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Business students are the most enthusiastic exchange students at Aalto University. In 2024, 422 students from the School of Business went on exchange to 40 different countries. 417 foreign students came to the School of Business. An exchange period is available to every student. The School of Business also supports each of our exchange students with a scholarship. Scholarships for Erasmus exchanges to Europe, funded by the European Commission, have also increased in recent years.

Although student mobility has been on the decline nationally, the trend has been upwards at the School of Business. ‘The full and easy admission of exchange studies to an international minor ensures that the exchange does not extend the study time,’ says Sanna Krigsholm, team lead of the mobility team. 

International experience is considered by business students to be an important part of their degree and many students decide early on in their studies to apply for an exchange. An international minor can be included in both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree. 

‘Indeed, it is not uncommon for business students to go on two exchanges, the first during their undergraduate studies and the second during their master's degree. Some of these 'super-movers' have also done international internships or short courses abroad, so it is possible to make the Kauppis (School of Business) years very international and include several periods abroad if you wish,’ says Sanna Krigsholm. 

Continuous development of international opportunities

The School of Business has made long-term strategic efforts to build global partnerships. Its network of partner universities includes 156 excellent business schools from around the world, 96% of which have an internationally recognised quality label (AACSB, EQUIS or AMBA). The annual evaluation of universities is based on student feedback, academic performance, demand for exchanges and accreditation.

Student exchanges are based on reciprocity. The School of Business is constantly developing new innovative models of cooperation, taking into account the needs of the different target groups, in order to achieve a balance between the number of outgoing and incoming exchange students. 

‘In 2024, we hosted 417 exchange students and this number is expected to increase in 2025. Interest in Aalto and Finland has grown and the importance of safety among the selection criteria is becoming even more important. The increased number of exchanges is a testament to the effectiveness of our cooperation, our high-quality network of partner universities and the dedicated work of our excellent colleagues around the world,’ says Saila Kurtbay, Head of International Affairs at the School of Business.

As Dean Timo Korkeamäki aptly described at the welcome event for exchange students, ‘You are the ones who bring internationalism to us. It is always inspiring to see so many new exchange students on campus. The new perspectives you bring enrich both the learning experience of the students and the teaching experience of the teachers.’

Among the new partnerships, Saila Kurtbay mentions the cooperation with Michigan: ‘We have been working for a year with the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business to develop a short exchange programme and now in May we hosted 33 students for a three-week short exchange. Six fifth period courses are taught intensively over three weeks, which fit into Michigan's academic calendar. Feedback from both students and teachers was very positive. Michigan students added value to the course with their activity, and contributed to creating an inspiring and international learning environment.’

CEMS and dual degrees an important part of Aalto's international offer

The School of Business also offers the CEMS Master in International Management (MIM) programme, one of the most prestigious international management master's programmes in the world. CEMS is a global consortium of business schools, companies and non-governmental organisations that aims to train students to become responsible leaders and decision-makers in international markets. CEMS MIM is offered at Aalto as an add-on programme and as part of the Global Management Master's programme. Both programme structures include an international exchange at another CEMS school.

Student Peik Berg says that his exchange in Vienna was an excellent experience that ignited the spark for internationalism and led him to apply for the CEMS programme, which includes an international exchange period. ‘The choice of Barcelona's ESADE was mainly influenced by three factors: the city offers a great mix of history, architecture and urban culture, and ESADE is also an internationally renowned university that I had heard good things about. Thirdly, I must admit that I wanted to escape the Finnish winter for a new culture on the shores of the Mediterranean. My exchange has exceeded my expectations. Everyday life in Barcelona has brought new experiences and activities, although the Spanish mañana mentality and occasional leaking roofs have tested my patience.’

Aalto also offers international double degree programmes, which are two-year Master's programmes. Aalto University organises these in cooperation with the foreign universities, including e.g. the top-level University of Queensland and the University of South Carolina. Joint degree programmes involve two years of full-time study in at least two different universities in at least two different countries, and a degree in each university according to the programme's curriculum.

Excellent preparation for international assignments

Aalto University School of Business offers its students excellent opportunities for internationalisation. Saila Kurtbay, Head of International Affairs at the School of Business, emphasises that our students understand the importance of international experience for their future careers. 

‘Working in multicultural project teams provides excellent preparation for international assignments. Organisations value international experience and the ability to work in a multicultural environment when making recruitment decisions. However, the main benefit for the student of an exchange period and working in multicultural teams is the development of an international identity. In these contexts, students' ability to reflect on their own values and to see the world from different perspectives is greatly enhanced.’

Saila Kurtbay is responsible for the development of the university cooperation network at the School of Business and the student mobility team consists of Sanna Krigsholm, Sanna Huovinen-Kiuru, Jutta Lankinen and Joni-Petteri Hytönen. Annamari Vahvaselkä is responsible for student mobility in the Mikkeli International Business programme.

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For the 2024-2025 academic year, the destinations of the students were as follows: the highest number of students going to Europe (50%), followed by Asia (26%) and North America (11%). The top seven countries to which students from the School of Business applied, according to their primary application preference, were Singapore (49), Italy (45), USA (41), Portugal (40), Australia (39), Spain (25) and Japan (23). The top ten universities are National University of Singapore (38), Universidade de Nova Lisboa (27), Bocconi University (24), LUISS Guido Carli University (21), Keio University (16), Universidad Torcuato di Tella (15), Chulalongkorn University (14), London School of Economics (13), WU Vienna (11) and University of Melbourne (11). 

Of the exchange students who came É«É«À² University, 51% came from Europe, 31% from Asia, 10% from North America, 4% from Oceania, 3% from Latin America and 1% from Africa. The highest numbers of students came from Singapore, China, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and the United States.