Pallas University of Applied Sciences

Mission Statement

Pallas University of Applied Sciences (Pallas UAS) was founded on August1, 2000 and is, on a continuity basis, a successor to a private educational institution established by the art society Pallas in 1919. Since those times, the University has existed as both a secondary-level school and an institution of higher art education; see history. On the basis of historical continuity, Pallas UAS retains the values of Pallas art society, incl. openness and modernity. Founded in Tartu, Pallas was the first Estonian institution of higher art education and laid down the basis for professional Estonian art. In addition to that art society's values, Pallas UAS still undertakes the mission of providing the best contemporary education in the arts.

The vision of Pallas UAS:  Pallas is a recognised centre of art education, initiating changes in the creative sector, valuing
traditions and leading innovation in the fields of art, design, conservation and restoration in
cooperation with its partners.

The core values of Pallas UAS 
Pallas bases its activities and organisational culture on the core values that accompany Pallas
all the time, but in order to better focus its activities, Pallas targets one of them per year of the
2021-2025 Development Plan.

Courage (2021) –  to initiate, to experiment, to make mistakes, to trust, to do things differently.
Creativity (2022) – To expand boundaries to be unique, to notice and discover, to be inspired, to be spontaneous.
Openness (2023) – to change, to transform, to cooperate, for diversity, for the world.
Liability (2024) – To act as a team, to maintain consistency, to be ethical and empathetic, to ensure quality art education, to act in an environmentally conscious way.
Freedom (2025) – To make choices, to have self-esteem, to be different, to be an independent creator, to be critical.

The mission: 
Pallas promotes teaching arts at a higher educational level, conducts both applied and academic
research in the field of arts, design, conservation and restoration and creates the necessary
environment for students to develop a sense of creativity and responsibility.
Pallas cooperates with the community and other educational institutions and establishments,
supporting the development of a creative and sustainable society and lifelong learning.

The motto: Future is in creation.

International Role

Pallas UAS offers an education that allows the graduates to compete
successfully in the Estonian and European labour market. Pallas UAS is intensively developing
its cooperation with Estonian and foreign higher education institutions to enrich art
education with different abilities and values. providing a progeny of professional artist
that think creatively and are open to world. Pallas UAS has created an environment that supports
internationalisation. Both students and staff participate very actively in studies and trainings
abroad. Pallas UAS has made its studies international in Estonia by involving foreign experts and
teaching staff and by participating in international projects held in Estonia. The principles of
internationalisation are stipulated in the Pallas UAS International Relations Strategy, the three main
directions being:
1. International cooperation with public, private and voluntary sectors. Pallas UAS
participates in the work of international networks and organisations, in
international trade fairs, exhibitions and competitions and cooperates with
foreign companies and competence centres. Pallas UAS has been a partner in 10 Nordplus
projects since 2009 and is a member of EURASHE association that represents
universities of applied sciences and university colleges. Since May 26, 2012 Pallas UAS has
been a full member of Cumulus.
2. Cooperation with institutions of higher education abroad. Pallas UAS develops
cooperation with existing Erasmus+ partner institutions and also strengthens
substantive cooperation with other institutions of higher education abroad. In
curricula development, the best practices used abroad for every field will be
taken into account. International competences of students and staff are facilitated
by having foreign or visiting lecturers conduct courses. In addition to Erasmus
partners Pallas UAS has bilateral agreements with three higher education institutions in
Russia, one in Georgia and one in Kazakhstan that enable students and staff of both sides visit the other institution for
self-improvement and proovide the possibility to organise joint culture projects
and exhibitions. In 2019 Pallas applied successfully for Erasmus international credit mobility project with Georgia.
Pallas UAS's Gallery Noorus provides the opportunity for its foreign
partners to show their work at our gallery.
3. Support of student and employee mobility. Pallas UAS actively develops international
student exchange (incl. exchange studies, work practice abroad for students
and recent graduates, short-term mobility) and employee mobility. The European
Commission's Erasmus+ programme has become the main option for both,
student and staff exchanges, and also a very effective means of
internationalisation. The first Erasmus programme exchanges took place in
2004/2005.

Today, Pallas UAS has over 50 partner universities in the framework of the
Erasmus+ programme. Regarding the number of students who have studied and/or
completed their work practice abroad with Erasmus, Pallas UAS is one of the most
successful institutes of higher education in Estonia with outward Erasmus+ mobility rate at nearly 10%. Pallas UAS's staff can also benefit from the mobilities
under Dora+ and Nordplus programmes.
 

National Role

As the only institution of higher education in the field of applied arts in Estonia, Pallas UAS plays an important role as a shaper of Estonian education, art and culture. Pallas UAS aims to maintain art education in specialties that are important traditionally and in the context of Estonian culture and history. Thus, Pallas UAS pays great attention to the balanced development of all seven curricula. Pallas UAS maintains a strong focus on teaching applied and practice based skills within an academic framework that successfully prepares students for careers in the creative industries, and in a wider sense promotes the development of a creative society. The comprehensive curricula take the needs of society and the labour market into account and ensure the competitiveness of the graduates on the labour market, in their creative activities and in continuing education. Regarding research, development and creative activities (RDC), Pallas UAS focuses on three main directions: design, conservation/restoration and the arts. 
The activities of Pallas UAS in promoting the Estonian cultural scene have been consistent. Pallas UAS cooperates with organisations and institutions from the public, private and voluntary sectors thereby participating in shaping societal values. 
 

Main Focus

Pallas University of Applied Sciences (until August 1, 2018 – Tartu Art College) is a multidisciplinary applied higher education institution that educates professional applied artists and artists-restorers who value and preserve cultural heritage. Main areas of the activity are provision of higher education in arts, design, conservation and restoration, supervision and coordination of academic and creative work, conducting research, creative activities in the fields of the arts and design, development activities and organisation of continuing education in the fields of the arts, design, conservation and restoration and the provision of paid services related to the above.