The activities of academic studies of Estonian language and culture abroad (Eesti keele ja kultuuri akadeemiline välisõpe, hereinafter EKKAV) is a continuous teaching of the Estonian language and culture in universities outside Estonia, including its support activities in Estonia and elsewhere. The EKKAV programme framework provides study material, scholarships and grants and deploys Estonian language and culture visiting lecturers to study centers abroad.
Application rounds for the spring semester of the 2022/23 are open.
Applications are to be submitted from February 15th till March 15th. Read more about support measures and submission of applications at the Estonian Education and Youth Board (Eesti Haridus- ja Noorteamet) at harno.ee: https://tinyurl.com/ye25r9rt
Estophilus scholarship
Summer and winter language courses scholarship
Funding for guest lecturers
The target groups of EKKAV are:
- students studying in universities abroad;
- local opinion leaders and experts as the image creators of Estonia and promoters of mutual relations;
- enthusiasts of the Estonian language and culture worldwide.
Additional information:
Joosep Heinsalu
Senior Specialist, EKKAV programme
Education and Youth Board of Estonia
tel +372 730 0605
joosep.heinsalu@harno.ee
Studies of the Estonian Language
The Estonian language has been taught in foreign higher education institutions for more than 100 years. The tradition of academic teaching of the Estonian language has lasted the longest in Finland and Sweden. In the academic year of 1833/34 the first lecturer of the Finnish language Carl Niclas Keckman at the University of Helsinki shared knowledge about the Estonian language within the course Comparative Grammar of Related Languages. The first Estonian language lectureship was opened in 1923 at the University of Helsinki, whereas the Estonian poet Villem Grünthal-Ridala began working as the Estonian lecturer.
Estonian is currently being taught all over the world from America to Asia in about 30 universities and colleges. There are 9 Estonian language visiting lecturers deployed by the state of Estonia to conduct Estonian language and culture teaching at universities abroad.
Estonian Language in Foreign Higher Education Institutions
In North America Estonian language and culture is being taught at:
- Indiana University
- University of Washington
- University of Toronto
The EKKAV programme Estonian language lecturers teaching abroad:
- at Vilnius University in Lithuania, Ms Svetlana Kass,
- at the National Institute of Languages and Oriental Civilisations (INALCO) in Paris, France, Ms Riina Roasto,
- at the University of Warsaw in Poland, Ms Lea Jürgenstein,
- at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in Ukraine, Ms Heinike Heinsoo,
- at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech, Ms Aino Saavaste,
- at Beijing Foreign Studies University in China, Ms Külli Saia,
- at the University of Latvia in Riga, Ms Ieva Spolite-Jansone,
- at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Ms Leila Kimmel,
- at the University of Greifswald in Germany, Ms Liina Lutsepp.
For a complete list of study centers abroad that teach Estonian language and culture please go to:
https://tinyurl.com/ye25r9rt
