Saaremaa University Centre

In 1991, the University of Turku started co-operation with the Province of Saaremaa which covers the island of Saaremaa with more than 40,000 inhabitants, and several smaller islands. This co-operation soon expanded to include the counties of Hiiumaa and Läänemaa. A university office, run by the Centre for Extension Studies, was established in the city of Kuressaare on Saaremaa in 1993 for regional development courses and courses for the owners of the first private small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Saaremaa University Centre was established in September 1997 by the University of Turku, and four Estonian universities (the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, the Estonian University of Life Sciences and Tallinn University) and the Province of Saaremaa.

Today, also the University of Latvia, Riga Technical University and Kaunas University of Technology and Klaipeda University participate in the activities of the centre. The Centre is also at the disposal of the Baltic Sea Region University Network for joint seminars and meetings.