Centre for Migration and Urban Studies
The Center for Migration and Urban Studies - CMUS operates under the Department of Geography at the University of Tartu, bringing together researchers whose work focuses on trends in international and domestic migration, as well as the development of cities and their hinterlands in terms of changes in quality of life, social diversity, and inequality.
The Center for Migration and Urban Studies was established in 2013. Its predecessor was the Center for Estonian Diaspora Studies, which had been active since 1997. The center's research themes have largely evolved from the work of emeritus professor Ann Marksoo (1930–2023), who had been studying the development of settlements and urbanization in Estonia at the University of Tartu since 1954. The directors of the Center for Migration and Urban Studies have been Tiit Tammaru (2013–2015), Daniel B. Hess (2016–2017), Kadri Leetmaa (2018–2022), and Anneli Kährik (since 2023).
Cities are the primary hubs for innovation and the driving force behind economic growth. At the same time, they are also the places where social inequality is most pronounced. Urban populations are diverse, bringing together people with different cultural backgrounds, preferences, and lifestyles.
The organisation of urban life largely determines whether people living in cities have opportunities to interact and integrate in urban space, or they'll be spatially segregated. Urban developments depend to a large extent on the decisions made in city governance.
Activities of the Center
- Conducting both fundamental scientific research and applied studies necessary for policy-making.
- Preparing datasets and contributing to IT development to facilitate population analyses.
- Organizing major national conferences in collaboration with partners, such as the Planning Conference and the Nordic-Baltic Migration Conference.
- Supervising students and actively encouraging them to participate in the center's activities.
Infotechnological Mobility Observatory
A migration calculator, conceptualized and developed by researchers at the center. The calculator allows for the creation of regional population forecasts.
Our mission is to be a valued research partner and a leader in developing innovative research directions worldwide while also contributing to Estonian society by providing expert knowledge in our field.
Core Values
- INCLUSIVITY – Every researcher, at any level, has the opportunity to contribute and grow through research and teaching;
- OPENNESS – We're open for collaboration with researchers from our own and other fields, as well as with various partners in Estonia and internationally;
- VISIBILITY – We aim to be recognized in society by providing expert advice for knowledge-based decision-making.
Research Topics
- International and domestic migration trends and residential choices in the context of global changes.
- Regional development and population movements in the digital age and the green transition.
- Socio-spatial stratification – segregation, and its impacts.
- The impact of urban policies and planning interventions on city development.
- Democratic processes as drivers of urban development.
If you are interested, please contact the center's director or members!
The Urban Contact Point in Estonia, operating at the Centre, aims to disseminate information on urban development measures in the European Union and Estonia to actors in urban development in Estonia. The Urban Contact Point focuses on disseminating information and enhancing the participation of Estonian cities in European urban actions: the European Urban Initiative and the URBACT program.
European Urban Initiative – Estonia Contact Point (2023–2029)
The network of Urban Contact Points (UCP) in EU member states has been established under the European Urban Initiative (EUI). The EUI is a mechanism designed to support cities and strengthen their capacity by fostering innovation and developing transferable and novel solutions to urban challenges of strategic importance to the European Union.
Contact: Anneli Kährik - anneli.kahrik@ut.ee
ESPON Program – Estonia Contact Point
ESPON (European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion) conducts and facilitates regional studies and analyses supporting EU regional and cohesion policy. Through this, new knowledge about European regions is generated, and cooperation and networking between stakeholders involved in European spatial planning and regional development are encouraged.
Contact: Ingmar Pastak - ingmar.pastak@ut.ee
Center of Excellence for Energy Efficiency (ENER) (2024–2030)
The goal of this project is to help break the trend of increasing energy consumption and support breakthroughs in the full renovation of residential buildings. Project partners: Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University, University of Tartu (Tiit Tammaru). Funding: Estonian Ministry of Education and Research.
CO-SUSTAIN
The aim of this project is to develop a novel understanding of how to shape collaboration between communities and institutions working on climate change adaptation. The focus is on ensuring that communities remain active participants, decision-makers, and creators of community-based solutions, while institutions redefine their approaches, power positions, and collaboration frameworks in relation to communities.
Project duration: January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2026
Project partner in Estonia: University of Tartu
Funding: Horizon Europe program
SMARTRURALITY
The mission of this research project is to extend the urban-centered and technology-driven "smart city" agenda to rural areas. The focus is on "smart countryside" and its role in reducing regional inequalities and improving well-being.
Project partners: University of Tartu, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim, Norway).
Funding: Estonian Research Council
MULTILOCAL
This project examines the challenges and opportunities faced by local governments due to new mobility patterns and the increasing prevalence of multi-local living arrangements. These patterns have emerged in the context of overlapping crises, including COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, rising living costs, and climate crisis.
Project partners: University of Tartu
Funding: Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Program
futuresilience.eu/future-resilience-labs/multilocal
We are involved in two Centers of Excellence (2024–2030):
ENER (Tiit Tammaru) and The Centre of Excellence for Well-Being Sciences (Kadri Leetmaa) – aimed at conducting research essential for Estonia and involving researchers at various levels in these fields.
Ongoing Projects
Reconceptualizing the Smart Society through Co-Creation of Smart Rurality in Aging Population Areas (2023–2027)
Funding: Estonian Research Council (ETAG), PUT research grant
Project team: Kadri Leetmaa (lead), Bianka Plüschke-Altof, Ingmar Pastak, Elina M. Suitso
CO-SUSTAIN – Pathways for Co-Creation Between Local Authorities and Collective Actions for a Sustainable Transition
Funding: Horizon Europe
Project duration: 2024–2026
Lead researcher: Anneli Kährik
Influx of Migrants from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus: Integration and Governance Dynamics in the Nordic and Baltic Countries
Lead researcher: Tiit Tammaru
Project duration: 2023–2024
Completed Projects
Understanding the Vicious Circles of Segregation: A Geographic Perspective
Funding: PRG
Lead researcher: Tiit Tammaru
Project duration: 2019–2023
Infotechnological Mobility Observatory
Lead researcher: Tiit Tammaru
Project duration: 2019–2023
Research Professorship of Tiit Tammaru
Project duration: 2022–2024
Urban Policy Innovations for Reducing Inequality with a Focus on Future Generations' Needs
Funding: Horizon 2020
Lead researcher: Anneli Kährik
Project duration: 2020–2023
- Pille Metspalu, PhD
Pille is a recognized planning expert, a founding member of the Estonian Planners Association and the head of the general and regional planning department of Hendrikson & Ko and a leading planning specialist. Pille defended her doctoral thesis in 2019 with the title "The changing role of the planner. Implications of creative pragmatism in Estonian spatial planning".
- Leen Rahnu, PhD
Leen is a researcher at Tallinn University's Institute for Population Studies and a senior researcher at University of Turku.
- Kati Kadarik, MSc
Kati is a doctoral student and researcher at Uppsala University. Her research interests include migration, residential segregation, and economic and social integration.
- Keiu Telve, PhD
Keiu is the executive director of Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom. In 2019 she defended her doctoral thesis titled "Family Life Across The Gulf: Cross-Border Commuters' Transnational Families between Estonia and Finland".
- Daniel Hess, PhD
Daniel is a professor and head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Buffalo (USA). His main research topics are transport, land use and residential areas. In 2016 - 2017 Daniel researched the legacy of socialist planning in Estonia and was the leader of the CMUS working group.
- Kristi Anniste, PhD
Kristi is a labor and social policy analyst at the Praxis Centre for Policy Studies. In 2014 she defended her doctoral thesis on the topic "East-West migration in Europe: The case of Estonia after regaining independence".
- Enel Pungas, PhD
Enel is the head of the population operations department of the Ministry of the Interior. In 2018 she defended his doctoral thesis on the topic "Differences in Migration Intentions by Ethnicity and Education: The Case of Estonia".
- Mari Nuga, PhD
In 2014 Mari defended her doctoral thesis titled "Soviet-era summerhouses. On homes and planning in post-socialist suburbia". She is currently doing a post-doctorate at Umea University.
- Kristiina Kukk
- Öguz Kus
- Jasna Mariotti
Jasna is a architecture lecturer at Queen's University Belfast.
- Petra Spackova
- Coline Daimler
- Maris Berzins
- Jana Temelova
- Jakub Novak
- Hill Kulu, PhD
Hill is Professor of Human Geography and Demography at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
- Ann Marksoo
