Aalto EE launches Aalto Tech EMBA to equip executives for digital transformation

Artificial intelligence, data-driven strategy and technological literacy now sit at the centre of executive capability, and Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development (Aalto EE), together with Aalto University, has introduced a dedicated Tech EMBA pathway to support leaders working in digital transformation. The European sat down with Aalto EE Programme Directors Saana Kaihu and Maarit Hursti, and its Admissions lead Eila Lindroos, and with Aalto University’s Professor Henri Schildt and Associate Dean Max Finne to discuss how the pathway has been built, what it delivers in practice, and how it prepares senior decision-makers for technology-led growth

Artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making are now routine features of corporate strategy, and organisations are under pressure to develop leaders who can manage technological change with clarity and scale. Finland’s Aalto University, together with Aalto EE, has introduced a Tech EMBA pathway to meet that demand, built around the Leading Digital Transformation programme and offering progression either to an Executive Diploma or to the full Executive MBA.

The pathway reflects a marked shift in executive development. Forecasts cited by the World Economic Forum point to AI, big data and cybersecurity as the fastest-advancing skill areas by 2030, and these sit at the core of Aalto expertise. It draws on Finland’s established record in technology adoption and its collaborative academic environment, with teaching delivered by faculty and industry specialists from across Aalto University.

In this conversation with The European, Aalto EE Programme Directors Saana Kaihu and Maarit Hursti are joined by Admissions lead Eila Lindroos, alongside Aalto University faculty members Professor Henri Schildt and Associate Dean Max Finne. Together, they outline the thinking behind the new pathway and offer a shared view on demand, design and the capabilities senior leaders now require to steer digital transformation.

Many organisations are asking whether their business model is fit for the digital economy, and whether leaders truly understand emerging technologies. How does the Tech EMBA address this need?

Aalto University and Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development (Aalto EE) are responding directly to this customer demand by launching a new pathway within the Aalto EMBA programme, designed to meet the growing requirement for digitalisation and technology leadership. The pathway begins with the Leading Digital Transformation programme, which equips participants with a deeper understanding of new game-changing technologies and the ability to seize the opportunities they create. After completing the programme, participants can exit with an Executive Diploma or continue to the full Aalto EMBA with a Tech focus.

Why is this a strong choice for modern senior leaders?

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 identifies AI and big data as the fastest-growing skill areas toward 2030, followed by networks, cybersecurity and technological literacy. Digital leadership is no longer restricted to technical teams; business leaders are now expected to understand technology in depth and guide transformation directly. Digitalisation has been part of the Aalto EMBA for ten years, but its presence has expanded significantly as AI accelerates change across organisations.

This pathway formally connects the 18-ECTS Leading Digital Transformation programme with the 90-ECTS Aalto EMBA. Aalto EMBA currently ranks 12th globally in customer satisfaction, according to the Financial Times. Within the programme, a deliberate move has been made to strengthen technology leadership further. Agentic AI and other fast-advancing developments are expected to intensify business transformation in the years ahead, and the structure of the pathway has been designed to respond to that pace with clarity and scale.

What benefits does the pathway offer?

The Aalto Tech EMBA is aimed at senior decision-makers who want to treat technology as a strategic asset and develop proactive digital strategies for growth and innovation. The structure allows flexibility: participants may complete the 18-ECTS Executive Diploma and conclude their studies or continue to the full EMBA immediately or at any point within five years.

The pathway combines research-based academic teaching with current industry insight from guest speakers representing leading companies, while building a conceptual framework intended to endure beyond short-term trends. Technologies will evolve, but the content is continuously developed to remain relevant over the next decade. The first 18 ECTS include four modules, a digital transformation project tailored to each participant’s organisation, and a Stanford online course, Business Opportunities and Applications of Generative AI. The full Aalto EMBA totals 90 ECTS, including the Business Strategy Project and the Self-Development Process, and gives participants access to industry experts and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange within a cohort averaging 15 years’ experience.

The programme is structured to serve both technical and non-technical leaders. Those with a technical background develop skills in people leadership, technology integration and communicating digital impact, while participants from wider business disciplines benefit from the depth of expertise surrounding them. As programme faculty observe, bringing business management perspectives into contact with technical experience enriches both sides and expands the capabilities of the group as a whole.

Why is Finland the right context for a technology-focused EMBA?

Aalto’s multidisciplinary foundation is central to the programme, and the wider national context strengthens it further. Finland combines an engineering-led culture with a low-hierarchical working style that encourages experimentation, values expertise and builds workplace practice around knowledge. The country has a long record of early technology adoption, from mobile innovation to developments in AI.

This culture is reflected directly in teaching. The study sessions are intentionally interactive, with open discussion and a low threshold for challenge and change of viewpoint — an approach described internally as a hallmark of the Nordic leadership mindset, where debate between experts is seen as integral rather than optional.

Further information
Produced with support from Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development. To find out more about its Tech EMBA pathway, visit www.aaltoee.fi/en/mba-and-dba-programs


READ MORE: ‘Why the real barrier to AI success sits in the boardroom.‘ Billions are being invested in artificial intelligence, yet many organisations still struggle to turn those ambitions into meaningful results. Here, Dr Dorottya Sallai, the Associate Professor (Education) of Management at the London School of Economics, reflects on why outcomes hinge less on technical systems and far more on leaders who understand context, culture and the people they are guiding through change.

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