Sustainable Entrepreneurship programme aims to educate next generation of sustainable business leaders

Sustainable entrepreneurship is the practice of creating and managing businesses that prioritise environmental and social impact alongside financial success, driving positive change for the planet and society. Amid growing environmental and societal challenges, future entrepreneurs will be tasked with creating, guiding and managing profitable companies while prioritising sustainable and socially responsible practices. 

The School of Business will offer the new master’s degree programme of Sustainable Entrepreneurship starting in autumn 2024. The programme will bring students of diverse backgrounds together to take real steps towards understanding and tackling modern sustainability challenges. Graduates from this programme will possess skills enabling entrepreneurship across a wide range of contexts, including in corporations, start-ups and policymaking. 

Assistant Professor Tamara Galkina is the programme director and one of its developers. Tamara Galkina sees the complex problems of today as requiring trained experts who can think and build in a way that is both entrepreneurial and sustainable. In response, the Master’s Programme in Sustainable Entrepreneurship has been established to develop the next generation of sustainable business leaders – a generation committed to positive social and environmental impact as well as to economic prosperity. 

‘The business world is accelerating towards a more holistic approach to entrepreneurship that places greater weight on adding value to society. Trained professionals who can effectively transition existing business processes and develop sustainable solutions through corporate, public, and startup entrepreneurship are in high demand. This makes sustainable entrepreneurship a promising career path, through which individuals can make a profound impact on both the environment and society. Whether you envision yourself as a founder of a sustainable venture, a start-up executive, or a corporate innovator, our programme provides a comprehensive, individually tailored curriculum to prepare students for the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainable business,’ explains Galkina.

Teamwork and personal growth are key to the programme

Sustainable entrepreneurs will face the challenge of maintaining profitability while addressing large-scale societal issues. This degree programme will give them the tools to do just that: become part of the solution to some of the world's most pressing problems. Graduates of the programme will be able to:

• Understand the principles of entrepreneurship and the systemic nature of social, environmental, and economic sustainability challenges  
• Understand how entrepreneurship can impact sustainability challenges and vice versa  
• Apply scientific knowledge to critically evaluate the sustainability potential of entrepreneurial opportunities 
• Develop an entrepreneurial mindset to address sustainability challenges in a variety of managerial settings and roles  
• Develop the essential soft and hard business skills to experiment with and create sustainable new ventures

Students will learn through a blend of practical training and academic coursework alongside fellow students, researchers and companies. Teaching methods include project teamwork, problem-based learning, interactive lectures, guest presentations and case studies. Teamwork and the personal growth that stem from problem-based learning activities are key to the programme. Students will learn to work in a multidisciplinary environment, collaborating with peers from different cultural and professional backgrounds to develop business concepts that address real-world problems. Applicants from a wide range of backgrounds – not just business – are more than welcome to apply! 

The language of instruction of this two-year programme is English and the programme comprises 120 ECTS credits. A maximum of 60 students will be accepted into the programme. 

The admissions to master's programmes at Aalto University in the field of Business and Economics are organised once a year. The application period for studies starting in autumn 2024 is from 30 November 2023 to 2 January 2024.