Creative Project Management students gathered in Viljandi for the first time

In autumn 2024, the first cohort of the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy’s Creative Project Management programme began their studies. This is an international one-year master’s programme, with most of the coursework delivered online.

On the 14th of March, the students met in person for the first time in Viljandi. Nine students participated in face-to-face learning, while African scholarship recipients joined via Zoom.

The three-day session began at the Delta Centre in Tartu, focusing on leadership theories, models, and workflow monitoring in the digital age. Thursday evening concluded with a shared dinner.

The following day, the group traveled to Viljandi for a lecture on managing multicultural and creative teams, as well as a master’s thesis seminar. The long study day ended with a guided tour of Viljandi’s Old Town, allowing students to become more familiar with the city’s culture and history. On Saturday, they returned to Tartu, where the session concluded with practical lectures and discussions.

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This was a significant milestone for the Creative Project Management programme, reinforcing the importance of balancing flexible online learning with in-person meetings that foster a sense of community and collaboration among students.

“We want our students to not only benefit from the convenience of online learning but also have the opportunity to meet each other and the university staff in real life. The intensive study week provides a more structured learning rhythm, offers valuable input for programme development, creates a more effective communication environment between supervisors and students, and strengthens the sense of community beyond lectures,” said Marek Mühlberg, the programme director of Creative Project Management.

“The students' self-directed and intrinsically motivated collaborative learning in an online environment has been truly rewarding. The in-person study week enhanced the design of each student’s unique learning journey by fostering a synergy of co-creation,” added Marge Robam, coordinator and academic affairs specialist.

Both students and lecturers highly valued the first in-person study week, which provided inspiration for future gatherings.

The Creative Project Management Master’s Programme at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy is the perfect choice for modern creative leaders seeking expertise in management and administration.

Through this programme, students can develop both technical project management skills and competencies in creativity, independence, adaptability, and collaboration. Graduates will be well-prepared to work in international project teams.

The programme can also be completed over a longer period by taking its modules through microdegree programmes (Teamwork and Leadership, Creative Entrepreneurship Project Management, and Creativity and Self-Development).

In collaboration with the Estonian Centre for International Development Cooperation, the programme offers five scholarships annually for citizens of Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, and Botswana.