STUDY IN ESTONIA IN CHINA – TWO WEEKS FULL OF ACTIVITIES INTRODUCING ESTONIAN HIGHER EDUCATION

Educational fairs, workshops, open lectures, concerts and much more – Study in Estonia together with the universities visited China in October and November 2013 and held different events to introduce Estonian higher education and the study opportunities in English in Estonia.

The official visit of Study in Estonia started with the China Education Expo in Beijing, where from 2-3 of November the representatives of Study in Estonia (Archimedes Foundation) and the universities introduced the study possibilities in Estonia to all interested visitors. The China Education Expo took place in China National Convention Center in Beijing and four universities from Estonia were present: the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University and Estonian Business School. The same event was also held in Shanghai from 9-10th of November at the Shanghai East Asia Exhibition Hall. These two education fairs were excellent possibilities to all pupils, students, parents, teachers and everyone else to meet the representatives of Estonian universities in Beijing and Shanghai, to hear more about programmes taught in English, learn about the entry requirements, scholarship possibilities and get answers to all the questions related to studying and living in Estonia.

Besides participating at the education expo, Estonian universities also visited their partner universities in China to strengthen the cooperation and to encourage student and staff mobility and exchange. There were number of workshops and open lectures given by the professors of Estonian universities to the Chinese students in various fields: information technology, software engineering, design, finances and manufacturing being only a few of those. In addition, the former Head of Skype in Estonia, Mr. Tiit Paananen (MJur – board member, IT and Telecommunications Association, Estonia) joined the delegation to give open lectures in several Chinese universities and institutions on building blocks of good career in European IT business.

It is also significant that on 28th of October a Nordic-Baltic Cultural Center was opened in University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST), a partner university of the two biggest universities in Estonia: the University of Tartu and Tallinn University of Technology. The cultural center is based around the culture exchange program between USST and its Nordic-Baltic counterparts. The center is located in one of the original USST buildings, a historic three-story house in the heart of the campus and is designed by an Estonian architect and combined with Finnish and Swedish elements. The Nordic-Baltic Cultural Center was opened by the Vice-President of USST Mr. Chen Bin and the Director of the Center Mr. Rolf Appelkvist, speeches were given by the Head of the European Union and International Cooperation Department of the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research Mr. Kalmar Kurs and the Vice-Rector of the University of Tartu Prof. Erik Puura. The center has a permanent Nordic-Baltic exhibition including materials about education and culture of Estonia. During the Study in Estonia visit to China different activities were carried out at this cultural center, for example several workshops and open lectures were given by the professors of Estonian universities, Estonian Academy of Arts animation film programme was shown and there was a concert by Heiki Mätlik (D. Mus), a guitar professor of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. On 8th of November Estonian Consulate General in Shanghai together with Study in Estonia organized a reception and opening of the Estonian photo exhibition “Fascinating Estonia” in the same cultural center of USST.
Study in Estonia has been active in introducing Estonian higher education in China since its beginning in 2008, participating also at the Shanghai World EXPO in 2010.

18. nov 2013