Aune Valk

Aune Valk
Valk at the Opinion Festival in 2021
Born	(1972-03-22) 22 March 1972 Tallinn, Estonia
Citizenship	Estonian
Education	University of Tartu (MSc, PhD)
Occupations	Psychologist; academic administrator
Employer	University of Tartu
Awards	Order of the White Star, 4th Class Citizen's Day Medal University of Tartu Medal University of Tartu Badge of Distinction

Aune Valk (born 22 March 1972) is an Estonian psychologist and academic administrator. Since 2018, she has served as vice rector for academic affairs at the University of Tartu. Her academic work has focused on cross-cultural psychology, ethnic identity, interethnic relations, adult education and adult competencies. Before returning to the university leadership, she headed the Analysis Department of Estonia's Ministry of Education and Research and was one of Estonia's national project managers for the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC).

Education and research

Born in Tallinn, Valk studied psychology at the University of Tartu, graduating in 1994. She received a research master's degree in psychology in 1997 with the thesis Ethnic identity and national attitudes and completed a PhD in psychology in 2001 with the dissertation Two Facets of Ethnic Identity: Pride and Differentiation. In 2004, she undertook postdoctoral studies at the University of Sussex and Clark University.

Valk's research has concentrated on ethnic identity and acculturation in Estonia. In her dissertation, she argued for distinguishing between ethnic pride and belonging and ethnic differentiation as separate facets of ethnic identity. Her published work has examined ethnic attitudes among Estonians and Russians, identity and self-esteem among adolescents, and the idea of an "Estonian open identity" in a multicultural society. She also contributed the chapter "Identity in an Open World" to the Estonian Human Development Report 2016/2017.

Career

Valk began her career at the University of Tartu in the Department of Psychology, where she worked as an assistant and then as an extraordinary research fellow. She later served as assistant to the vice rector, director of the university's Open University, head of the Office of Academic Affairs, and head of the Lifelong Learning Centre.

Alongside her university administrative work, Valk was a research fellow at the Estonian Literary Museum from 2008 to 2012 and a senior research fellow at Tallinn University from 2012 to 2014. From 2010 to 2014, she coordinated Estonia's participation in the OECD's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). She then headed the Analysis Department of the Ministry of Education and Research from 2014 to 2018.

In 2016–2020, Valk represented Estonia at the OECD's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI), including service on the bureau of its governing board. In 2018, she joined rector Toomas Asser's administration as vice rector for academic affairs at the University of Tartu. In that office, she is responsible for the university's academic affairs, including bachelor's and master's studies and continuing education.

Honours

Valk received the University of Tartu Badge of Distinction in 2006, the Citizen's Day Medal in 2016, the University of Tartu Medal in 2020, and the Order of the White Star, 4th Class, in 2024.

Selected publications

• Two Facets of Ethnic Identity: Pride and Differentiation (2001)
• "Ethnic Identity, Ethnic Attitudes, Self-Esteem, and Esteem toward Others among Estonian and Russian Adolescents" (2000)
• "Ethnic Attitudes in Relation to Ethnic Pride and Ethnic Differentiation" (with Kristel Karu, 2001)
• "Estonian Open Identity: Reality and Ideals" (with Kristel Karu-Kletter and Marianna Drozdova, 2011)