Anneli Saro

Anneli Saro is a Professor of Theatre Studies at the University of Tartu (since 2014) and has held various administrative roles including Vice Rector for Academic Affairs (2017–2018) and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (2020–present). She holds a PhD in Estonian Literature and Theatre Research (2004) and has extensive international collaboration experience, notably as an Extraordinary Lecturer at the University of Helsinki (2010–2014).

Her research focuses on Estonian theatre history, theatre systems, and performance theory, with notable projects on audience engagement, cross-cultural theatre relations (especially Finnish-Estonian), and the role of theatre in socio-political contexts. She has led over 14 research projects, including the Estonian Theatre Systems Analysis (2006–2010) and initiatives exploring cultural sustainability in community spaces.

Saro has supervised 24 dissertations, guiding research on topics like postdramatic theatre, physical theatre, and the dynamics of theatrical events. She serves on editorial boards of journals like Nordic Theatre Studies and chairs organizations such as the Union of Estonian Theatre Researchers and Critics. Her work bridges academic inquiry with practical theatre development, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and international scholarly networks.