New Baltic Film, Media and Arts School head: Critical thinking key in the age of AI

According to Ivo Lille, the new director of Tallinn University's Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM), AI must be integrated in a way that preserves creativity and critical thinking. Curricula should be reviewed with that goal in mind in the near future.

You do not have a background in media or film. Why did you decide to apply for the position of director of BFM?

I do, however, have a background in management and experience leading a school focused on the creative arts (Lille previously served as director of the Georg Ots Tallinn Music School — ed.). That is one reason. The other is a deep respect for these fields and a desire to support them as much as I possibly can.

What is your main vision and where do you want BFM to be in five years?

The most important thing is to start with people and bring people together. More broadly, the ambition is for BFM to become a center of excellence not only in the Baltic states but also in the Nordic countries, bringing together activities from different creative fields.

I see tremendous potential in having these fields operate under one roof, including the entire pedagogical side that supports the cultural sector and cultural education more broadly. Those are the main priorities. I also think BFM's reputation is an important issue. It is already very strong, but we want to reach a wider audience, attract outstanding students, graduate highly capable professionals and maintain a strong research component.

About 40 students begin studying journalism and communication at the University of Tartu each year, while BFM enrolls around 25. Given the size of Estonia's media market, is it realistic to expect that all journalism graduates will find work in their field?

Let me broaden the question a bit. As I said when discussing my vision, the world does not end with Estonia. I imagine that the future for graduates of both BFM and the University of Tartu is certainly open internationally as well.

In fact, I have seen that there is strong demand for people with backgrounds in communication and journalism. The question is what exactly we mean by work in the field. Does it mean working as a journalist in a media organization, or something broader? I see it more broadly.

The university's role is to support every student who walks through its doors and wants to build a long-term career in this field through its curricula, helping them remain in the sector. That means they do not necessarily have to do only the traditional, classic work of a journalist. With their background and knowledge, they can contribute to society i