Aalto EE Launches Aalto Tech EMBA to Equip Executives for Digital Transformation

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:55:00 +0200
Aalto Leaders' Insight, Digitalization, Leadership

Artificial intelligence, data-driven strategy, and technological literacy sit at the centre of executive capability, and Aalto EE together with Aalto University faculty, has introduced a dedicated Tech EMBA pathway to support leaders working in digital transformation.

Artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making are now routine features of corporate strategy, and organizations are under pressure to develop leaders who can manage technological change with clarity and scale. Aalto University, together with Aalto University Executive Education and Professional Development (Aalto EE), has introduced a Tech EMBA pathway to meet that demand, built around the Leading Digital Transformation program and offering progression to either an Executive Diploma or 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, Aalto EE Program Directors Saana Kaihu and Maarit Hursti are joined by admissions lead Eila Lindroos, alongside Aalto University faculty members Professor Henri Schildt and Associate Dean of MBA Education 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 organizations 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 EE are responding directly to this customer demand by launching a new pathway within the Aalto Executive MBA (EMBA) program, designed to meet the growing requirement for digitalisation and technology leadership. The pathway begins with the Leading Digital Transformation program, which equips participants with a deeper understanding of new game-changing technologies and the ability to seize the opportunities they create. After completing the program, 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 organizations. This pathway formally connects the 18-ECTS Leading Digital Transformation program with the 90-ECTS Aalto EMBA.

Aalto EMBA currently ranks 12th globally in customer satisfaction, according to the Financial Times (2025). Within the program, a deliberate move has been made to further strengthen technology leadership. 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 designed to remain relevant over the next decade. The first 18 ECTS include four modules, a digital transformation project tailored to each participant’s organization, 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 of experience.

The program 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 program 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 program, 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 AI developments.

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.