Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia, was born on 26 March 1958 in Tartu. He graduated from Tartu Secondary School No. 2 (now Miina Härma Gymnasium) in 1976 and from the Estonian Agricultural Academy (now the Estonian University of Life Sciences) in 1981 with a degree in veterinary medicine.

He subsequently worked at the Estonian Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science and later at the Estonian Biocentre of the Academy of Sciences. In 1987, he obtained a scientific degree in parasitology and later focused his research on molecular genetics and developmental biology. He has worked at several universities in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and became a professor at the University of Tartu in 1999. During his most active years as a researcher, Alar Karis's scientific work was among the most internationally cited of all Estonian scientists.

From 2003 to 2007, Karis served as Rector of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, and from 2007 to 2012 as Rector of the University of Tartu. He also chaired the Council of Rectors, which brings together the leaders of Estonia's higher education institutions, on several occasions.

Alar Karis served as Auditor General of Estonia from 2013 to 2018 and as Chair of the EUROSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA) from 2014 to 2018.

From 2018 to 2021, he was Director of the Estonian National Museum.

Alar Karis has been a member of the Academic Council of the President of the Republic, the President's Think Tank, the Research and Development Council, the supervisory board of the Estonian Fund for Nature, the board of the European University Association, and several other advisory and supervisory bodies. Since 2011, he has been a member of the World Cultural Council.

From 2010 to 2021, he served as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Chile in Estonia. Alar Karis is also a member of the Estonian Students' Society and the Rotary Club of Tartu.

Alar Karis is married. His wife, Sirje Karis (born 1956), is the Director of the Tartu City Museum and served as Director of the Estonian History Museum from 2005 to 2018. The couple has three children.

The Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) elected Alar Karis as President of the Republic of Estonia on 31 August 2021, and he assumed office on 11 October 2021.

Career

2021-2026 – President of the Republic of Estonia

2018-2021 – Director, Estonian National Museum

2013-2018 – Auditor General of Estonia

2007-2012 – Rector, University of Tartu

2003-2007 – Rector, Estonian University of Life Sciences

1999-2018 – Professor, University of Tartu

1998-1999 – Extraordinary Senior Research Fellow, University of Tartu Technology Centre

1996-1998 – Extraordinary Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Tartu

1993-1998 – Researcher, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands

1992-1993 – Researcher, National Institute for Medical Research, United Kingdom

1991 – Visiting Researcher, University of Hamburg, Germany

1990-1992 – Senior Researcher, Estonian Biocentre, Academy of Sciences

1987-1990 – Researcher, Estonian Biocentre, Academy of Sciences

1981-1987 – Researcher, Estonian Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

Publications

"Letter to the Future: Articles, Speeches, Interviews, Opinions" (2012)

Decorations and Honours

2007 – Order of the White Star, 4th Class (Estonia)

2008 – Commander of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)

2011 – Commander of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (Sweden)

2013 – Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland

2019 – Cross of Recognition, 3rd Class (Latvia)

2021 – Collar of the Order of the National Coat of Arms (Estonia)

2023 – Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of the Three Stars (Latvia)

2023 – Collar of the Order of the Seraphim (Sweden)

2024 – Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland

2024 – Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, First Class (Ukraine)

2025 – Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

2025 – Order of the White Eagle (Poland)

2026 – Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (Portugal)

2026 – Sash and Star of the Order of the Elephant (Denmark)

2026 – Collar of the Order of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania)

2026 – Collar of the Order of the White Lion (Czech Republic)

2026 – Cross of Recognition, 1st Class (Latvia)

Languages

English

Russian