COST ENIS 2022 Conference in Tartu Named Best in Europe
/ The European research cooperation network COST ENIS (European Network on International Student Mobility: Connecting Research and Practice) has recognised the annual conference held in Tartu in 2022 as the best event of its 2021–2025 programme period, awarding it the "BEST ENIS Event Award."
The award-winning event was the first post-pandemic COST ENIS conference, held in October 2022 at the Estonian National Museum in Tartu. The conference brought together international researchers, education professionals, and policymakers to discuss trends and the impact of international student mobility. The event was organised by the Estonian Education and Youth Board (Haridus- ja Noorteamet, HARNO) in collaboration with the European Commission and the COST programme leadership.
The award was received last week by Eero Loonurm, member of the COST ENIS Management Committee and main organiser of the Tartu conference, during the final COST ENIS annual meeting held in Iași, Romania.
“The conference was recognised for its strong content, regional relevance, and innovative approach to organising an international academic event,” said Loonurm, highlighting the reasons for the award.
“This award is not only a recognition of the Education and Youth Board, but also of the City of Tartu and Estonia’s entire education sector,” Loonurm added. “Tartu has proven to be a reliable partner for hosting international education events, and the Estonian National Museum offers an outstanding venue for such gatherings.”
Loonurm also emphasised the broader impact of conference tourism on the economy:
“Enterprise Estonia has conducted in-depth studies on conference tourism and found that each international conference delegate contributes significantly to the local economy. Furthermore, the data shows that the further a visitor travels from Tallinn, the more they spend in Estonia. Our event reflected this as well — many delegates stayed longer in Estonia after the conference concluded.”
The 2022 event hosted nearly 100 participants from over 30 countries, including some of Europe’s leading researchers in international student mobility. The conference was opened by Svava Finsen, representative of the European Commission, and Jaak Raie, Director General of the Estonian Education and Youth Board.
The organising committee also included Anu Lepik, Carmen Raudsepp, Piret Normet, Piret Puuorg, Regina Borissova, and Triinu Lillepalu.
The City of Tartu also recognised the event in 2023, presenting awards to outstanding local conference organisers of 2022 who successfully promoted Estonia and Tartu to international audiences.
COST ENIS is a European research cooperation programme involving experts from over 30 countries. It focuses on understanding the effects of international student mobility and aims to build stronger links between academic research and education policy.
Additional information:
Eero Loonurm
Estonian Education and Youth Board (HARNO)
[email protected]
Last changed 13.06.2025
