04 - Estonia - General Objectives

In Estonia, the higher education system is binary and two types of institutions operate.

The activities of universities are aimed at conducting basic and applied research at international level, one of the preconditions of which is the provision of theory-based and research-focused Master’s and Doctoral level study.

The main activities of institutions of professional higher education are preparing motivated specialists with very good professional skills and work attitudes at the first level of higher education, taking into account the needs of the labour market. Flexible curricula focused on practical training and close cooperation with enterprises, professional associations and other social partners in the corresponding field are characteristic to institutions of professional higher education.

Thus, students can make a choice between two types of curricula of the first level of higher education:

• in case of theory-based curricula, practical skills are created on the basis of theoretical principles. The curriculum requires a strong general educational background;
• in the case of curricula focused on practical training, theoretical knowledge is created mainly on the basis of practical needs. The curriculum contains practical work (incl. practical training in a work environment) at least to the extent of 30%.

It is possible to commence studies according to the Master’s studies curriculum after the completion of either of the above curricula, on the presumption that the admission conditions established by the institution of professional higher education or university are fulfilled. The Estonian Higher Education Standard for the Years 2006–2015 sets six strategic goals for the higher education sector:

• 1) The internationally competitive quality of higher education offered in Estonia must be ensured. The objective is to achieve a situation where all higher education curricula offered in Estonia have passed an evaluation by accreditation agencies recognised in Europe and the level of academic mobility in Estonia has reached the average of European countries;
• 2) Both study and research activities must be better targeted towards the needs of the development of the Estonian economy and society. The aim is to engage all important social partners into the planning and realisation of higher education; the objective is also to ensure a noticeably greater role of the higher education sector as a forerunner of the Estonian economic and social innovation and modernisation and as an integrating element of Estonia into the political, economic and social networks of the European Union;
• 3) It is necessary to ensure a capacity of higher education study that reflects the needs of the Estonian society, taking into account both the preferences of students as well as the needs of the labour market;
• 4) It is necessary to ensure that educational institutions offer the specialisations that take into account the needs and resources of Estonia. The objectives include a clearer division of labour between educational institutions, and equal orientation of academic and professional higher education to the needs of the labour market, reduction of the number of curricula as well as legitimisation and realisation of joint curricula;
• 5) It must be ensured that Estonian-language higher education studies continue and develop within the European open education space;
• 6) The system of students’ social guarantees must enable an equal access to higher education and dedication to studies and the objective is to pay attention also to students’ conditions that are not related to studies.

General Objectives in University Education

A university is a research, development, educational and cultural institution where students have a possibility in particular to choose to focus their studies on research and development activities.

The mission of a university is:

• to advance science and academic practices;
• to create and develop opportunities based on integrated education and research for acquisition of contemporary higher education that conforms to the Higher Education Standard;
• to organise continuing education;
• to provide education and research services necessary to the society.

According to the Standard of Higher Education, the objectives of studies in universities are as follows:

• in Bachelor’s study a student improves his or her general educational knowledge and acquires the basic knowledge and skills of a speciality and the knowledge and skills necessary for Master’s study and commencement of work;
• in Master’s study a student improves his or her knowledge and skills related to the speciality and acquires the knowledge and skills necessary for independent work and Doctoral study;
• in Doctoral study a student acquires the knowledge and skills necessary for independent research, development or professional creative activity.

General Objectives in Non-university Tertiary Education

The functions of an institution of professional higher education are to provide higher education, to conduct in-service training and applied research and to carry out development activities in its field.

The goal of professional higher education is to give a student the necessary competencies for employment in a particular profession or to continue his or her studies in Master’s study. Based on the latter, one of the study objectives may be transfer to the next level of higher education.

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