University of Tartu Ukraine Centre

The University of Tartu Ukraine Centre (UTUC) was established in 2023 in the midst of the Russo-Ukrainian war with the aim of facilitating support to Ukraine from the University of Tartu (UT) and its partners. UTUC aspires to be the focal point that attracts expertise, connects stakeholders, and consolidates the efforts of UT and its partners to raise awareness about Ukraine. The centre also aims to help the Ukrainian nation in building a secure, democratic and prosperous future.

Mission:

To support Ukraine’s reconstruction, development, and European integration as well as to provide accurate knowledge about Ukraine and Ukrainians in Estonia and globally via applied and academic research, training and teaching, policy analysis and advice, and strategic communication.

Ukraine development support:

Presently, Ukraine needs enormous international aid to withstand and win the war, perform post-war reconstruction, implement EU integration reforms, and ensure sustainable development. Estonia is already facilitating Ukraine’s advance down this path. UTUC strengthens and enhances the University of Tartu’s Ukraine supporting activities, especially by promoting practical training for Ukrainian professionals in different fields.

Applied and academic research:

Whereas the available studies on Ukraine and Ukrainians lag behind the dramatic developments and are rather dispersed across disciplines, the centre endeavours to ensure an empirical, coherent, and comprehensive multi-disciplinary perspective. This will focus on contemporary society complemented by historical background knowledge and a forward-looking perspective on Ukrainian studies.

Training and teaching:

UTUC intends to partner with other departments to co-develop training programs for professionals in Ukraine. Moreover, the centre offers its flagship UT-wide course “Ukraine: A Nation at the Frontier”. This elective course aims to introduce Ukraine from different perspectives and examine how various developments in Ukrainian history and politics affect contemporary Ukrainians and their neighbours.

Policy analysis and advice:

UTUC is willing to provide policy analysis with actionable recommendations for the Estonian government, European Union institutions, international organizations, and other stakeholders. Such policy analysis aspires to enhance targeted and efficient assistance to Ukraine, support of sectoral reforms, aid to Ukrainian refugees, alongside ensuring the restoration of territorial integrity. Also, such analysis will support the Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine that can bring back peace and prosperity to the continent.

Strategic communication:

UTUC is committed to raising awareness on Ukraine-related topics on the web and on social media. The centre also disseminates information via its in-person and online events including public lectures and expert roundtables. The obtained findings are designed to be presented at meetings with Estonian and European decision-makers for informed policy action to benefit Ukraine, Estonia, and Europe.

“Ukrainian Artist Refugees in Estonia: Continuation of National Identity and Culture”, PI Parker Watt (U.S. Fulbright Student Research Award, funded by the U.S. Department of State, 2024-2025)
“Building Resilient Innovations in Democracy, Governance and Excellence (BRIDGE)”, PIs at UT: Dr. Hector Pagan and Dr. Dmytro Khutkyy, (Horizon Twinning grant, funded by the European Union, 2024-2027).
“Reducing the Susceptibility of Russian Speaking Minorities to Russia's State Sponsored Disinformation”, PI: Prof. Piret Ehin (Countering State Disinformation Innovation Fund (CSDIF), funded by the U.S. Department of State, 2025-2026).
“Microcredential “Fundamentals of the European Union””, PI: Ms. Maili Vilson (ESTDEV grant, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development, 2024-2025).
“Training programme "Supporting Ukraine's EU integration””, PI: Ms. Maili Vilson (ESTDEV grant, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development, 2024).
“Development of the UT Ukraine Centre (UTUC) into an internationally influential, interdisciplinary and sustainable competence centre”, PI: Dr. Dmytro Khutkyy (University of Tartu Development Fund, 2024).
“Between Resilience and Democracy: Wartime Political Transformations in Ukraine”, PI: Dr. Oleksii Kolesnykov (MSCA4Ukraine grant, funded by the European Union, 2023-2025)
“E-democracy and innovative Governance in Dnipro Region: cooperation models and resilience of the society”, PI: Dr. Kristiina Tõnnisson (ESTDEV grant, funded by the Estonian Centre for International Development, 2023-2024).
“Supporting Ukraine through citizen engagement at Baltic Universities”, PI: at UT Ms. Anna Beitane, (Erasmus+ grant, funded by the European Union, 2023-2024).
“Public Communication Campaigns in the Ukrainian Hybrid Response to Russia’s Invasion”, PI: Prof. Piret Ehin (MFA grant, funded by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2023-2024).
“Countering Disinformation and Increasing Media Literacy among Russian-speaking Communities in Estonia”, PI: Prof. Piret Ehin (Public affairs grant, funded by the U.S. Embassy in Estonia, 2022-2023).
“Survey among Ukrainian refugees in Estonia (follow up project)”, PI at UT: Mr. Siim Espenberg (funding by the University of Turku, 2022-2023).
“Survey among Ukrainian refugees in Estonia”, PI at UT: Dr. Kerly Espenberg (funding by the University of Turku, 2022).

Khutkyy, Dmytro, Matveieva, Olga, and Diana Mirza-Grisco. 2023. “Voting in online surveys on open government policies in Moldova and Ukraine.” Internet Policy Review 12(2).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2022. “The Diffusion of Electronic Voting for Participatory Budgeting Projects: Evidence from Ukraine.” pp. 117-120. In Proceedings of the Seventh International Joint Conference on Electronic Voting E-Vote-ID 2022. Edited by R. Krimmer et al. Tartu, Estonia: University of Tartu Press.

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2024. “Ukraine’s cyber resilience: Centralised and grassroots.” HROMADA, November 19, 2024.

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2024. “The race is on to restore Ukraine. Is transparency only a distant Dream?” HROMADA, March 18, 2024.

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2023. “E-democracy in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine: An overview.” Retrieved January 5, 2024.

Salzburg Global Seminar. 2023. “Ukraine Civil Society Forum. Recommendations on Displaced Persons.” Retrieved June 30, 2023.

Salzburg Global Seminar. 2022. “The Salzburg Statement of Ukrainian Civil Society.” Retrieved August 1, 2022.

Jussi S. Jauhiainen, Heidi Ann Erbsen, Olha Lysa, and Kerly Espenberg. 2022. Temporary protected Ukrainians and other Ukrainians in Estonia, 2022. Turku, Finland: University of Turku.

Somoff, Victoria et al. 2024. “Should Ukraine join Nato? Open letter.” The Guardian, July 27, 2024.

Cheporniuk, Nataliia. 2024. “Children fleeing the war: challenges that are not easy to cope with.” Rus.Postimees, June 25, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2024. “How are Ukrainians getting by in Estonia? Sociological survey data.” Rus.Postimees, June 11, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Nizhnikau, Ryhor. 2024. “War, society, and state: Ukrainian political model at crossroads.” Rus.Postimees, May 14, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Pritchard, Thomas. 2024. “The cult of education in Putin's Russia.” Rus.Postimees, April 30, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Schmidt, Anselm. 2024. “The fear of victory? Mixed reactions from the West to Ukraine’s successful strikes on Russian oil refineries.” Rus.Postimees, April 23, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Belova-Dalton, Oksana. 2024. “The terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall: Why does Russia blame Ukraine and not ISIS?” Rus.Postimees, April 2, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Teperik, Dmitri. 2024. “Ukrainian Crimea: Not only territorially, but also mentally.” Rus.Postimees, April 2, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Kovalenko, Olga. 2024. “Pseudo-elections of a pseudo-president of Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.” Rus.Postimees, March 26, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Kovalenko, Olga. 2024. “What does it mean to be Ukrainian under Russian occupation?” Rus.Postimees, March 12, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Pritchard, Thomas. 2024. “Nuclear weapons in space: The reality and impact of a new frontier.” Rus.Postimees, March 5, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Terentjev, Jan. 2024. “The arsenal of democracy: Are European countries capable of providing what Ukraine needs?” Rus.Postimees, February 20, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Kolesnykov, Oleksii. 2024. “The high-profile resignation of the most popular military man in Ukraine: causes, consequences and new challenges” Rus.Postimees, February 13, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Navumau, Vasil. 2024. “The development trajectory of the Ukrainian media: “United News” as a rollback to centralization?” Rus.Postimees, February 6, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2024. “Peace initiatives during wartime: Do Ukrainians want peace?” Rus.Postimees, January 30, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Matveieva, Olga. 2024. “Between crisis and progress: Is growth possible in times of war?” Rus.Postimees, January 24, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Cole, Michael. 2024. “How war and music connected Liverpool and Ukraine.” Rus.Postimees, January 16, 2024. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Schmidt, Anselm. 2023. “In the context of drone attacks on Moscow, the word “escalation” has become an empty threat.” Rus.Postimees, September 19, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Watt, Parker. 2023. “What will happen to military assistance to Ukraine if a Republican wins the US presidential elections?” Rus.Postimees, September 5, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Kolesnykov, Oleksii. 2023. “Quo vadis, Ukraine? Trends in domestic political development during the war.” Rus.Postimees, August 16, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Matveieva, Olga. 2023. “Ukraine and NATO: Difficult decisions and fateful prospects.” Rus.Postimees, July 25, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Kurnyshova, Yuliia. 2023. “About the Vilnius summit, the “gray zone” and the security hierarchy.” Rus.Postimees, July 14, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Lees, Kadri. 2023. “Ukrainian refugees have succeeded in the Estonian labour market.” Rus.Postimees, July 11, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Kondratyk, Yurii. 2023. “The war not only brought pain and loss to Ukraine, but also made the Ukrainian nation monolithic.” Rus.Postimees, June 27, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2023. “Should you believe your own eyes? Fact checking in social media.” Rus.Postimees, June 13, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Matveieva, Olga. 2023. “How Russian propaganda in Germany changed after Russia's attack on Ukraine.” Rus.Postimees, May 23, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2023. “How Ukraine exercises digital resistance.” Rus.Postimees, May 2, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Matveieva, Olga. 2023. “The consequences of Russian disinformation: Stories of Ukrainians from occupied regions.” Rus.Postimees, April 11, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2023. “How the war has hardened Ukrainian society: Discoveries from sociological surveys.” Rus.Postimees, April 4, 2023. (Published in Russian language specially for the Russian-speaking community of Estonia).

Khutkyy, Dmytro. 2022. “Ukraine’s Wild Card.” European Digital Development Alliance, March 15, 2022.

Hutkõi, Dmõtro. 2022. “Ukraina on selle sõja jokker.” Postimees, March 15, 2022. (In Estonian)