EKA Erasmus | Onboarding support

Study plan

Unfortunately EKA does not have a course catalogue for the spring semester 25 ready yet. We hope to send a preliminary list of courses approx. a month prior to the beginning of the exchange semester. However, we can assure our capability to offer different speciality and optional courses worth 30 credits* at least.

*the exact amount depends on the student’s home university. EKA has not set a specific number of credits to be done by exchange students while studying at EKA and therefore we advise you to seek the requirements by contacting their International Coordinator in home university.

Exchange students are not part of any specific study group in EKA, but instead will combine their individual schedules with courses offered by the department as well as with optional courses.

Registration to the course is normally done via a specific form a week before the beginning of courses. The form as well as the list of courses will be announced prior to the registration, so the exchange students can make their selection by the time of opening the registration form.

Students can change their selection up until the second class of each course and change must be registered also in Tahvel (study information system). If you do not unregister from a course you do not take, the courses will be on your Transcript of Records with a result “not attended”.

Student card

The EKA building is accessible only with a door card. Not only the entrance door, but all the other rooms in the building are digital and therefore can be opened with a door card.

Once an exchange student is accepted, an order for the card will be placed, so by the time of student’s arrival the card is ready and available for use. The card will be given to the student individually on the first meeting on campus.

If you lose the card, please notify the International Office about it and the access rights will be removed from the lost card. Also an order for your new card will be placed in, but the copy must be paid by the student.

As the door card is also an ISIC card, therefore it enables students to receive discounts in different places in Tallinn. Seek the exact list from HERE.

Photo: Kaido Kruusamets

Buddy students

We have several volunteers who help new students feel more welcome at the Estonian Academy of Arts. Each exchange student shares a buddy with other international students in EKA and if possible, the buddy comes from the same study programme as the student assigned to.

Buddies help to adapt to EKA by introducing the student life and providing an opportunity to discuss problems from a student’s point of view. Buddy students can provide advice on how to find the necessary information and help in case you have questions about everyday life in Tallinn. Time to time buddies organise fun joint activities, which offer the possibility to meet fellow students as well as explore Estonia from a local perspective.

Psychological counselling

Our psychologist-career counsellor is available for discussing any topic that might troubling a student’s mind. There is no such thing as a trivial problem and the counsellor can be visited when there seems to be no particular concern but you just feel like talking to someone.

The psychologist can be talked in confidence on all topics that might trouble, including:

Adaptation problems
Issues related to communication and relationships
Stress, sadness or depression
Low self-esteem and insecurity
Decision-making and the respective difficulties
Loss of inspiration and motivation, creative problems
Learning motivation and examination anxiety
Difficult and unexpected events in life

The psychologist helps the advisees to understand and express their problem better, supports them in coming to terms with their thoughts, feelings, wishes and fears and assists them in finding a solution.

Counselling is free of charge.

Please contact Kaia-Leena Pino (kaialeena.pino@artun.ee) for making an appointment.

IT help

The aim of the IT department is to ensure that the necessary ICT environment exists to ensure the execution of the Academy’s regulatory objectives. The assignments and field of activity described in the IT department’s statutes include the development and management of the EKA’s data communications networks and the computer classes under the administration of the IT department. In case you need any help from the IT department, please contact them via email it@artun.ee.

In addition, the IT department owns a rental, which lends EKA students different electrical equipment for study work. The rental period is free from the first rental day until the morning period of the next equipment rental opening time. For every following day after the free rental period there is a fee of 0.50 per rented item. Sundays are free of charge. The fee for the subsequent days must be paid in advance.If the rented equipment is not returned on the agreed upon date, a penalty of € 3 is due per day on every rented item.

Rented equipment must be returned in working order and as received. This means, with charged batteries, formatted SD cards and other media and without personal information (deleted pictures/videos/texts, all accounts logged out.) Equipment rental must be notified as soon as possible if the equipment is malfunctional, broken or stolen.

For the protection of users of the equipment rental users and the rental property, surveillance cameras are installed and the records are kept for 2 months.

As the equipment rental is only for the students of the Estonian Academy of Arts, a proof of identity is required for rental.

Equal Treatment

The Estonian Academy of Arts’ development plan for 2021-2025 aims to develop EKA as an educational, working, and creative environment that is inspiring for both the EKA community and its visitors, where people treat each other with respect, value, and recognition. In 2017, the EKA joined the good research practice agreement, which is a guideline for all Estonian research institutions and their researchers. According to good research practice, a research institution ensures a safe working environment and equal treatment for all its employees, deeming any form of bullying and harassment unacceptable, and establishes procedures for dealing with violations of equal treatment and other good collegial relations, as well as workplace bullying. In 2021, the EKA’s ethics code was updated, articulating the attitudes and principles underlying the ethical behavior of EKA members, guest lecturers, and students, as well as guidelines for handling ethical conflicts at the EKA. The EKA’s gender equality plan aims to ensure equal opportunities, equal treatment, and support for all EKA members and to promote gender equality at the EKA and in Estonian society. EKA consistently adheres to the principles of equal treatment in all its activities.

Discrimination-Free EKA

Tips for Responding to Discrimination/Bullying

If you are an academy employee or student and feel that you are being discriminated against or bullied at work or in your studies:

If the situation allows, tell or write to the person that their behavior is not acceptable and ask them to stop. You can also inform them that if the situation continues, you will file a complaint. If you’re afraid or can’t contact the bully, ask a trusted person (i.e your coordinator or buddy student).
Write down the entire sequence of events with dates and times so that it’s easier to recall the details later.
Collect and keep all written evidence (e-mail exchanges, etc.). If others witness the event, note it down, as eyewitness statements can be crucial evidence. Evidence is vital to verify discrimination or bullying.
Don’t suffer alone. Students can seek psychological counseling from the psychological career counselor (email: kaialeena.pino@artun.ee).
As a student, first address your concern to International Office staf or employee whom you trust
If no solution is found in the above process, or if the solution is unsatisfactory, you can file an official complaint to the rector by e-mail (mart.kalm@artun.ee) or post. You can also directly contact the rector without going through the above steps. The complaint should relate to working or studying at the university; this guideline doesn’t apply to purely personal conflicts. If necessary, the rector will set up an ethics committee to resolve the complaint.
Provide all necessary information to the person handling the complaint and inform them of what you believe would be the best final solution.
In cases of physical violence or another threatening situation (e.g., stalking), also contact the police. You have the right to file a complaint. Even if the investigation does not confirm discrimination or bullying, it doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. You’ve only acted wrongly if you’ve knowingly lied when filing a complaint. In that case, your complaint is malicious, and the university may take appropriate measures to address your behavior.
If you see a fellow student being bullied/discriminated against: speak with the victim and express support; understand that your intervention is important, as often victims are hesitant to seek help; if the situation persists and you feel safe, intervene and tell the discriminator/bully that their behavior is unacceptable; and be willing to cooperate if your testimony as a witness is needed. Anyone who witnesses or perceives a hostile, intimidating, hostile, derogatory, demeaning, or offensive atmosphere can file a complaint, even if the direct victim is someone else. Unaddressed discrimination or bullying can potentially victimize everyone in the collective. Therefore, it’s essential for witnesses to intervene or draw attention to the situation.

If you’re a student against whom a discrimination/bullying complaint has been filed: talk with the person investigating the complaint and explain the situation from your perspective; even if you feel you’ve done nothing wrong, don’t downplay the feelings of the complainant and immediately stop the alleged inappropriate behavior; no one is condemned merely based on a complaint; a fair and objective investigation is carried out. Listen to the recommendations provided by the person handling the complaint.

The decision taken by the rector regarding the complaint and the subsequent measures are communicated to both the person filing the complaint and the person against whom the complaint was filed. If the decision doesn’t satisfy the complainant, they can file an appeal to the court. If the investigation confirms discrimination/bullying, measures are taken to remedy the situation, such as adjusting the work environment or duties, providing further training, or taking disciplinary measures against the discriminator/bully.