Rescue College prepares future rescue workers, emergency dispatchers, crisis prevention and response specialists, and fire safety experts whose mission is to protect lives, prevent accidents, and safeguard the environment. The programme is highly practical, value-based, and closely connected to the everyday reality of rescue services, providing the skills needed to act decisively and professionally in both daily rescue operations and large-scale emergencies.
The curriculum covers rescue operations, fire safety, crisis management, communication skills, teamwork, and preventive work. Strong emphasis is placed on hands-on training, exercises, and cooperation with the Estonian Rescue Board and other internal security agencies to ensure students are fully prepared for demanding and responsible work.
Studies take place in Tallinn and Väike-Maarja, in close cooperation with the Estonian Rescue Board, the Emergency Response Centre, and several partner universities. Graduates work at the Estonian Rescue Board, the Emergency Response Centre, in local governments, and in private companies, contributing to a safer society and a more resilient environment.
Studies are conducted in Estonian and are open only to Estonian citizens.
Rescue College Key research directions
The research group in the Civil Protection Research and Development Centre focuses on three directions
Research on the area of civil protection and crisis preparedness began in September 2025. Research activities focus on the development of civil protection and resilience in the Nordic-Baltic countries, providing science-based support for deepening Nordic-Baltic co-operation and strategically shaping resilience. The transferability of the concept and practices of civil protection between the Nordic and Baltic countries is discussed, the impact of Ukraine's war experience on the learning processes and security narratives of the Nordic-Baltic countries are examined, and the opportunities and challenges inherent in a small country in the development of crisis preparedness and broad-based national defence are analysed. Research is led by a visiting research fellow Dr Jana Wrange (Lund University, Sweden).
The focus of the civil protection crisis management research direction is on solutions for risk assessment and strengthening resilience, combining technological innovation, data-driven decision-making and social vulnerability analysis. Research includes the vulnerability of tourists in an air attack and shelter scenario, and recommendations have been developed for their better involvement in public warning systems and shelter plans. In the future, the risk assessment of critical infrastructure and the possibilities to strengthen its resilience and safety will be analysed. At the same time, an evacuation model based on real-time data is developed. The model aims to improve the situational awareness of decision-makers and the effectiveness of evacuation plans in the event of major disasters, war and natural disasters. By combining systemic risk analysis, data-driven modelling and a social vulnerability approach, new science-based solutions will be offered to support strategic decisions in the areas of crisis management, evacuation planning and civil protection. The research line is led by visiting research fellow Dr Katarina Hollá (University of Žilina, Slovakia).
This research area deals with innovative solutions for technology-based learning and crisis communication in the context of rescue and civil protection. For example, it has been studied what competencies and support mechanisms instructors need for the effective implementation of virtual simulation-based training (including creating a link between technology, pedagogical and specialist knowledge) and how AI-generated feedback could support the assessment of incident commanders in a virtual scenario. It has been analysed how the use of inquiry-based learning and combustion simulations helps students achieve a deeper understanding of combustion processes. At the same time, the use of virtual reality in chemical safety control and the acquisition of decision-making strategies and skills among students of the rescue service curriculum are also studied. The functioning of the multilingual public warning system in Estonia is also analysed. Learning analytics and the principles of participatory assessment methodology are applied in the assessment of exercises in order to assess learning between organisations. The research direction is led by Reet Kasepalu, PhD, and cooperation has been carried out with Krems University of Continuing Education and Tallinn University.