Business and Technology 

If you are interested in becoming a player in the global business game, pursuing a MSc degree abroad is a good way to start. But let us have a look at how our programme ensures competitiveness in the global labor market!

Technical background combined with business understanding and intercultural mindset ensures interesting career opportunities. Firstly, large multinational companies need young graduates to work with business development in internal projects as well as with their customers and suppliers all around the world. Secondly, in addition to large multinationals, many small and medium sized companies are expanding abroad and hence need well-educated, internationally-minded people for various development responsibilities. Finally, many start-up companies today are ‘born global' emphasizing the need of internationally-minded people with a broad perspective on business development.

Our programme focuses on business development in global business-to-business markets. These markets are characterized by long-term customer-supplier relationships, and business development projects often have close interaction with both customers and suppliers as an important prerequisite. Therefore, industrial marketing and global sourcing strategies are emphasized in our programme. The programme teaches how to manage and develop global operations both from a strategic perspective and at the operative level. The programme includes several courses in which projects with local industry enable students to gain practical experience in the development of global sales and sourcing processes.

In addition to the competencies related to international business, the studies include a wide variety of perspectives on management and leadership, with  special emphasis on the international, technology-driven business environment.

Study modules

The curriculum of our programme has been designed to prepare our students for diverse management and business development responsibilities in the international business world. The curriculum includes the following study modules:

• Introduction to business and business communication
• Managing global customer-supplier relationships
• Technology management in global business networks
• Business information management
• Business competence and leadership skills in a multicultural context
• Research methodology and reporting skills
  
  

The curriculum begins with basic-level management courses to set up a solid basis for more advanced management studies. Towards the end of the programme, courses evolve into interdisciplinary management courses connecting concepts and tools of different management disciplines, identical to decision-making situations in the real world. 

Problem-based learning with companies

No matter what the curriculum is, business development is something one cannot master only by reading books or sitting in a classroom! To ensure the students acquire the competencies needed in the business world, our programme includes several courses in which assignments are completed in collaboration with local industry. When managers, teachers and students get together to solve real-life management problems, it provides our students with invaluable learning opportunities.

• "One of the special features of the program is its high emphasis on a practical, industry-oriented approach to the theoretical concepts studied in classes. I was really impressed that already during the first weeks I visited Nokian Tyres with the teacher to meet the Vice President of Business Development. At the end of a one-year long collaboration with the company, I had the honour to present the results of my project to the senior management of Nokian Tyres."
  -Sergiu Foca, Moldova

Problem-based learning with the real-life companies is an essential element of the programme. At the beginning these projects focus on operative business development to ensure that students understand both international business processes and practical business development procedures. As students gain further competencies, the company projects evolve into more strategically-oriented studies pursued in close collaboration with senior managers. These company projects are managed by our most talented second-year students, offering them invaluable leadership experience.

More advanced studies combined with the experience gained in company projects make it easier to start preparing the master's thesis. Company projects also provide students with industry contacts and references to be used when looking for thesis placements and, later on, the first management job. The combination of theory and practice has been emphasized precisely to facilitate the transition from university to the corporate world.

Links to some company projects:

Adea
Sandvik Mining and Construction
Agco Sisu Power

Career prospects

This programme is aimed at students who have a BSc degree in engineering or technology. Engineering degree combined with our two-year management programme is a powerful combination with interesting career prospects in industrial marketing, sales, supply chain management, technology sourcing, business development and consulting.

Many of our students have started their management careers in business development projects related to global sales and sourcing. In many cases, students have ended up working in business development projects related to their home countries or language regions - in a field closely related to their engineering studies! This combines the student's cultural and technical background with the studies in a unique way.

Good theoretical knowledge combined with some practical experience is always valued in the corporate world. However, the most important asset for today's leaders is the willingness to grasp new opportunities fearlessly and the capability to acquire new competencies efficienctly when needed. All these are practiced in the programme.