NEWSLETTER 4-17 FROM HANKEN SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
From International Talent to Local Strength Integrating international students and talents into Finnish business life is challenging for both universities and companies. There is no direct link for incoming talents with leadership ability to become key contributors to the future success of Finland. This autumn Hanken has launched a new initiative – International Talent Programme (ITP) – connecting international students to Finnish companies seeking to strengthen their competitive edge. Universities have both a great opportunity and an important role to play in the integration of international talent for the benefit of Finnish industry. Six corporate partners are participating and over 50 students applied to the programme in the first round. The companies commit by assigning a personal mentor for each student they take on.
The mentor follows the student throughout their two years of study, linking the study programme to work life. By combining mentoring and studies, the student is familiarised with the company and the Finnish corporate world already during the studies. The participating companies benefit by gaining an international perspective, getting cases and assignments done as the student progresses through courses. To educate and hire exceptional people is a demanding process. Through ITP, Hanken is also developing the student recruitment efforts in co-operation with the corporate world. It provides excellent opportunities for our students as well as giving businesses an international reach for staffing through local onboarding.
HANKEN FOUNDING PARTNER IN HELSINKI GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS The demand for top-level experts in economics continues to grow. To meet this demand in Finland, Aalto University, Hanken School of Economics and the University of Helsinki are preparing a new unit. The announcement was made in September by the PM Juha Sipilä together with with Finnish Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics, Bengt Holmström. The unit will expand cutting-edge economic expertise in Finland. Its research activities and doctoral programmes are to cover all the key areas of economics. This will allow an increase in the number of master’s and doctoral degrees and respond to the demand for experts. The Helsinki GSE will be an international graduate school and research unit, competing for the best researchers and students with the world’s top economic units. Once the Helsinki GSE has begun to function in its full capacity by 2022, there would be approximately 50 percent more masters and twice as many doctors graduating from the universities in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The universities consider the Helsinki GSE central and necessary to Finnish success in the field of business: both the public and private sectors need top-level expertise at an international level.
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