News

Aalto Thesis Day 2024 brought together employers and Aalto’s international master’s students

The event, held on October 2 at Aalto University's campus, brought together 40 companies and organizations with around 400 international master’s students.
A group of people having a conversation

The event merged two pilot initiatives from 2023—Aalto Thesis Fair and Aalto EIT Matchmaking—creating a platform for Aalto’s international students to connect with potential employers.

The day featured two parallel tracks. The EIT Track was introduced by Martin Vendel from EIT Urban Mobility, who described the event as ‘a day of dialogues for companies, students, and supervisors.’  He encouraged EIT master’s students to remain engaged ‘through events, professional communities, startup and innovation ecosystems, and EIT Alumni.’ Alumni from EIT programs shared their experiences, offering valuable insights into transitioning from thesis work to securing employment.

The General Track focused on other Aalto master’s programs, providing students with practical advice before they engaged with companies. Peter Kelly from Aalto University, Owain Hopeaketo from TEK, and Anne Delgoulet from Suomen Ekonomit shared networking tips and recommendations for successfully completing a thesis in collaboration with industry partners.

Vice president Petri Suomala talking to the audience

A key highlight of the event was the two-hour networking session, opened by Petri Suomala, Vice President of Education at Aalto University. During the session, companies showcased their thesis collaboration opportunities and support services at their stands. Tatjana Petkovic from Huld Oy described the event's atmosphere as inspiring: ‘Our previous collaboration with Aalto University experts was so positive that I wanted to return to meet new talents.’ Lukas Wulff from Meyer Turku echoed the sentiment, saying, ‘We value the courage, innovation, and proactivity of Aalto University students.’ Similarly, Ville Hyvärinen from Pictue Oy noted that his company was drawn to the event by the diversity of Aalto’s international students. ‘We appreciate their top-level expertise and ability to address our specific needs,’ he remarked.

People at company stand

The event attracted students with diverse research interests. Technology student Affan Ul Ain visited company stands to explore AI-related research opportunities. ‘The best part of Aalto Thesis Day is the support networking provides in finding a thesis topic,’ he said. Business students Ngan Hoang and Trang Nguyen also appreciated the networking opportunities. Hoang explained, ‘I came to gather ideas for my thesis,’ while Nguyen, already having a thesis topic in mind, sought a company willing to collaborate. Both students emphasized the importance of working on a ‘real-life’ thesis through partnerships with organizations beyond the university, such as cities, companies, and startups.

People having converstation and networking

Aalto Thesis Day 2024 not only supports international students' goals of working and living in Finland but also helps employers discover future talent. The event's expansion reflects the demand for such encounters between employers and international students. ‘Even students from outside Aalto University have expressed interest in participating,’ said Sara Liski, Talent Boost Specialist and one of the event's lead organizers. ‘This speaks volumes about our success in creating an inspiring opportunity for networking and fostering thesis collaborations.’ Ingrid Schembri, Aalto-EIT Services Manager and co-lead of Aalto Thesis Day 2024, added, ‘This event is just one of many support services at Aalto University dedicated to helping international students find and pursue thesis opportunities in industry. We hope Aalto Thesis Day becomes an annual tradition that continues to evolve to meet participants’ expectations.’

The event was made possible through the collaboration of Aalto Career Design Lab, Aalto EIT Services, Aalto Learning Services, and Aalto Startup Center. Aalto Thesis Day 2024 was sponsored by the Talent Boost Finland project and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

Photos: Mikko Raskinen

Crowds at the event

Future talents

Hey employer!​ Let’s connect each student with Finnish working life.

Read more
SLUSH 2019
  • Published:
  • Updated:

Read more news

View of UN climate change conference COP29 event venue
Cooperation Published:

COP29: Aalto University offers new solutions for sustainable construction and calls for better alignment of policy with science

An international team of researchers coordinated by Aalto University calls on world leaders: achieving climate goals requires completely new ways of combining science and policy.
Kampuksen uudet ulkokalusteet
Campus, Studies Published:

Vote for the best idea! How do we spend 14 000 euros on student wellbeing?

In autumn 2024, students were asked to come up with ideas on how the university should spend 14 000 euros to improve student wellbeing on campus. Now it's time to vote for the best idea to be implemented during spring 2025.
Alum Maria Kupila
Cooperation, Studies Published:

Alum Maria Kupila: ‘I strongly believe in the power of multidisciplinary approach’

An IDBM alum Maria Kupila has embraced the multidisciplinary approach in her work in management consulting. She believes combining design thinking, technology and strategic analysis is a key to changing future challenges into opportunities.
A teacher standing behind three students working on their laptops.
Cooperation Published:

Call for contributions: Unite!-Ed Future Conference - Reimagining Education for AI ready graduates

Matchmaking event for those interested in joint teaching and joint programmes. Submit your ideas by 17 January 2025.