Merja Bauters Awarded Tallinn University Decoration for Advancing Digital Transformation and International Master’s Education
Merja Bauters, professor at the School of Digital Technologies, has received the Tallinn University Decoration in recognition of her outstanding contributions to digital transformation, lifelong learning, and the development of international master’s education, including the launch of a successful Erasmus Mundus programme. Her work has helped shape new approaches to teaching and learning in a rapidly changing world.
Bauters is grateful for the recognition, noting that receiving the Tallinn University Decoration is both an honour and a shared achievement.
In her view one of the main challenges has been aligning university processes with the needs of international programmes. At the same time, she highlights students as the most rewarding part of her work. The programme’s success, she says, reflects a shift in expectations.
"Universities cannot prepare students for a single profession but must support them in learning how to think. The curriculum is designed to strengthen reasoning and critical thinking in a rapidly changing world," Bauters ads.
Her take on international collaboration is pragmatic. In her view, partnerships, including those with Finnish universities, rely on steady cooperation rather than breakthroughs
Balancing leadership, research, and supervision requires careful prioritisation. Bauters advises early-career researchers not to underestimate the time needed for meaningful work. She also cautions that while generative AI may speed up processes, it can lead to more superficial results if not used thoughtfully.
Outside academia, she finds balance in nature, managing her small forest and preparing wood with purpose, which provides a necessary counterbalance to the demands of her role.