The higher education offered in the University of Tartu is modern and science based both by the contents and the form. The high-level scientific research guarantees that the contents of the higher education are science based. The modern and science based form of the higher education is guaranteed by a learning-centered approach and the use of scientifically proven effective teaching methods. Achieving learning outcomes are guaranteed to the students with extra needs by adapted teaching and assessing methods.
6.1. Study quality – directing the student’s development in a direction important to the student and society; the learning activities meet the requirements arising from the laws and university regulations; the studies are fit for purpose.
6.1.1. The university formulates and introduces the principles of quality management and a clear system of quality assurance, which involves cooperation with all the studies’ parties in all parts of the learning process. The quality management system brings together targeting, activities, gathering feedback, involving parties and steps of development activities. The principles of quality management will be implemented in the university at a faculty, institute and curriculum level.
6.1.2. The education offered at UT is based on learning outcomes, instead of factual knowledge, skills of application, analysis and assessment are preferred. Attention is paid to teaching transferable skills.
6.1.3. A subject follows the principle of constructive cohesion – the goal, outcomes, contents, methods, assessment method and criteria are compatible with each other.
6.1.4. The studies are centered on learning – the student and studying is at the centre of the learning process, i.e. the important part is what and how the student obtains in the learning process.
6.1.5. Written assignments should be anonymised/unpersonalised when being assessed, to rule out the unequal treatment of students at the assessment and promote assessment based on common criteria.
6.1.6. The university has study consultants and educational technologists for the constant development of the study quality, who support the teaching staff and the heads of curricula in developing the studies and teaching skills. For optimal support there needs to be at least 1 study consultant and 1 educational technologist per 400 academic staff members. The funding of the study consultants’ and educational technologists’ positions is a faculty priority and sustainable. The university offers flexible opportunities to develop studies, including targeted support.
6.1.7. In order to increase interdisciplinarity, the bachelor’s curricula allow a selection of a minor specialisation (including from other faculties) and the university offers interdisciplinary master’s curricula.
6.1.8. The studies will be offered with the highest possible quality, no matter the study form, incl. distance learning, e-learning etc.
7.1. Organisation of studies – the faculty’s activity is framed and directed by rules, which harmonise the formal functioning of teaching arrangements.
7.1.1. The university has the Study Regulations that are available, understandable to its users and supportive of modern studies and the development of it.
7.1.2. The changes to the Study Regulations arise from aligning it to the higher legal acts or from the influence of non- and inter-university factors, with the goal to support and develop the study activities. The changes will be coordinated with the student union.
7.1.3. The Study Regulations support learning outcome based studies and the use of modern teaching and assessment methods.
8.1. The study environment – The combination of the mental, social and physical environments that surround the students and in which the students develop and learn.
8.1.1. Physical environment
8.1.1.1. Every study building has to have study and recreational rooms or areas and common study opportunities that promote group work, are with a universal design and accessible at the times compatible to the students’ needs.
8.1.1.2. The lighting, fresh air, noise, moisture, temperature and other indicators of the physical environment meet the work and study room standards established in Estonia.
8.1.1.3. All buildings in the campus must be accessible to students with various extra needs.
8.1.1.4. Drinking water (preferably tap water) is accessible and the water machines and taps are adapted to be economical and to allow the refilling of drink bottles.
8.1.1.5. The university offers rooms and opportunities to its student organisations for their operations, including study rooms outside the time of lectures. The rent conditions of the rooms are student friendly and the booking system for the rooms is connected to the university’s other information systems.
8.1.1.6. The university offers enough and diversified options for developing a sporty lifestyle and health. The university promotes and supports an active lifestyle, including in distance learning.
8.1.1.7. In collaboration with the universities, the city government has to guarantee the network for light vehicles and improve the routes and schedules of public transport between the study buildings.
8.2.1. The students’ mental health
8.2.1.1. The university is constantly raising awareness on the nature of mental health issues, prevention measures and the opportunities offered to solve mental health issues.
8.2.1.2. The services offered by the UT Counseling Centre are available to all the students and the university staff members, including those in regional colleges. The UT Counseling Centre booking system is virtual, accessible and user friendly.
8.2.1.3. A mandatory part of the UT tutor’s training program is raising the tutors’ awareness on mental health topics and the prevention and solution measures offered by the university.
9.1. The teaching staff – the persons conducting the teaching work
9.1.1. The positions that assume conducting study activities (including supervising theses) require previous teaching experience, passing theoretical training and/or an agreed plan to pass the relevant training within 3 years from starting the position.
9.1.2. The teaching staff’s professional development in regards to their teaching is supported by centrally coordinated communities of collegial feedback. Starting teaching staff and the teaching staff that wants to develop their teaching are supported by mentors.
9.1.3. The teaching staff’s study, research and leadership assignments’ load’s division and remuneration allows them to focus on the work assignments and is motivating. The university allows a career path that is focused on teaching.
9.1.4. The professional development of the teaching staff is a systemic and constant process and a priority area of personnel policy.
9.1.5. Academic teaching, including researching one’s teaching, is valued. The publications that reflect on one’s teaching are equally valued with the speciality publications.
9.1.6. Attesting the teaching staff and filling new positions is based on the teaching staff’s self-analysis, reflection and portfolio, which also includes an analysis of the previously gathered students’ feedback and the action plan related to teaching.
9.1.7. The students, study consultant and programme director are included with at least the right to speak in the process of attesting the teaching staff.
9.1.8. In order to guarantee the integrity of the curricula, the teaching staff, programme director and the programme council cooperate. The teaching staff is responsible for guaranteeing that their subject(s) match the curriculum’s general goals and development activities.
9.1.9. In order to support the future teaching staff, students have an opportunity to participate in conducting studies as a teaching assistant on every study level. The student teaching assistants will be supported diversely via teaching seminars and their activity is recognised and remunerated.
10.1. The curriculum is a collection of subjects with a common objective and learning outcomes, which has specific agreed upon base principles, structure, capacity and organisation. The curriculum is managed by the programme director.
10.1.1. The compliance of the curricula’s content and structure to the objective of the curriculum is regularly assessed, involving the student representatives and other interested parties. The assessments carried out lead to the action plans of development activities, wherein objectives, deadlines and responsible persons are detailed.
10.1.2. Acquiring the learning outcomes of the curriculum are guaranteed by passing the curriculum’s mandatory subjects, preferably, acquiring each learning outcome is guaranteed by multiple subjects.
10.1.3. In a curriculum, a smooth transition between subjects is guaranteed, without unnecessary dublation.
10.1.4. Teaching transferable skills is carried out by an additive, or integrated speciality subjects method.
10.1.5. The curriculum has a mobility window for passing studies and/or an internship abroad. When using the mobility window, finishing the studies in nominal time is guaranteed.
11.1. The programme director is responsible for the wholeness of the curriculum and the development activities.
11.1.1. The position of a programme director is a valued support structure position in the university. The programme director is granted the necessary workload to arrange their work.
11.1.2. The programme director is guaranteed the resources to carry out the curriculum’s development activities.
11.1.3. The programme director leads the programme council’s work and is responsible for the programme council to carry out regular assessments of the curriculum and to contribute substantially in implementing development activities.