The story of the Academy 


The Republic of Estonia belongs to the Estonian people: it is our common country, created from our inner will. Just as every person's sense of security and understanding of good and evil begins with themselves, so is the source of the country's security and well-being its internal order, which has been built brick by brick from the grassroots level. Estonia's security begins with the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. It is a breeding ground for future and current rescuers and dispatchers, police officers and border guards, prison officers, tax and customs officials, as well as researchers and experts in the field of internal security. 

Estonian Academy of Security Sciences (EASS) is unique in the world in terms of both its values and its academic structure. EASS brings together all of the country's internal security and security-related education, research, and development activities. On the one hand, the Academy is youthful, innovative, open, humane, and bold. On the other hand, it is a bearer of conservative and traditional values: dignified, academic, patriotic, strong, and confident. The synthesis of these characteristics also makes it unique. 

History 

On April 15, 1992, the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences was established to ensure the training of specialists in the fields of internal security and safety for the newly independent state of Estonia. The aim was to establish an institution that brings together the education and research necessary to ensure the security and resilience of the state – the training of police officers, border guards, rescue service officials, prison service specialists, tax and customs officials, and defence force personnel. The idea of bringing together such a unique combination of specialties in one school was introduced by Professor of Law Eduard Raska, who became the Academy's first rector. 

In the beginning, the Academy took over the territory of a Soviet Army military school and its old buildings in Maarjamäe, where the school is still located today. The Academy was renamed the Estonian National Defence Academy in 1993 and has been known as the Academy of Security Sciences since 1998. 

Over the years, the Academy has grown into a modern and versatile university of applied sciences. Since 2010, the Academy has had four colleges: Financial College, Prison Service College, Rescue College, and Police and Border Guard College. Master's programs have been offered since 2010 by the Institute of Internal Security, which has also been the Estonian contact point for the European Migration Network since 2020. 


Oleme julged, asjatundlikud ja hoolivad

Structure of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences

According to the statutes, the Academy is divided into academic departments, support service departments, and the Internal Security Career Centre. 

Structure


Management 

According to the statutes, the Academy and its council are managed by a rector, elected for a term of five years. The rector is responsible for matters concerning the general management of the Academy. 

Since 5 June 2023, Kuno Tammearu has been the rector of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. 

Kuno Tammearu was the Director General of the Estonian Rescue Services Agency since 2013, and his second term ended in 2023. Previously, he worked as Deputy Director General of the Rescue Services Agency and Head of Rescue Services. The Rector is also a graduate of the Academy of Security Sciences, having obtained a Master's degree in Public Administration from Tallinn University of Technology and a Master's degree in Strategic Management from the University of Tartu. Kuno Tammearu is a recipient of the Estonian Red Cross Fourth Class Order of Merit and the Estonian Red Cross Second Class Order of Merit, and has been awarded the Grand Gold Cross of the Rescue Service. 

Kuno Tammearu

Council 

The highest collegial decision-making body of the Academy of Security Sciences is the Council, which has decision-making powers on important issues concerning the activities and development of the Academy. The Council decides upon important issues concerning teaching, research and development, adopts the Academy's development plan, approves curricula, selects regular teaching staff, establishes various regulatory documents, etc. 

Key Figures

Key Figures

1,200 students 

7,000+ participants in continuing education per year 

1,100 high school students participating in internal security training 

277 employees in total, including 

97 teaching staff 

13 researchers 

350 guest lecturers 

12,000 alumni