The Bachelor’s Program in International Business celebrates its 30th anniversary this year

^{The alumni event organised on 19 January started the 30th anniversary year of the program.}
The Bachelor’s Program in International Business (BScBA Program) celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year. During 1989–2000, the intake was to the International Bachelor of Business Administration Program (BBA Program) and from 2001 on to the Bachelor’s Program in International Business. Before Aalto University, the program was part of the former Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. The Program was the first English-taught bachelor's degree program of the school.

The program was established when the Ministry of Education promised to give an additional funding to universities, if the universities were ready to increase their intake. In 1989, many young people in Finland were without a place to study, so establishing the program was possible and timely. Mikkeli was chosen as the location, because at that time the Helsinki Campus of the School of Economics and Business Administration did not have the possibility to offer the suitable facilities for the three-week module based program. For the first year 1989–1990, teaching was done in the concert hall Mikaeli in Mikkeli. The program has operated in the current building on Lönnrotinkatu from 1993. In 1996–2002, two-year Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program was also offered at the Mikkeli Campus.

The special features and strengths of the program have stayed the same during the years – students study in three-week modules. Every year over 70 internationally respected professors from all around the world come to teach to Mikkeli. There are currently about 250 degree students studying in the program and about 1/3 of them are from outside of Finland. Additionally each year, 60–70 exchange students come to study in Mikkeli as well. The compulsory exchange period in the third year of studies has also been included in the program from the beginning.

Almost 180 alumni of the Bachelor’s Program in International Business gathered at the School of Business

The Mikkeli Alumni event was organised at the Töölö Campus on Friday, 18 January for the alumni of the program. The event started the 30^th anniversary year of the program. The get-together offered an opportunity to hear the latest news of Aalto University, the School of Business and the BScBA Program. Almost 180 alumni from different classes participated in the event.

The evening began with speeches by Ingmar Björkman, Dean of the School of Business, and Joan Lofgren, Director of the Program. Both of them emphasized in their speeches how unique the structure of the program and the tight-knit student community are. Jonna Söderholm, Head of External Relations of the School of Business and Antti Silvennoinen, Chairman of the BABA Alumni Association told about the current School of Business and Mikkeli alumni association activities. At the end of the evening, the band "Stop the Press" entertained the guests.

Further information:
Mari Syväoja
Manager of Academic Operations
Bachelor’s Program in International Business
Mikkeli Campus
mari.syvaoja@aalto.fi
mobile: +358 44 7044 211