Political Science - University of Tartu

18/09/2026

🇺🇸 Stanford meets Skytte!

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of Stanford University students to Political Science - University of Tartu as part of their study trip across the Baltic states. 🇪🇪

💬 During their time in Tartu, the students joined me, Oleksii Kolesnykov, and Piret Ehin for discussions on Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and what it means for Estonia – from public perceptions of the war to its impact on elections, party politics, ethnic relations and social cohesion.

Joining the students on their visit were Amir Weiner, Director of Stanford’s Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies (CREEES), Liisi Esse, Curator for Estonian and Baltic Studies at Stanford Libraries, and Lisa Trei, Consultant at Vabamu museum.

🤝🌍 The visit was another chapter in the long-standing ties between Stanford and Skytte, which have grown over the years through research exchanges, visiting fellows and summer internships.

24/08/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Rowe! 👏

Today, on August 24, Oliver Rowe successfully defended his doctoral dissertation "Self-determination in theory and practice: the reconfiguration of the ‘Russian’ Empire, 1914–1924”.

Thank you to supervisor Eva Piirimäe (University of Tartu), as well as the opponent Lara Douds (Northumbria University).

Find Oliver's dissertation here 👉 https://dspace.ut.ee/items/eeda421a-1c35-41c2-830f-d46a824a84f1

19/08/2026

🎓 Upcoming doctoral defence

📅 On Monday, 24 August at 10:00, Oliver Rowe will defend his dissertation: "Self-determination in theory and practice: the reconfiguration of the ‘Russian’ Empire, 1914–1924"

The defence is open to everyone interested and will take place in the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (Lossi 36-214). The dissertation is supervised by Professor Eva Piirimäe (University of Tartu).

📍 👉 More information: https://skytte.ut.ee/en/event/doctoral-defence-oliver-rowe-self-determination-theory-and-practice-reconfiguration-russian

06/08/2026

🇪🇺 The Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies is proud to be part of INTEGRA, a major Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project supporting Moldova's EU accession process through higher education.

Together with our partners, we will help develop Moldova's first nationally institutionalised flagship Master's programme in European Affairs - an important step in strengthening the country's institutional capacity for European integration. 🎓

At the Skytte Institute, we are contributing our expertise in European studies, curriculum development, digital education, and innovative teaching methods to help educate the next generation of professionals who will support Moldova's European future. 🧑‍🏫

📍 More about the project:

The University of Tartu is pleased to announce that the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project “EU-MOLDOVA Master's Programme in European Affairs” (INTEGRA) has been selected for funding, marking a significant step in supporting the Republic of Moldova’s European integration th...

09/07/2026

🇨🇾✨ Last week, our summer school in Cyprus concluded with inspiring discussions, new perspectives, and unforgettable field visits!

Thank you to Eiki Berg and Shpend Kursani for sharing their expertise, and to all our students for your curiosity, thoughtful conversations, and enthusiasm throughout the week. Until next time!

01/07/2026

🎙️ Proud to share this conversation featuring one of our institute's recent PhD graduates, Logan Carmichael, who reflects on the PhD journey and life along the way. Give it a listen!

Listen on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIW_nhYN7AE

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0R0I7w141IJ3HKZlD9Tlud?si=3ee1733473394184

26/06/2026

"Somewhere along the way, without quite planning it, we also collected something else – people."

In her graduation speech, our International Relations and Regional Studies MA graduate Daria Ahafonova beautifully captured what so many of our graduates feel: that their time at the Skytte Institute was about much more than earning a degree. It was about finding friendships, building a community, and creating connections that will last long after leaving Tartu.

And, as Daria put it, let's treat this not as a goodbye, but as "a promise to stay curious, to stay in touch, and to show up for each other – even when life pulls us in different directions."

✨ Read Daria's full speech on our website: https://skytte.ut.ee/en/news/daria-ahafonova-we-were-changed-here-not-only-place-also-each-other
📹 Rewatch the speech on UTTV (from 47:30): https://uttv.ee/naita?id=42500

Congratulations once again to all of our graduates – we are so, so proud of you and can't wait to see where your journeys take you next!

Graduation speech by Daria Ahafonova.

19/06/2026

💙 Our dear 2026 graduates!

16/06/2026

Yesterday, on June 15, Biao He successfully defended his doctoral dissertation “When e-government meets bureaucracy: incentive structures shaping accessible service delivery in Chinese municipalities” 🌐

Congratulations to Dr. He! Thank you to his supervisors Mihkel Solvak (University of Tartu) and Vincent Homburg (Erasmus University Rotterdam), as well to the opponent Kim Normann Andersen (Copenhagen Business School).

Find the doctoral dissertation here 👉 https://skytte.ut.ee/en/event/doctoral-defence-biao-he-when-e-government-meets-bureaucracy-incentive-structures-shaping

14/06/2026

✨ On Friday, we wrapped up three inspiring days of the 10th anniversary of the Tartu Conference on East European and Eurasian Studies.

This year’s conference brought together 220+ guests from across Europe, the United States, Canada, and beyond, with 57 panels creating space for insightful discussions and new connections.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to making this anniversary edition so memorable. 🤍

See you again next year!

🔗 Explore the conference and stay tuned for future updates: https://sisu.ut.ee/tartuconference/