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Digital Business Master Class concept

Digital Business Master Class (DBMC) is a unique course, facilitated by Aalto University School of Business, that provides students with the opportunity to discover digital trends and challenges from multiple viewpoints and through hands-on learning. The essence of the DBMC or Master Class is to get students from diverse cultural backgrounds to work together on digital business challenges. The multinational teamwork facilitates understanding of real-life business needs in today’s digital and global work environments.

This year, the students received their project topics from the United Nations Technology Innovation Labs (UNTIL Finland) which is also located on the Otaniemi campus, enabling smooth cooperation with Aalto University. Working together with the UN meant that the students had to not only think about digital solutions but also take into consideration modern challenges such as sustainability which influence the endurance of our global economy in future. "Aalto is committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as part of its teaching. The Master Class has been a fantastic opportunity to bring digital business environments closer to SDGs. The student teams provided UNTIL with new perspectives and solutions for using digital technologies and business opportunities in solving SDG challenges around the world", says Laura Sivula, the Program Director of the Master Class.   

Value through multiple viewpoints 

“What made DBMC special for me, was the opportunity to engage with a project with real-life application, bringing true meaning and value to my learning”, says Michelle Goodsir from Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. 

Lectures by industry professionals and academic professors were held throughout the course to support the project work. Megatrends in the Digital World, Extracting value from AI, and Creating Digital Value are examples of the topics covered during the course. In addition to teaching on campus, company visits and after-work activities were also arranged to ensure a comprehensive learning and cultural experiences.

Trevor Senekal from University of Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa, comments that the course was “very well organized and planned. The aspects of working on an UNTIL project is fantastic. The overall experience is close to perfect.” Deborah Flannery, also from University of Stellenbosch Business School, agrees: “The whole course design facilitated a great balance between exposure to new content on digital, working in a diverse group on the projects which facilitated interaction outside of class and then the excursions which helped us get to know a new country and culture.” 

The people make the place

For most of the students, what ultimately made their experience in Finland fantastic, was the people they met.

“Even though cultural backgrounds were so different, it was amazing to discover that we could come together and discuss common ideas, trends, problems, and challenges that are changing our way of working and living worldwide”, says Cesar Ventura from Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. “The best part was the people.”

Laura Kitinoja, the Program Manager of the Master Class, says that she was positively surprised by the level of ambitions the students showed. “The group had a great, motivated atmosphere. It was a pleasure to see them build so many new connections and friendships within the two week they spent with us here in Finland.” 

“Having such a great group of people participate and share their thoughts has helped us develop the concept even further”, Laura concludes. “All the feedback gathered from the summer courses has been worth gold.”

Due to the successful implementation of the course and high demand of similar programs, Digital Business Master Class will be arranged in both March and July in 2020. This makes DBMC a bi-annual intensive business course, giving international students the opportunity to either come to Finland during late winter or midsummer. 

Digital Business Master Class is a 6 ECTS course. In addition to the two-week course in Finland, students work in virtual teams both before and after the on-site teaching period. The course is aimed at Master’s students from Aalto University School of Business partner schools. The application period for spring 2020 opens in September.