The purpose of the Mihkel Aitsam Memorial Scholarship is, based on M. Aitsam’s life work, primarily to support and promote the studies of students with special needs at Tallinn University of Technology in university-level education.
The Mihkel Aitsam Scholarship was established in 2015 by Eesti Telekom, Silberauto, and Harju Elekter with the approval of the TalTech Alumni Association and at the initiative of Sven Kõllamets, advisor to TalTech students with special needs. The aim of the Mihkel Aitsam Memorial Scholarship is, in line with M. Aitsam’s life’s work, to support and promote the university-level education of students with special needs at Tallinn University of Technology.
Each autumn, the goal is to award the scholarship to a TalTech student with special needs who serves as an example to others through their academic achievements and active involvement.
The scholarship fund is looking for supporters!
The Mihkel Aitsam Memorial Scholarship is intended for one student at Tallinn University of Technology who has a disability or other special need that causes or may cause additional expenses in obtaining an education. Applicants are expected to demonstrate good academic performance and a strong interest in their chosen field of study.
The scholarship is awarded through a public competition based on the documents submitted by students as part of the Development Fund’s scholarship competitions, which are held twice a year. More information on the conditions can be found in the scholarship statute.
Curriculum Vitae
Mihkel Aitsam was born on October 9, 1929, in Pärnu and passed away on August 27, 2013.
Mihkel Aitsam was an Estonian engineer and a disability rights activist.
He was born into a family of schoolteachers. Due to poliomyelitis, his legs were partially paralyzed, but he completed regular schooling. In 1964, he graduated from the Tallinn Polytechnic Institute’s Faculty of Energy with a degree in automation and telemechanics, earning the diploma of engineer-energy specialist. His professional career culminated in the position of chief engineer at the ETKVL Computing Center.
The childhood polio imposed limitations on Mihkel Aitsam’s mobility. His personal experiences confirmed the main problem faced by people with disabilities: social exclusion. Aitsam refused to accept this.
He was the first person with a disability in Estonia to be issued a driver’s license under special permission, which had to be requested from Moscow.
Between 1980 and 1981, he was a board member and chairman of the Automi sector for owners of manually operated vehicles, a founding member and chairman of the Invasport amateur sports club from 1982 to 1989, a board member of the Estonian Invasport Union since 1986, chairman of the Estonian Disability Associations’ Union from 1987 to 1994, and director of AS Eesti Ortopeedia since 1994. To deepen his understanding of these issues, he worked as a volunteer crisis counselor on the night hotline at the Tallinn Crisis Assistance Center and founded the NGO “Ma kuulan Teid” (“I am listening to you”), which provides psychological support. From 1996 to 1998, he was on the board of the Tallinn Association of People with Mobility Impairments, serving as chairman.
He shared his extensive experience with youth by lecturing on disability psychology at the Tallinn Pedagogical Institute and the Tallinn Pedagogical Seminary.
In 2001, the President of the Republic of Estonia awarded Mihkel Aitsam the Order of the Estonian Red Cross, Class III, in recognition of his merits in the disability movement.
Supporters
The list of supporters is updated once a week.
Grantees
Year 2015 – Henri Telk
Year 2016– Jako Stein, Merilin Vihmaru
Year 2017– Marten Kask
Year 2018 – Hannes Pärnaste, Alexei Malovitchko
Autumn 2019 – ei antud välja
Autumn 2023 – Rasmus Juhanson
Spring 2025 – Kertu Lille
You can support in several ways:
| SWEDBANK: | EE572200221011286139 |
| SEB: | EE471010052027905003 |
| LHV: | EE547700771003875312 |
| Keyword: | Mihkel Aitsam Scholarship Fund |
We are grateful for every donation, especially recurring ones. A fund that relies 100% on donations is more stable when it has regular supporters. The best way is for the donor to go to their bank and set up a standing order to one of the accounts of the Foundation of Tallinn University of Technology Development Fund.
| SWEDBANK: | EE572200221011286139 |
| SEB: | EE471010052027905003 |
| LHV: | EE547700771003875312 |
| Keyword: | Mihkel Aitsam Scholarship Fund |
The donation is allocated to a designated sub-fund created within the Foundation of Tallinn University of Technology Development Fund, according to the chosen fund. All transfers made to the sub-fund are awarded as scholarships to students or teachers through a public competition process.
Yes, of course you can!
The Foundation of Tallinn University of Technology Development Fund is listed as a tax-exempt organization, which means that donations to the fund are tax-deductible. Individuals can deduct donated amounts up to 1200 euros per year from their taxable income. All donations made through the support portal toeta.taltech.ee or directly to the Development Fund accounts, where the donor provides their personal identification code, can be considered for income tax refund. At the beginning of the calendar year, the Development Fund submits all necessary information to the Tax and Customs Board, and the summary of donations will appear in the donor’s income tax declaration.
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