ITP 2022 produces 9 creative solutions to partners' challenges

The Information Technology Program (ITP) is an academic summer program that brings students together from diverse backgrounds from all around the world to complete 24 ECTS for their degree. The core of the program is a three-month-long business project where students create solutions for real challenges of ITP partner companies. Students can specialize in one of three tracks, Information and Service Business (ISB), Digital and Intelligent Ecosystems (DIE) or Strategy and Experience Design (SED).

This year, ITP students came from versatile study backgrounds with a wide variety of majors and 16 nationalities. Slightly over 50% of the students came from Aalto School of Business, but altogether four Aalto University schools (BIZ, ARTS, SCI and ELEC) were represented. From abroad, universities like the Simon Fraser University, Lund University, University of Victoria and Ivano-Frankivsk National University were represented. From the students, 51% were master’s students and 49% were finishing their bachelor’s degree.

After 2 years, we are back on campus!

After a challenging period with the pandemic, ITP and its students finally got back to its on-campus teaching, truly highlighting the importance of proximity to creating a meaningful community. The increased sense of community could be seen from the students’ daily interactions with each other in class, as well as at long-awaited events. For many, the highlight of their ITP summer was getting to know people from varying backgrounds and spending quality time with classmates and staff during, and after classes. Not forgetting the program’s international aspect, post-pandemic times have also allowed for more students from abroad to apply, truly enhancing the international atmosphere!

9 business projects were successfully carried out during the summer

ITP collaborated with 8 different clients that all had a need for an outside perspective on an essential topic for their core business. Altogether 9 business projects were completed during the summer, with the student teams exploring a wide array of topics, ranging from technical intranet reviews to designing a data-driven public service concept, or enhancing a client’s internal communications capabilities. Some companies and organizations that ITP was happy to work with included KONE, Cities of Helsinki and Espoo, ALMA Media, and Metsä Group.

In our final feedback, the partners highlighted a few positive key aspects of the collaboration: innovative solutions with inspiring teams, fluent and professional cooperation, with the addition of getting to connect with the newest talents.

Tried and tested mixed with something new

Every year the preparations for ITP start as they have started before, the blueprint for success is clear. Still, it is good to recognize that it is impossible to remain a great program without continuously striving to do things better than before. The program manager and coordinators have learnt a lot during the summer and have already started brainstorming ideas to enhance both the students’ and the clients’ summer experience!

A 3-month-long learning experience

Through ITP, many students got their first experience regarding close collaboration with a real-life business partner, which means that the summer has truly had a steep learning curve. In a way, the program can be viewed as gently getting acquainted with consulting work, with the guidance of knowledgeable lecturers, and coordinators who have already finished their ITP journey. At the end of the summer, students have learned to embrace new challenges, from learning about a new field to developing outside-of-the-box solutions to real issues.

Jade Trebs, a student from the SED track, highlighted how her track of choice added something new to her studies: “The fact that the program is interdisciplinary is a huge benefit and you learn to work with different types of people. The topics covered in the program were interesting and new, definitely something I wouldn't have otherwise learned.”

From ISB, Oumnia Rachad felt that the faculty were an important part of her summer: “Spending quality time with the classmates and staff in outside activities helped to build confidence and interaction skills. Meeting lecturers with extensive experience and knowledge of their field. They obviously like to teach which enhance students' engagement and willingness to learn.”

Thank you!

The ITP staff could not be happier with how everything turned out as student performance and partner satisfaction soared high. Many valuable solutions were provided to the partners, with students getting a unique learning experience for the future. From a community perspective, the return to campus truly raised everyone’s ITP spirit, which has grown to stand out from the rest of the Aalto programs. Something that cannot be emphasized enough, is that you made this year possible. Thank you to everyone involved, from lecturers and students to our amazing partners!

Next year, ITP 2023 will continue where ’22 left off: providing an intensive and valuable experience for both students and clients alike. The feedback has been taken into account and the program will continue its development into the following year, see you then!

Visit our website to stay up to date with next year’s program. For students, we start accepting applications from January 2023 onwards, and if you are a potential partner company or organization, don’t hesitate to contact us!

The next student application period for ITP starts in January 2023 and ends in April 2023. ITP is free of charge for tuition waiver students, who are students from Aalto University, students from Finnish universities under the JOO agreement and students from Aalto University School of Business partner institutions under a current exchange agreement. Applicants must have at least 60 ECTS of the BSc degree completed when applying to the program.