History

The history of the Tartu Student Village dates back to 1991. The small enterprise Tartu Ülikooli Üliõpilasküla (Student Village of the University of Tartu) was established that year on the basis of residence halls managed by the Administration Department of the University of Tartu. Use and management of residence halls by a small enterprise was to ensure the self-management of the residence halls, improvement of housing conditions, financial liability of students, relieving faculties from the obligation of taking care of residence halls, relieving students from voluntary work, incl. from guarding duties. The purpose was also to reduce the number of employees. (Technical and financial justification for the creation of the small enterprise.) 9 buildings, including 7 residence halls and 2 apartment houses, and 1 living space provided by the employer were delivered to the small enterprise TÜ Üliõpilasküla for management. According to the Statutes approved by the Rector of the University of Tartu, its main duty was to provide housing to students, other learners and guests according to the legal regulations applicable to guesthouses. Main activities: hotel management, catering and provision of other services for the purpose of carrying out the main activities. (Memorandum of Association, 28.12.1990)

In 1997 the small enterprise was liquidated and the non-profit association Tartu Student Village established instead. The Memorandum of Association was signed by the Rector of the University of Tartu Peeter Tulviste and by the Chairman of the Board of the University of Tartu Student Body Foundation Kalev Leif. The association established also had to assume the loss of more than half a million kroons incurred by the small enterprise but its efficient management turned the loss very soon into a profit.

In 2000 the University of Tartu paid the membership fee to the non-profit association for the last time, and since 2001 the Student Village has been a fully self-financed association.

Since 2001, the loan obtained from the University of Tartu for the renovation project of residence halls is paid back in the form of rent charges. Loan repayments, i.e. the rent charges reached 13.3 million kroons by 2006. The profit from economic activities has been accumulated for years and is retained for possible crisis situations. Since 2005, the profit has been applied for the improvement of the residence halls at Nooruse 7 and Narva mnt 89 which had not been included in the renovation project.

While before the establishment of the non-profit association and in the initial years we visited the Turku Student Village to acquire their experience and learn their systems, the roles have changed by now. Several Finnish student villages have come to see the new e-kyla customer management software of the Tartu Student Village, and the Turku Student Village has also bought the software.

In March 2007 the Tartu Student Village became the member of the international organization ECStA (European Council for Student Affairs). In 2008 the members and guests of the NSBO (Association of Student Villages in the Nordic Countries) will gather in Tartu to hold a NSBO conference in Estonia for the first time.

Main events

1997
	Logotype of the Tartu Student Village was designed.
1998
	The first internal regulations of the association were prepared and approved (internal housing regulations, internal routine regulations, regulations for the use of property, internal accounting regulations and the salary regulations). By the end of the year the new SAF 5.2 accounting software was introduced, including the part on the accounting of student rent charges.
1999
	Beginning of the renovation project. Renovation of the three upper floors of the first renovated residence hall at Pepleri 14 was completed.
2000
	September – the office of the Student Village moved from the residence hall of Pepleri 14 to the building at Vallikraavi 25 leased from the University of Tartu.
2001
	Spring – construction of the new residence hall was started (at Raatuse 22). September – University of Tartu delivered the residence hall at Purde 27 to the Student Village for management.
2002
	September – the renovated residence hall at Tiigi 14 was opened. September – the new residence hall at Raatuse 22 was opened.
2003
	July – lease of the building at Pepleri 23 from the University of Tartu was terminated. August – the renovated residence hall at Narva mnt 25 was opened. August – the company OÜ Tartu Üliõpilasküla Hostel was established. September – office of the Student Village moved to Floor 0 of the residence hall at Narva mnt 25.
2004
	July – the new web site www.kyla.ee was opened with online applications and hostel reservations. September – the renovated residence hall at Narva mnt 27 was opened.
2005
	January – the fourth hallway of Purde 27 was taken into use – end of the renovation project. January – the hostel reservation software Innbell was introduced and can be used online in all buildings where the hostel services are provided. The mission was formulated – to be an organization which offers a convenient and modern living and studying environment, security, and practical and professional customer service to a student. The vision was formulated – to serve as a model for European student villages. Autumn – service standards were developed.
2006
	March – the lodgers acquired an access to the e-kyla customer service and rent accounting software. e-kyla obtained the Helpdesk interface – the tool for posting problems and reporting on solutions.
2007
	March – the student village joined the international organization ECStA – European Council for Student Affairs. Intranet was created – to make the information required for work and many other interesting things available to all employees of the Student Village.
2008
	March – the new web site www.tartuhostel.eu was opened May – the new web site www.tartucampus.eu was opened. June – the Student Village organizes a conference of the NSBO (Association of Student Villages in the Nordic Countries) in Tartu for 100 participants from 10 countries.