Helsinki School of Economics

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Helsinki School of Economics
Helsingin kauppakorkeakoulu
Image:HSE COL.jpg
Latin: Universitatis Oeconomicae Helsingiensis
Established:	1911
Type:	Public
Chancellor:	Matti Lehti, Ph.D.
Staff:	447
Students:	4,000+
Location:	Helsinki, Finland
Campus:	Urban, Inner City
Affiliations:	AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, CEMS
Website:	www.hse.fi

Helsinki School of Economics (HSE, Finnish: Helsingin kauppakorkeakoulu) is the premier business university in Finland. The school was founded in 1911, which makes it the oldest Finnish-language business school in Finland, as well as one of the oldest business schools in the Nordic countries. With over 4,000 students, HSE is the single largest entity in Finland providing education and conducting research in the field of economics and business administration. HSE is internationally accredited by AACSB^[1], AMBA and EQUIS.

1 Academics
2 Campuses
3 Partner universities
4 Student life
5 Future
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Academics

[edit] Degrees and programs

The university offers degrees in the sciences at the bachelor, master, licentiate, and doctoral levels. Programs are offered in both Finnish and English. Unlike most of the other programs funded by the Finnish government, the school's MBA and Executive MBA programs targeted for charge for tuition. Both of the programs are mainly targeted for business professionals. Besides Helsinki, HSE's EMBA program is also available in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, and Poland. In addition, HSE also provides education through Open University studies and its Small Business Center (SBC).

In response to the Bologna Process, the school has now implemented a two-step program structure. In the new structure, students first complete a three-year Bachelor's degree and then earn Master's degree after two years of graduate level studies. On average, a PhD usually takes an additional four years.

[edit] Academic departments

HSE has five academic departments: Accounting and Finance, Business Technology, Economics, Languages and Communication, as well as Marketing and Management.

[edit] Reputation

HSE is associated all over the world with quality education. In 2006, Financial Times ranked the school's graduate program 24th on the list of the 35 leading Master of Science in Economics programs in Europe. Furthermore, the pan-European CEMS MIM program, which HSE is a part of, climbed to 2nd place in the same ranking.

[edit] Campuses

HSE's main campus is located in Töölö, close to the financial district of Helsinki. The Swedish-language business university Svenska handelshögskolan (Hanken) is located adjacent to HSE. Additionally, HSE has established a separate campus in Mikkeli, which is about 250km in the north-east of Helsinki. Mikkeli Business Campus is the home of the undergraduate level program in international business.

Main building in Töölö

Chydenia building

[edit] Partner universities

Each year, over 300 HSE students go abroad on their exchange, while the school welcomes over 200 incoming exchange students. The school has exchange partnerships with over a hundred universities in five different continents. Partner schools include, among others, Queens University, DePaul University, Sophia University, San Diego State University, and University of Texas. In the CEMS network, partner schools include e.g. HEC Paris, London School of Economics and Universität St. Gallen.

[edit] Student life

The Student Union of the Helsinki School of Economics (KY) was founded in 1911. Every student studying at the Helsinki School of Economics for a full M.Sc. or B.Sc. degree is by law automatically a member of the student union. Post-graduate students may join the student union by paying the KY membership fee, but is not compulsory.

KY has many different functions. Its main purpose is to bring its members together, and offer them support, guidance and assistance. With the high rents of Helsinki, KY is dedicated to offer an affordable housing alternative to its students. Currently, it owns around 700 apartments in Helsinki, all occupied by students. KY also publishes a quarterly publication called Kylteri. Student health care is organized through a foundation called YTHS and is heavily subsidized.

In addition to traditional support services to students, KY also takes pride in organizing activities and providing entertainment. The school gym is available for the students' use and there are also many other opportunities for doing sports. Ever since 1985, the student union has organized a student production called KY-Speksi. "Speksi" is an interactive musical play, which goes on the road every year with performances all over Finland.

In the 1980s, KY also started its own nightclub KY-Exit which was a profitable business at the time. In 2007, a similar sounding club called KY Klubi was opened in the same premises, but this project was executed entirely by SK Ravintolat, owned by Helsinki restaurant mogul Sedu Koskinen, and KY merely leases out the the space in the KY building in Kamppi.

[edit] Future

In 2009, HSE, University of Art and Design Helsinki (TAIK), and Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) will merge into a single Aalto University with an overarching focus in technology, business and art and design. The function of the new university will be scientific research, higher education and interaction with the surrounding society. Its special national mission will be to employ research and education to support the success of Finland in the international economy.