The Tallinn University Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies is an interdisciplinary research cluster dedicated to the theoretical and empirical studies of meaning making practices in society. The Centre, which includes some of the most established and active researchers in their field, integrates four institutional research projects of the Tallinn University School of Humanities with the general aim to fulfill the scholarly objectives of the university's focus field of cultural competences.

The purpose of the Centre is to support the initiation and implementation of high-level interdisciplinary research projects that focus on meaning making practices, intercultural communication, cultural transfer and contacts, and transnational networks.

The scope of the research is not only Estonia but comparative studies as well, both in the shorter and longer time frame. In order to achieve its objectives, the Centre of Excellence unites several specialist researchers of the Humanities, including anthropologists, archaeologists, art historians, cultural theorists, historians, human geographers, linguists, literary scholars, philosophers, and semioticians.

However, the Centre also seeks to cooperate with researchers in all the other focus fields of Tallinn University. The practical value of research conducted at the Centre includes the study and development of the Estonian language and culture, the creation and dissemination of new historical knowledge, and a greater knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. The research is also valuable in providing opportunities for developing intercultural dialogue and recognizing the circumstances that hinder this development, as well as increasing the capacity for cultural (self) analysis.

The activity of the Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies is divided into two main research areas:

  • Practices of cultural transfer and meaning making systems
  • Transnational networks and cultural contacts

The core of the Centre is comprised of members of all the related research groups and members of the research staff of the School who demonstrate high research potential and whose expertise complies with the scholarly goals of the Centre.

The council of the TLU Centre of Excellence in Intercultural Studies:

Marek Tamm
Irina Belobrovtseva 
Karsten Brüggemann 
Karin Dean 
Anu Mänd 
Hannes Palang 
Tõnu Viik

Contact us:

Marek Tamm, Head of the Centre