Corporate collaboration

Strategic partnership is a long-term commitment

We create impact together with our corporate partners. By combining the latest knowledge with leading industrial expertise, we develop sustainable solutions and educate future talents for business.

Aalto Vision Forum in 2019. Photo by Lasse Lecklin

A strategic corporate partnership is a mutual, long-term commitment and investment in cooperation between Aalto University and a company in creating solutions for a sustainable future.

Through cooperation, our strategic partners have an insight into the latest knowledge and research in their fields. They may be able to discover emerging, potentially disruptive technologies for strengthening an existing business or developing new business ideas. A partnership enables a continuous dialogue with Aalto’s researchers and students, the future talents of different industries.

Strategic partners play an important role in developing the quality of Aalto’s research and education. Partnerships provide us with valuable insights into the business sector, its expertise and needs for talent and innovation. Through cooperation with companies, we can better develop our operations to meet the future requirements of business.

Strategic corporate partner ABB

Aalto University and ABB cooperate in many different areas, and all six Aalto schools are involved. The cooperation has continued for more than 130 years.

Students presenting their project work in electronics

Strategic corporate partner Neste

In collaboration, Aalto University and Neste strive to find solutions to major global challenges by combining high-level research with leading industrial expertise.

Strategic corporate partner Nokia

Nokia has been an important partner for Aalto University and its predecessor universities for decades. There are currently close to 20 ongoing research collaboration projects.

Students working together in front of Nokia flags, photo by Abigail Garbett

Strategic corporate partner Saab

Saab's long-term commitment to cooperation provides good conditions for scientific breakthroughs and the creation of new innovations.

Cutting-edge expertise

Research projects with our strategic partners require cutting-edge expertise, taking advantage of Aalto’s multidisciplinary approach. The research collaboration can involve professors and postdoctoral researchers as well as doctoral and master's students from different fields at Aalto. Learn more about Aalto's key research areas here.

Each strategic partnership has a steering group that meets a few times annually. Also, the top management at Aalto and the company meet yearly to discuss the collaboration and its future development. Strategic partnerships are coordinated by Aalto’s key account managers from the corporate relations team.

Creating impact together

In 2020, Aalto was ranked 23rd in the World University Research Ranking (WURR), emphasizing collaboration. The ranking aims to recognise universities with impactful collaboration to tackle major global challenges emphasizing multidisciplinary and collaborative research. Read more about Aalto's rankings here.

Strategic cooperation provides unique conditions for scientific breakthroughs and innovation. Together with our partners, we join forces in multidisciplinary research projects for developing sustainable solutions for business.

Educational cooperation includes master's thesis projects and study project courses solving real-life business challenges. Business-funded doctoral and master’s theses have also proven to be an effective way of recruiting future talents to companies.

The partnership with ABB is a good example of a prosperous long-term collaboration that involves all six schools of the university. Our students complete about five doctoral degrees, four bachelor's degrees and 35–40 master's theses for ABB each year. Over the years, numerous patents have also been secured.