Aalto University's CEMS MIM programme receives network's best student feedback

The CEMS community (the Global Alliance in Management Education) headquarters collects student feedback from all its member schools both at the completion of various courses and seminars as well as at the end of the semester. On the basis of student feedback regarding autumn 2016 the CEMS MIM programme at Aalto University was assessed as the best throughout the entire CEMS network.

'Students assessed learning outcomes at Aalto as excellent. Assessments on our optional CEMS courses also improved considerably. The number of optional courses at Aalto is relatively large, for which the entire school deserves praise,' Aalto CEMS Academic Director, Professor of Practice Rita Järventie-Thesleff rejoiced.

Praise for many courses and seminars

The Aalto CEMS team, i.e. Programme Managers Liisa Kotilainen and Arja Sahlberg, as well as Director Rita Järventie-Thesleff, received praise for its flexible and helpful attitude. Intensive collaboration with corporate partners, as well as the events organised by the CEMS Club also received accolade.

The topics of last autumn's Block Seminar were Sustainability Management taught by Professor Minna Halme, as well as Multi-sided Platform, which is taught by information systems science Professor of Practice Esko Penttinen.

With regard to mandatory CEMS courses, Rita Järventie-Thesleff's CEMS Global Strategy course and the Meet the Stage course were assessed. Students taking the CEMS Global Strategy course completed the course's final assignment for Fairtrade, which is one of the CEMS community's social partners. Solving the real life challenge required that students acquire knowledge on Fairtrade's activities and the field's literature, and carry out expert interviews.

The Meet the Stage course was held by actor Kai Bäckström, M.Sc. (Econ.). Students praised the course as the best ever course in performance skills training. The teaching methods were diverse, and the course required students to step outside their comfort zone. Training of performance and interaction skills is a part of professional development, and their importance is particularly emphasised for everyone who works in business.

The Business Communications Skills course taught by Lecturer Michael Baker also received extremely positive feedback, and many of the community's schools have used it as a model for developing their own courses in the subject.

According to Ms Järventie-Thesleff, student feedback is utilised actively; results are discussed at the network's meetings, good practices are shared and workshops on new teaching technologies are organised. On the basis of student feedback, the universities that fare best in each element are awarded a prize at the community's annual gala.

Aalto University offers two ways to study in the CEMS MIM programme

The Aalto University School of Business is a member of CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education, an alliance of the world’s leading business schools and large corporations. The community includes 30 member universities and 74 international corporate members. Students at CEMS universities can complete the highly valued European CEMS MIM joint degree (Master's in International Business).

In autumn 2016, the School of Business launched the new Global Management Master's Programme the second year of which is made up of CEMS MIM studies. Also students from elsewhere than the School of Business can apply for this programme.

Previously, CEMS studies have been offered as a year-long 66 credit entity, the so-called Crown model, which Aalto students have been able to complete in addition to their master's programme. The CEMS MIM programme's Crown model will also continue.

In 2015, the CEMS MIM programme came in fourth in a global ranking of Master's Degrees programmes in management published by the Financial Times.

Application for the CEMS MIM models will begin again in autumn 2017.

Further information: http://biz.aalto.fi/en/studies/cems/