Minister of Education Kristina Kallas says that universities must use operational funding for state goals.
Kallas mentioned that she abandoned the idea of reserving 5% of university funding for state priorities. She said that admissions should be higher in fields where there is a great need.
In recent weeks, universities have been very emotional about the issue of funding. Kallas said that universities want more money but do not want to say how they will use it.
Kallas stated that the state must guide universities to educate more people in fields with growing labor market demand. Currently, more people study in humanities fields, while labor market demand is greater in technical fields.
Universities fear that state guidance limits their academic freedom. Kallas said that academic freedom also includes responsibility towards society.
Kallas also spoke about the national university that teaches in the field of veterinary medicine. She said that the national university has many students in business and management fields, which are not its core areas.
The Ministry of Education has recommended that the national university focus on veterinary education, not business and management.
Kallas said that Tallinn University should focus on teacher training. For other fields, operational funding should not be used if labor market demand is low.
Kallas mentioned that she has retreated from the idea of reserving 5% of operational funding for state priorities. Now negotiations will focus on the entire operational funding amount.
She said that the state must set priorities for where operational funding should go. For example, teacher training, veterinary medicine, and medical science.
Kallas stated that universities must use taxpayer money for the fields assigned to them.