Agents of change: Embodying an innovative spirit to propel students forward

16 Apr 2019

We live in an age of innovation. It’s disrupting how we live and work, as well as how businesses operate. But more than a buzzword, innovation is also crucial in higher education, equipping students with the skills and knowledge that prepares them for successful careers in a disruptive landscape, rife with technological revolutions.

Not one to fall behind is the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) – one of Europe’s leading business institutions – which embodies an innovative spirit. Located in Stockholm – Sweden’s capital – SSE offers highly-regarded undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught in English. As a testament to their prowess in business and financial-focused education, they’re ranked 25^th in the European Business School Rankings 2018.

Stockholm is an ideal location for business-related studies, known as a hub for startups and entrepreneurs. Tech giants like Spotify and Skype are some examples of those who have burst into the global scene from their roots in Stockholm. This makes it an exciting learning environment for prospective students. Meanwhile, SSE is a small business school comprising some 1,800 BSc and MSc students, making it an intimate learning environment for students.

The school’s close ties to the business industry enable them to deliver an industry-relevant curriculum, acting.as a springboard to facilitate students’ learning and pave the way for career success.

Innovation at its core

SSE recently launched the House of Innovation, an interdisciplinary research, education and outreach environment focused on innovation, digitisation and entrepreneurship. It produces scientifically-based knowledge relevant to academics, corporations, government agencies, civil society actors and individuals.

The research house produces knowledge that’s highly valuable to private and public organisations looking to build capabilities to face the world’s rapidly-changing market conditions, and. enables SSE to create a world-class interdisciplinary research environment, acting as a meeting point for people from different sectors, researchers, students, policy and decision-makers, for exchanging knowledge, thoughts and ideas.

The launch of the research house is timely, supporting and facilitating the learning of prospective Master students who are keen to pursue or advance their education in innovation, international business and management.

The MSc in International Business helps students master the challenges of management, innovation and strategy in global organisations through in-depth courses, live projects and an exchange term at another top university. Meanwhile, students who are accepted into the programme are pre-approved to begin the CEMS Master in International Management in their second year, and are thus eligible for a double degree.

Source: Stockholm School of Economics – Photographer: Peter Cohen

Throughout the programme, students use strategy and marketing tools to put the firm in context and explore how they influence their competitive environments and learn how to make firms grow and prosper from the inside. The MSc in International Business was ranked the 12^thbest master’s in management programme in 2018 by the Financial Times.

Meanwhile, the next generation of managers and leaders may want to pursue SSE’s MSc in Business and Management (MBM), based on live pedagogy where most of the learning occurs through real-life projects, internships and practical experience. Stellar postgraduate degrees aside, SSE graduates have also proven to be highly-employable, with more than 90 percent of MSc graduates finding employment three months after graduation, proving that an SSE degree is a sound investment for prospective students.

Supporting students post-graduation

SSE also encourages entrepreneurship through a strong support system. The university’s SSE Business Lab, a venture incubator, acts as a platform for growth and a launch pad for tomorrow’s successful companies. Both current and former SSE students can apply for support for up to 18-months of help, maximising the growth of their ventures.

Since its inception in 2001, SSE Business Lab has supported over 180 companies that have cumulatively created over 2,000 new jobs and over SEK5.5 billion (over US$5 million) in combined revenues. Among the famous companies resulting from this include Swedish banking company Klarna, and DigiExam, an online digital exam writing tool developed for teachers and students.

Source: Stockholm School of Economics- Photographer: Juliana Wiklund

It’s clear that studying at SSE can provide prospective students with a wealth of opportunities to thrive in both their personal and professional lives. So, if you want to be equipped for this innovative world, SSE could just be the perfect starting point.

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