On October 20-21, CEERES first-year students participated in the annual Kääriku autumn school together with students and staff from the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu. Set against the picturesque backdrop of southern Estonia’s forests and lakes, we attended three talks given by prominent Estonian politicians and civil servants.

 Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research and leader of the Eesti 200 party, discussed the integration of Russian speakers within the framework of the ongoing school reform and the transition to Estonian-language education. Luukas Kristjan Ilves, former Government Chief Information Officer and current advisor to Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, shared his insights on Estonia’s digital transformation and explored the potential and challenges of using AI in public administration. Keit Kasemets, Secretary General of the Ministry of Climate, addressed how Estonia plans to balance its green transition strategy with energy security, especially as the country prepares to disconnect from the Russian energy grid next year.

 Students had the opportunity to engage the speakers in lively discussions, and the day concluded with a quiz, student performances, a disco, and a traditional Estonian sauna experience by the lake.