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BScBA Degree Program International Business

Global & Local in the Mikkeli ContextScience Day, April 13, 2010

Joan Löfgren, Director

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Key themes

• Info on our program and Aalto University

• Internationality

• Teaching & research

• Links to the community

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The Program in Brief• Started in 1989 (BBA program), completely in English• 2001: Transition to BScBA degree program

– International Business major– 80 study places are granted– 1000 + applications last year

• Curriculum– Offered in intensive, three-week modules year-round– Students take one course at a time– Semester abroad is standard part of program

• Distinctive educational philosophy• Almost 90% of students graduate within 3 years

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Aalto MikkeliBScBA Academic Environment

BScBA

Degree Program

Degree Students

Small Business Center

Main Campus

Faculty

Mikkeli University Consortium

International Exchange Partners

Business CommunitySouth Savo Region

City of Mikkeli

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Mikkeli University Consortium• Members

– Aalto Univ. (BScBA/PYK)– University of Helsinki (Ruralia, Digitization)– Lappeenranta University of Technology– University of Eastern Finland

• Coordination, joint projects, community development

• City of Mikkeli engaged in the cooperation

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Aalto University

• Created from the merger of

–The Helsinki School of Economics

–The University of Art and Design Helsinki

–Helsinki University of Technology

• Three campuses in Helsinki, plus Mikkeli, Lahti, Vaasa and Pori.

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The Mission of Aalto

• Aalto strives to change the world through:– top-quality interdisciplinary research– pioneering education– surpassing traditional boundaries– renewal

• Internationality a key priority

• Slogan: “No teaching without research, no research without teaching.”

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Examples of new initiatives

• Design, Media and Service “Factories”

– Open environments for research and education

• International Design Business Management (IDBM)

– A joint multidisciplinary minor studies program of Aalto’s three schools. Later master’s program.

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Aalto & Mikkeli

• Our program highlighted in Aalto for– innovative teaching

– internationality

• Future goal to share courses each year with the other two schools.

• We can be a “laboratory” for new teaching methods and approaches.

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Foundations of Educational Philosophy

Internationalization

Teaching Innovation

ResearchCommunity

Development

Student ProfessionalDevelopment

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Internationalization: Faculty

Region of Residence 2007 – 2008 2008 -- 2009

Africa (Cameroon) 1 1

Asia (Malaysia, Japan) 2 2

Europe (8 countries) 29 31

Finland (7) (8)

North America (USA, Canada)

26 29

Total 58 63

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Internationalization: Students(Note: indexed figures)

University Foreign degree students(% of all students)

Outgoing exchange students(3 mos. + / 1000 degree students)

Incoming exchange students(3 mos. + / 1000 degree students)

Credits completed(courses taught in foreign language / 1000 degree students)

Aalto Mikkeli

9,6 % 256,7 195,4 49840

Aalto Helsinki

2,9 % 50,4 47,9 12255

Average value

2,8 % 61,2 66,7 10178

All univers. 4,5 % 28,5 32,3 2321

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International Day

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Exchange students present their home universities/countries

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Internationality in the Classroom

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Teaching Innovation

• Emphasis on • Intellectual diversity (different schools of thought)• Pedagogical innovation (wide range of teaching & learning

strategies) • Curricular innovation (interdisciplinary and topical)• Cultural diversity (diverse cultural & business practices)

• Learning environment • Student-centered• Activation a core value• Interaction in the classroom• Simulation of business environments

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Research

• At bachelor’s level– concept definition– research skill development– application

• Progressive cultivation of research development throughout the program

• Thesis requirement – Nov-May process with supervision– Supervisors from several MUC units

• Applied research courses through BCD project

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Business & Community Development

• Cooperation with the South Savo region • We offer the work of our students and expertise of

our professors. • In return, local companies and organizations can

offer their own expertise through guest lectures. • Local partners give practical examples and material

for research through class excursions and interviews.

• Student project coordinator plays key role (Joonas Kallankari currently)

• Recent course examples on following slides

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1) Project Management for Global Development (David Atkinson>Joan Lofgren)

• Cooperation partner: City of Mikkeli

• Marketing projects:– Benchmarking other cities– Foundations of a marketing plan– Draft survey of newcomers

• Value added: Students research for city + get experience working with city officials

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2) Digital Applications in International Business (Dale Fodness)

• Student projects related to web 2.0. applications– Eg social networks, wikis and virtual worlds.

• Partner: Digitization and Conservation Unit of the National Library of Finland

• Projects included evaluation of existing web pages, exploring marketing possibilities in Second Life and Facebook and creating a web- based on-demand retail model.

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3) International Technology Venturing (Cynthia Wagner Weick)

• Combined expertise in science of University of Kuopio with expertise in international marketing of our students.

• Students prepared feasibility studies for scientists from the University of Kuopio and MTT of Mikkeli, who were interested in taking their research findings or technology to the marketplace, domestically and internationally.

• Course results were evaluated by a panel that included the Research director of MAMK (Dr. Pekka Turkki) and Innovation Manager of Innosuomi (MBA Toivo Venäläinen).

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4) Operations Management (Susan Grinsted)

• Students choose from wide variety of cooperation forms with local companies.

• Course visits to actual production facilities and a possibility of doing work shadowing (following for a manager for a day).

• This year students could also choose to conduct a survey developed by Prof. Grinsted that analyzes production of small and medium-sized manufacturers.

• About 10 companies participate in the course.

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Student Professional Development

• Professional Development Portfolio– Orientation to university studies– Computer driving license– Academic writing

• Simulation of business tasks

• Career day – Presentations by alumni– Local business leaders

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Thank You! Kiitos!

Application deadline:

Friday, April 16

Photo credits: Oliver Saarinen