Education and Science, Estonia

International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 14:57

Meelis Kitsing elected new rector of Estonian Business School

BC, Tallinn, 27.05.2020.Print version
Following the proposition by the election committee, the senate of Estonian Business School (EBS) named Meelis Kitsing new rector on Monday; Kitsing has so far been a professor and head of the department of economics and finance at EBS, informed LETA/BNS.

Mart Habakuk, EBS chancellor and head of the election committee for the current rectoral election, says the election committee aimed to find a leader who would continue and promote the development of EBS as a student-centered business university which can promptly adapt to changes in its environment.


"Meelis Kitsing’s vision, experience and personal qualities met this selection criterion best," Habakuk said. 


Kitsing said that his goal is to develop EBS as a major platform for the cooperation of education and entrepreneurship.


"As a management university, EBS plays an important role in the ecosystem of economic education and business. This cooperation needs to be constantly deepened and broadened by means of involving various companies, non-profit organizations, public sector and research organizations. This is to be done both in Tallinn and Helsinki, where EBS currently operates, and also on the international level,” he said. 


Do date, Kitsing has been working as a professor and head of the department of economics and finance at Estonian Business School. He is also the head of research at the Foresight Center. Kitsing's experience includes working as adviser in the strategy unit of the Government Office, head of economic analysis at the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, and the president of the Estonian Economic Association.


Kitsing's studies on the political economy of digital ecosystems have been published by Springer, IEEE, ACM, Leuven University press, MIT Press, and other publishers. He obtained his PhD from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the USA; an MALD (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy) degree as a Fulbright scholar from the Fletcher School of Tufts University, United States; and an MSc degree as a Peacock scholar from the London School of Economics, United Kingdom. Before starting his academic career, Kitsing worked for a number of international companies and was a member of Tallinn city council. 


Kitsing will assume office as the rector of EBS on Aug. 1, 2020.


Until Kitsing comes into office, professor Arno Almann will continue as the rector of EBS. Habakuk said he was immensely grateful to his mentor, rector Arno Almann, who has been heading EBS for eight years and will remain at EBS as a professor, researcher and member of the management board of SA EBS.


Elected EBS rector in 2012, Almann considers the most significant development during his two terms of office to be the university having set a course for internationalization, which is proven by major international accreditations and curricula development.


"This illustrates that the education provided by EBS is comparable to that of the world’s top universities, and the quality of our teaching as well as continuous development of curricula give it an international competitive advantage," Almann explained. 


EBS is Estonia's oldest private university. At present some 1,400 students are enrolled at EBS at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels. 






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