Alumni Talk: The best place in the world for studying Estonian and Finno-Ugric Languages

Merit Niinemägi is originally from Germany, but has spent the past 10 years in Estonia, Finland, and Hungary. After completing her master's in Estonian and Finno-Ugric Linguistics, she became a doctoral student and junior research fellow at the University of Tartu. Her research focuses on Aanaar (Inari) Saami, a severely endangered Finno-Ugric minority language which has recently been successfully revitalized. Besides academia, she also works as a translator and is an active member of a non-governmental organisation which raises awareness of Finno-Ugric peoples.

In her talk, she will share her own experiences regarding studying in Estonia and in Tartu in particular. How did she end up in Tartu, and why is the University of Tartu the ideal place for studying Estonian and Finno-Ugric languages? Moreover, she will share ideas about how to get the most out of your studies and what possibilities await you after graduation.

If someone is interested in Estonian and/or other Finno-Ugric languages, then Tartu is the place to be. Not only does the University of Tartu offer a new unique curriculum of Estonian and Finno-Ugric languages, but there are also many possibilities outside the university to further deepen your gained knowledge and engage in matters related to the Finno-Ugric world. These include organisations and events in Tartu and Estonia as well as abroad. After all, Estonia's geographical location makes it easy to access other areas where Finno-Ugric languages are spoken.

Read more about the master's programme in Estonian and Finno-Ugric languages.