EURUS and IRRS master’s programmes will be joining forces starting from 2021

Starting from the next academic year, the master’s programme in “European Union – Russia Studies” (EURUS) will be integrated into the structures of the programme in “International Relations and Regional Studies” (IRRS) with the creation of a new regional module. Admissions will take place within the framework of the master’s programme in IRRS. Students interested in acquiring a specialized understanding of the political, historical, and institutional developments in Russia and the European Union and of their mutual relations will have the opportunity to pursue their academic interests by joining the “EU-Russia Studies” module of the IRRS programme.

The development of a new “EU-Russia Studies” module is supported by the recently approved Jean Monnet module “Neighbourhood Enlargement and Regionalism in Europe” (NearEU) coordinated by Dr. Stefano Braghiroli.

While maintaining its multi-disciplinary character and most of the core courses offered by the EURUS programme, the renewed IRRS programme will also directly profit from the decade-long experience of EURUS in teaching innovation, student-centred learning, and “real world” applicability. Students currently enrolled in the EURUS programme will continue their learning activities without any disruption until their successful graduation, while profiting from the wider course offer and disciplinary diversity as a result of this co-operation.

Dr. Stefano Braghiroli, the EURUS programme director and future coordinator of the “EU-Russia Studies” module feels excited to start this new chapter by saying that “Our teaching mission continues unchanged, unchallenged, and loyal to its original principles – now standing on stronger foundations as a result of this important step”. Prof. Eiki Berg, the IRRS programme director looks forward to seeing synergy as well: “I am convinced that joining forces will enable us to develop our competences in a more systematic way while avoiding unnecessary fragmentation of knowledge delivery”.

Established in 2008, the EURUS programme was one of the first international programmes taught in English at the University of Tartu and has operated continuously for twelve years, since then. More than 160 students from 54 countries graduated from the programme, thereby generating a global network of alumni.