading professors in the respective fields.

An integral part of the program will be visits to enterprises and governmental establishments that are at the forefront of technological innovation. There also will be visits to state and public institutions that are using the various e-solutions and technologically advanced tools. During these visits the students will also be able to interact with the managers or leaders who talk about the company’s or institution’s strategy, successes, failures and challenges, after which there is room for questions and answers.

Upon successful completion the participants will receive University of Tartu Certificate of Completion and an Academic Transcript.


Week I: Tallinn, Sunday, 02 June - Sunday, 09 June 2013

Seminars will be held from Monday, 03 June to Thursday, 06 June on the following topics:

- Overview of European economic challenges
- Overview of European fiscal policies
- Estonia’s property reform
- Estonia’s currency reform

There will be corporate and governmental visits, where the students will be introduced to the activities of the respective company or governmental/public entity in the context of using or shaping technological innovation.

Cultural program will include:

- Welcome dinner
- Tallinn City tour

Week II: Tartu, Monday, 10 June - Sunday, 16 June 2013

Tartu, the site of the University of Tartu

According to information on the ISI Web of Science, the University of Tartu belongs to the top 1% of the world's most-cited universities and research institutions in the fields of Clinical Medicine, Chemistry, Environment/Ecology, Plant and Animal Science, Geosciences, Social Sciences (general), Biology and Biochemistry and Engineering. The University is ranked among the top 3% of the world’s universities according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012.

Seminars will be on the following topics:

- Estonian energy and environmental policies
- Estonian economic model in Scandinavian and European context
- The future of the European Union and euro
- Overview of the University of Tartu industry-driver research projects in the fields of software engineering and data mining

There will be following visits to University of Tartu research centers connected with world-class innovation research, as well as to biotechnology companies.

Cultural program will include:

- Reception at the City Government
- Tartu City tour
- Visit to the Museum of the University of Tartu

Week III: Tallinn, Monday, 17 June - Saturday, 22 June 2013

Seminars will be held on the following topics

- Estonia’s taxation policies
- Public/private partnerships in Estonia vis-à-vis the European practices
- Estonian public policies in support of innovation

There will be corporate and governmental visits, where the students will be introduced to the activities of the respective company or governmental/public entity in the context of using or shaping technological innovation, including:

- Ministry of Social Affairs
- Ministry of Economics and Transportation
- Estonian Parliament
- E-Governance Academy

The cultural program will include:

- Farewell event


The application deadline is 15 April 2013.

The program awards 6 ECTS credits.

The program fee is 2090 EUR. This includes tuition, accommodation with breakfast, transportation during the program, cost of the cultural and social program and services of the host university. For application, please go to How to apply section of our website.