Donations play a significant role in the development of the School of Business

Public core funding for universities has decreased significantly over the past decade: for example, at Aalto University only about 55% of funding now comes from the state. However, education and research cannot be cut, as solving the world’s biggest problems requires more expertise and innovation. Universities therefore have to seek funding from other sources as well, such as competitive research funding, and donations from companies, foundations and private individuals. Donations today are of increasing importance also to the School of Business, and the support of our alumni is invaluable to our School. 

Donors help the School of Business provide our students with high-quality teaching and produce ambitious research to address the challenges faced by business and society also in the future. Donations directed to the School in general can be allocated, at the Dean’s strategic discretion, for the long-term development of teaching and research. After our School moved in 2019 to the new main building in Otaniemi, donation funds were used, for example, to further improve the student facilities in the new building, on the basis of student feedback. Donations have also been allocated, among other things, for seed funding of the School’s research, with the aim of supporting the launch of new, scientifically high-level research initiatives and the preparation of projects.

Donations to higher education and research are impactful because they benefit society as a whole: high-quality teaching can produce new experts, innovations and entrepreneurship; decision-making improves, as research-based knowledge supports companies and the public sector in making sustainable choices; and the internationalisation, new research openings and collaboration with companies accelerate renewal and strengthen Finland’s competitiveness. For students, all this means functional learning environments, international experiences and interesting career opportunities, built on high-quality education.

Important international experiences from student exchange 

Most of the School of Business’s donations are directed to endowment funds. Each year, the return from these funds is used for donation targets, which ensures the School’s long-term development also in the future. Even small donation amounts grow together with other donations into a larger capital sum, which helps the School of Business develop its operations for the benefit of future generations of business students as well.

One important donation target is international student exchange. The School of Business encourages its students to go on exchange abroad by supporting them with a grant, which would not be possible without our donors. Our School has a high-quality and comprehensive network of partner schools around the world, and international experiences increase the expertise of our students, which the Finnish labour market and competitiveness are in great need of.

Many of our alumni have themselves been on a student exchange during their studies and therefore want to enable similar experiences for current and future students, by donating to student exchange target. Donations for international student exchange are added to the endowment fund, the return of which is used annually for student exchange grants.

Going on exchange is popular at our School: over 50 per cent of our students go on an exchange at some point during their studies. For example, in 2025 a total of 371 students from the School of Business went on an exchange abroad. 

Warm thanks to our donors 

In addition to long-term targets, we are seeking funding for new strategic initiatives, such as new professorships, and teaching and research programmes. An example of this is the world’s first professorship in ownership, established in 2022, and with the support of a large group of donors, the Aalto Ownership Lab research center was established. The aim of the professorship and the center is to strengthen Finnish ownership expertise and support sustainable, long-term ownership practices. 

Over 600 alumni of the School of Business have donated to our School over the past 15 years – warm thank you to each and every one of you! 

Aalto University's A! Sign of Change fundraising campaign is still underway until the end of this year, so there is still time to join. Donors during the campaign will receive, as a token of thanks, a Shimmering Wood pin made of nanocellulose, developed by Aalto’s student team, as well as an invitation to the donor thank-you event to be held next June. 

Every donation, small or large, is an investment in the future – in better business and a better society!