IDBM Pro

International Design Business Management for Professionals

Synergy from Cooperation

The IDBMpro is an interdisciplinary educational program organized through the cooperation of three leading Finnish institutions of higher education: the Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration, the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, and the Helsinki University of Technology. Since 1999 100 key persons from nearly 80 companies have studied for two years to achieve a Diploma in the IDBMpro program.

The IDBMpro program combines the marketing, design and technology resources of an enterprise. The program emphasizes the seamless integration of these elements to form a competitive strategy for the company and to fulfill its business objectives. IDBMpro enhances the capacities of the participating businesses for success in the international competition. The aim of the program is to create new competitive advantages in the international market, especially in the areas of design and product development, for businesses that represent various fields of operation. The concept of design covers products, services, the company image and public relations, and is hence involved in the operation of each enterprise. Design plays an important role in all kinds of products, from jewellery to machinery.

Objectives

A unique working method has been developed for the IDBMpro program. This method
-emphasizes interdisciplinary management, combining marketing, design and technology.
-increases communication between experts in various fields on the strategic and operational levels of business.
-helps enterprises to use design as an important competitive factor in international business.
-provides the management with new resources to cope with new challenges through research and practical experience.

Continuing Education for Experts

The target groups of the IDBMpro program include the personnel in charge of strategic planning and the product development, design, production, marketing or public relations in a company. The program offers a brilliant opportunity for design houses to improve their own know-how and networks. IDBMpro is also excellent from the point of the view of internal development goals.

These objectives are most efficiently reached if the key persons from the various functions within a company participate in the program.

Tailored Training

The IDBMpro program covers 30 credits. Common studies cover more than 25 credits and in addition, each participant prepares a practical assignment of 4-8 credits. The assignment should deal with a current practical development issue in an enterprise. The program consists of seminars, lectures and studies by correspondence. The teaching is mainly organized during the weekends in the modern teaching facilities of the University of Technology Lahti Centre, located in the heart of Lahti.

In 2002 IDBMpro was nominated the High Quality Continuation Education Program of the Year by the Ministry of Education in Finland. In 2006 IDBMpro was one of the three programs in the Helsinki University of Technology's winning team in the competition for Quality University of 2007-2009.

Practical assignment of 4-8 old credits.

The topic of a practical assignment is selected according to the participant's own objectives. It can be a current practical development project of the participating company, or some other enterprise. The project is done individually or in a group by making use of the various skills and expertise represented in the participating group. The content of the training and the courses can be modified according to the individual needs of the participants. The IDBMpro studies can to a certain extent be included in the degree studies of various levels.

Information
Helsinki University of Technology Lahti Center, Saimaankatu 11, 15140 Lahti, Finland

Project Manager Henrik Bergh,
Tel. +358 (0)3 525 0293, +358 (0)40 516 9400,
Fax +358 (0)3 525 0202
E-mail: henrik.bergh@tkk.fi