University of Tartu first Estonian university to unite alumni in interactive web environment

The University of Tartu has the largest number of graduates in Estonia—an estimated of 70 000 graduates. Aiming to bring the alumni community closer together, link them more to the university, develop mutual communication and professional cooperation, the University of Tartu launched a network for its alumni (www.utalumni.ee), novel in Estonia as well as Europe, the like of which is also used by the University of Oxford.

“A great number of UT graduates are outstanding opinion leaders in their professional field, entrepreneurship, or social activity, and consider studying at the University of Tartu a significant stage in the formation of their professional life,” said UT Senior Specialist for Marketing Teele Arak.

UT’s aim is that graduates would not shut the university door behind them after graduation but would continue everyday or professional communication with their course mates and university mates, and that they as graduates would feel very welcome at the university, whether acting as mentors, offering internships or giving lectures.

The online environment enables users to post events and send invitations to target groups, announce work and internship offers and get in touch with old course mates.

According to Arak, one of the greatest values of the portal is the chance to include alumni because through the network, the university reaches those people who are willing to contribute to the university’s work.

All graduates and last year master’s students of the University of Tartu can join UT Alumni. “Students have been given access so that already in the final stages of their studies they can find contacts among graduates of their specialisation and, as a result, hopefully have an advantage in entering the professional labour market. It is an important factor in creating the alumni mentality in students already during their studies,” she added.

The idea of the UT Alumni network has been supported by several UT alumni who are successful in their field, for example, zoologist Aleksei Turovski, cofounder of Mooncascade and Garage 48 Priit Salumaa, and Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, who all value their university years and acknowledge the University of Tartu as a sign of quality.

Have a look at and join the UT Alumni network at www.utalumni.ee.

Additional information: Teele Arak, UT Senior Specialist for Marketing, tel. 53 433 773, e-mail: teele.arak@ut.ee.