Hedi-Liis Toome elected as the next head of the Institute of Cultural Research

As the new head of the institute, Toome strives to focus on promoting an inclusive culture of leadership as well as consistent high-quality research. “Thank you to everyone who voted for me and entrusted me with the responsibility of leading the institute. I get to take over an institute that is in good shape and carries out excellent research and teaching. In the future, we can put even more emphasis on applying for grants for research and development projects and increase the number of graduates at all levels of higher education. I highly value inclusive leadership, which means clear objectives and roles, open and honest communication and effective and transparent decision-making,” Toome said.

In addition, Toome attaches great importance to the principles of equal treatment and ensuring a safe and positive teaching and working environment for the institute’s members. “The main challenge in the near future will also certainly be to operate in the temporary space. Hopefully, in 2025 we will be able to move back to better conditions in the building at Ülikooli 16,” she said.

As the new head, she is guided by the principle that everyone’s contribution to the institute is valuable. “We are the institute. This means that we should all contribute to the institute’s budget, within our means, by applying for project funding and making the best use of base funding and curriculum performance indicators,” Toome explained.

Hedi-Liis Toome holds the position of Lecturer in Theatre Research. She has studied sociology and theatric science at the University of Tartu and defended her doctoral thesis “The functioning of theatre in the city of Tartu: a comparative perspective” in 2015. In addition, she has furthered her studies at the Paris Diderot University in France and at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. In her research, Toome focuses on theatre as a social phenomenon, especially reception studies and the sociology of theatre. She has worked as an executive secretary at the Estonian Theatre Union and as the head of communication at Endla Theatre. Toome has led the Estonian Association of Theatre Researchers and Theatre Critics and organises the yearly Estonian theatre festival Draama. She has been working as Lecturer in Theatre Research at the University of Tartu since 2018.