Martin Herem to be the first University of Tartu Professor of Resilient Futures 15.06.2026

The University of Tartu senate has established the professorship of resilient futures, which, in the 2026/2027 academic year, will be held by General Martin Herem. The new professorship aims to bring recognised thinkers and practitioners with a major social impact to the university to reflect on the future of Estonia, democracy and the free world.

The establishment of the professorship is one of the landmark initiatives of the programme marking the approaching 400th anniversary of the University of Tartu. Through this, the university aims to strengthen its role as a centre of free thought and evidence-based discussion, and to connect academic knowledge with individuals whose activities have significantly contributed to the preservation and advancement of the values of the free world. The professor of resilient futures delivers public lectures, takes part in teaching and research, and helps bring new perspectives into the university's discussions.

According to the Rector of the University of Tartu Toomas Asser, the professorship of resilient futures will enable the university to invite into academic discussion individuals whose experience broadens the academic perspective on the future of society.

"Alongside observing, researching and teaching about what is happening in the world, the university's role is also to help understand it and to ask difficult questions if necessary. Through the professorship of resilient futures, we can bring to the University of Tartu people whose experience and way of thinking help us better understand where Estonia and the democratic world are heading. We want the university to be a place where the changes shaping the future and the forces behind them are discussed openly, boldly and based on knowledge," said Asser.

The activities of the professor of resilient futures are intended both for the students and staff of the University of Tartu and for the wider public. As a rule, the professor is invited for one academic year. In future, all members of the university may nominate candidates for the professorship.

The rector noted that Martin Herem is a compelling choice as the first holder of the professorship. Over the course of a long career in the Estonian Defence Forces, including as Commander of the Defence Forces, he has shaped public understanding of national defence as a field that concerns the entire society. His academic interest in Estonia's history of resistance, his experience in interpreting the lessons of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and his ability to explain complex security issues clearly make him a strong bridge-builder between the defence sector, research and public debate.

The position of the professor of resilient futures is interdisciplinary. In the first year of the professorship, the professor of resilient futures will work at the UT Institute of Social Studies, which has long-standing experience in research on defence-related topics, including military sociology, crisis studies, disinformation and societal resilience.

Head of the Institute of Social Studies Ragne Kõuts-Klemm said that involving Martin Herem in the institute's activities will help enrich teaching and research with new perspectives and demonstrate how the university can contribute to shaping the future.

"The fact that the first professor comes from the defence sector is a sign of the times. Cooperation with Martin Herem enables us to make better use of our researchers' rich expertise and to connect defence-sector experience with topics such as societal resilience, crisis preparedness and public debate," said Kõuts-Klemm.

Martin Herem sees the professorship as an opportunity to strengthen the understanding of national defence as a broader societal task. In addition to research collaboration, Herem and his colleagues from the Institute of Social Studies are preparing a series of public lectures for the autumn semester of 2026/27. Herem intends to invite experts from various fields to participate in the lectures to discuss the main risks to the continued viability of the free world and to encourage the exchange of ideas among participants.

"National defence is not only a matter for the armed forces. In times of crisis, society is held together by a wide range of people and systems, including researchers and students. The professorship provides an opportunity to better understand these connections and to distinguish genuine problems from fear and anxiety. If we can describe problems calmly and accurately, we create better conditions for innovation and for finding new solutions," said Herem.

The activity plan for the first year of the professorship of resilient futures will be finalised over the summer. Information on the content and schedule of the public lectures, as well as on registration for the lecture course, will be published in August before the start of the autumn semester.