TTÜ and IT College merge into the largest IT education competence center

On August 1, the merger agreement between Tallinn University of Technology and IT College came into force, which established the largest IT education competence center in Estonia.

“By merging, the excellence of Estonian IT science will be combined with the practical orientation of the college, beneficial to both the students and their future employers. This is another step towards realising TTÜ TalTechDigital initiative,” TTÜ Rector Jaak Aaviksoo explained. TalTechDigital is a TTÜ initiative to shape the university according to the challenges to the digital age.

Professor Gert Jervan, dean of the School of Information Technologies, stated that the goal of TTÜ is to be the first choice for the best students in acquiring IT education. “Through the synergy created by collaboration of two recognised and competent IT universities, we want to offer more opportunities to choose from, both at the start of the studies and during the studies,” said Jervan. One of the goals of merging universities is also to increase the number of graduates and increase the supply of skilled labor.” For this reason, we have, for example, increased the admission of a more practical IT development programme and raised the admission threshold in a more academic computer science programme. With these steps we want to provide opportunities for both those who want to acquire practical skills and those who want to test themselves academically,” Jervan said.

To celebrate the Merger Agreement Gert Jervan, dean of the School of Information Technologies and Peeter Lorents, director of the IT College together hoisted the new flag of the College. “Today is the day when by dipping the old flag and hoisting the new flag we celebrate the birth of the new school that has been created by the merger of two schools – the Estonian Information Technology College and Tallinn University of Technology,” Peeter Lorents said. “The birth is a sign of the time. Undoubtedly an important sign. The further is, however, a development. The first fruits of this development will only begin to appear years later. When these students graduate who have made their choice today and started their studies at the IT College of Tallinn University of Technology. Work and once again work is awaiting – with mind, hand and heart.”

On September 1, in cooperation with employers, more than 900 new students will start studying by fully updated IT curricula. After the merger of TTÜ and IT College, more than 3,300 IT students will be studying at all levels in the largest IT education competence center in Estonia. Today’s current students of the College can complete their studies based on current curricula.

On November 16 last year, TTÜ Rector Jaak Aaviksoo and the Chairman of Information Technology Foundation for Education (HITSA) Erki Urva signed an agreement according to which TTÜ and IT College will merge on August 1, 2017. The IT College’s trademark will be retained; the college will be part of the TTÜ School of Information Technologies.

Photos by Joel Kivi.