Tallinn University of Technology

From Free net encyclopedia

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) (Estonian: Tallinna Tehnikaülikool (TTÜ)) is the technical university of Estonia, and one of the two or three most important institutions of higher education in Estonia generally. It is located in the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn. Tallinn University of Technology is not related to Tallinn University, which since 2005 is the new name of the former Tallinn Pedagogical University.

1 Character
2 Structure
- 2.1 Departments
- 2.2 Institutes
3 History
4 Alumni
5 Partner Universities (selection)
6 External links

[edit]

Character

Among the most prominent engineering and technical universities in the Baltics, and indeed of the new EU member countries, TUT has many patents to its name. It is affectionally called the "MIT of the North".

[edit]

Structure

[edit]

Departments

Civil Engineering
Energy
Humanities
- Public Administration Area
  - Public Administration and European Studies (Prof. Rainer Kattel)
  - Local Government (Prof. Sulev Mäeltsemees)
- Technology Governance Area
  - Technology Governance and Public Management (Prof. Wolfgang Drechsler)
  - Technology Governance and Development Strategies (Prof. Erik S. Reinert)
- various service departments (non-degree) for other departments, including
  - Philosophy (Prof. Ülo Kaevats)
  - Psychology (Prof. Mare Teichmann)
Informatics
Chemistry and Materials Sciences
Economics and Business Administration
Sciences
Mechanics

[edit]

Institutes

Estonian Institute for Economics
Geology
Cybernetics
Oil Shale research
Estonian Institute for Energy Research
Marine Systems

[edit]

History

In the early twentieth century, the learned community recognized an urgent need for domestically trained engineering specialists. Until then, young people from Estonia had received their specialist education in St. Petersburg, Germany or Riga. Opportunities had to be sought for engineering-minded people to acquire Estonian-based education adapted to local conditions and needs.

On 17 September 1918, the Estonian Engineering Society managed to open an Estonian-based engineering school named Special Engineering Courses. That date has been recognised as the founding date of the Tallinn University of Technology. Programmes were offered in mechanical, electrical, civil and hydraulic engineering, shipbuilding and architecture. In 1919, the school became the private Tallinn College of Engineering, which in 1920 was declared a state institution. Teachers' efforts to develop Estonian terminology for science and technology proved fruitful and the first engineering books were published. In 1923, the first engineering graduation theses were defended in Estonia. In the same year, a state laboratory of materials testing opened for research work.

By the 15 September 1936 Act of the Head of State, the school was granted university status, and named the Tallinn Technical Institute. The institute had two faculties: civil and mechanical engineering and chemistry and mining. In 1938, the name - Tallinn Technical University - was effective. In 1940 the Faculty of Economics, in 1958 the Faculty of Power Engineering and in 1965 the Faculty of Control Engineering were founded.

Prior to 2003, TUT was known in English as the Tallinn Technical University (hence the acronym TTU, which is the same in Estonian).

[edit]

Alumni

Besides the entire technological elite of Estonia, alumni also include numerous industrialists and businessmen, including the former Chairman of Hansapank, the biggest bank of the region, Indrek Neivelt; the Chairman of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce, Toomas Luman; and the former Prime Minister and eminent industrialist Tiit Vähi. The Vice President and former President of the Estonian Academy of Science, Jüri Engelbrecht, is also a member of TUT.

[edit]