Aalto University
Overview
Mission & Vision
Aalto University aims to create a sustainable and equitable future for all through a unique mix of technology, art, design, and business. This approach is built on three foundational pillars: courage, responsibility, and conviction. This strategy is broken down into 3 and 9 year plans, with Centers of Excellence created to bring interdisciplinary skills to bear on major research problems.
Ranking & Awards
About City
Aalto University is located in the city of Espoo. Its status close to the country’s capital of Helsinki means that students can easily access the large city central area by catching a metro train. And its location outside the main city means that it is close to nature reserves and quiet life, creating an ideal balance between modern convenience and green relaxation. It is located by the sea, and its natural beauty and self-sufficiency have led to a term that directly means “never having to leave Otaniemi” (which is the region of Espoo in which Aalto University is located.
Laboratory
The hundreds of high end laboratories at Aalto University continue the tradition of cross-functional collaboration that is one of the founding principles; the labs are accessible to everyone from all Departments as long as booking logistics are taken into account. This is a key contributor to innovative solutions, given that design thinking can often be used to solve STEM problems in creative ways that are not immediately obvious if the normal way of doing things is considered first.
Each Department at Aalto University maintains an exhaustive webpage with a list of all the cutting edge facilities available. For example, the Department of Information and Communications Engineering has the Aalto Acoustics Lab, one of the premier facilities in the world to research audio processing, and Aalto nextG, which looks at future communication technologies and networks beyond 5G.
Incubation / Idea Lab
The Aalto Startup Center is the University's in house incubator and accelerator. Its main aim is to help startups achieve exponential growth early in their life cycle, while also providing mentorship by connecting the student or researcher founders to eminent individuals within Finland's vibrant startup scene.
The numbers are also impressive. In the 15 years since Aalto University was founded, there have been 2,500 invention disclosures and 400 major technology transfers. Companies incubated at the Aalto Startup Center have employed over 15,000 people, and the total valuation of the companies that started at Aalto has exceeded 30 Billion Euro. The ecosystem is extremely well perceived: up to 80% of Aalto University students agree that they would like to one day start their own companies.
The closely linked Aalto Innovation Services organization works with students who have unique ideas to patent their ideas well in time and manage their intellectual property so as to optimize monetization and ensure protection of their knowledge assets. The University also organizes Aalto Founder School, where leaders of early stage startups from across the world are encouraged to come together and learn from each other, as well as the expertise of the accomplished mentors at the University.
A Grid is Aalto University's dedicated accelerator section that is currently home to more than 160 early stage STEM based startups, using the power of technology to solve emerging problems in the modern world. This is also in keeping with the University’s focus on responsibility and sustainability, and ensures that it keeps giving back to the local community and world society at large.
Renowned Alumni
Aalto University awards the Alumni of the Year honor to its most distinguished ex-students. These are awarded to one student from each School annually. Past winners of the award include CEOs, researchers, academic administrators, founders of high tech companies (for example, those operating in cutting edge fields such as cryogenics), and in-demand design professionals.
The Alumni Community of Aalto University is active online, primarily on LinkedIn. It uses the power of its networks across business, technology, art, and design to help forge long term connections among alumni, and their presence at University events helps inspire current students.
Other Amenities
Health Services
Basic and ongoing health care services are provided to Bachelor's and Master's degree students of Aalto University via the Finnish Student Health Services (FSHS) system. This is available for free after students pay the included medical fees every year. It covers both physical and mental health services. There is also a 24*7 helpline for emergency care, making sure that students can access help whenever required.
Exchange students and PhD candidates do not have access to FSHS (since it is mainly meant for full time students who do not receive a research stipend); the university has tie-ups with private clinics where they can receive ongoing care, and there is a dedicated emergency number where they can access care first and pay later. These measures ensure that all students and researchers on the Aalto University campus are happy and healthy, in keeping with Finland's status as one of the happiest countries in the world.
Campus Life
Aalto University is located in Otaniemi, a region of Espoo, which is itself a satellite city of Helsinki. Otaniemi is like a small University town; it has easy access to outdoor areas, cafes, and study areas. It is also filled with urban architectural marvels which attract visitors and tourists, leading to a cosmopolitan and diverse environment. Many group learning spaces are accessible throughout the year, and metro, bus, and tram services operate regularly, allowing students to travel to the city center of Helsinki or to the airport in less than half an hour.
The Aalto University Student Union manages hundreds of student-run clubs,which create sub-communities in different fields related to academics, sports, professional pursuits, startup enthusiasts, arts and culture, and social outreach. The University provides facilities for these clubs to meet and organize events, from guild halls to party venues, and sports grounds to saunas. Some of these are extremely extensive: for example, the Otaniemi Sports Park and a gym managed by UniSport allow all members of the Aalto University community to optimize their physical and mental wellness.
UN SDG for HE
As a University which prioritizes responsibility and sustainability in its three year plans, Aalto is well poised to ensure progress on all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The fact that, even in a heavily entrepreneurship and innovation oriented University such as Aalto, the social impact and sustainable footprint of each initiative is constantly taken into account, is a key contributor towards achieving the UN SDGs. It is a way of life rather than a compliance checklist item.
Gender & Sexuality
Research at Aalto University has shown that LGBTQ friendly firms have better revenue and business outcomes, in addition to greater innovation as measured by patents and publications. Multiple student associations help LGBTQ+ students come together, with GAYY being the most prominent, organizing regular events in the spirit of PRIDE, and bringing the local community of the area of Otaniemi (in which Aalto University is located) together around these celebrations. It ensures that all students of the University feel included in campus life, and actively combats discrimination of any kind at all levels.
There are also support networks for staff as well, with the QueerA! Network organizing events specifically for queer staff members of Aalto University across schools and functions. It is also international staff member-friendly, with the main language for the events and meetups being English.
Begin your journey at Aalto University.
- Prospectus, fees and key dates by email
- A call back from the admissions office
- Scholarship and education-loan guidance