Students Tackled Real-World Export Challenges in Collaboration with ABB

In the beginning of November Vaasa University of Applied Sciences brought together a group of international students for an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP). Besides Finland, students participated from Germany and Ireland.

During the week, 26 students working in international teams, explored real-world challenges in international business and developed strategic recommendations based on business cases provided by ABB Finland.

The programme was organised in collaboration with three higher education institutions: Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, HTWG Konstanz – University of Applied Sciences in Germany, and Dundalk Institute of Technology in Ireland.

Connecting International Education with Real Business Challenges

The central focus of the programme was identifying and managing risks in international export operations. ABB Finland contributed five practical business cases involving international shipments from Finland to different destination countries.

“Students examined challenges related to customer and contractual risks, country-specific uncertainties, international trade regulations, and unexpected changes in shipment routes and destinations,” tells Daniel Sahebi, Principal Lecturer at Vaasa University of Applied Sciences.

The programme combined online preparation with an intensive week in Vaasa, featuring expert lectures, workshops, international teamwork, and a company visit to ABB.

Throughout the week, students received guidance from academic staff from the participating countries, whose areas of expertise included business law, economics, strategic management, and international business. ABB representatives also contributed to the learning process.

“Working in multicultural teams, students analysed the business cases, assessed potential risks, and developed evidence-based recommendations,” Sahebi explains.

Strengthening International Academic and Industry Collaboration

The intensive week culminated in final group presentations, where students presented their analyses and strategic recommendations directly to ABB representatives. ABB’s experts actively participated in the presentations and provided practical feedback based on their professional experience. This gave students an opportunity to evaluate their proposed solutions from an industry perspective and deepen their understanding of the challenges companies face in international business.

“One of the most valuable aspects of this BIP was bringing together students from three different countries to work on genuine business challenges provided by ABB. Having ABB’s experts participate in the final presentations and provide practical feedback made the learning experience particularly meaningful. Beyond developing academic knowledge, the programme also strengthened international connections between students, universities, and industry,” says Sahebi.

In addition to developing their professional knowledge, the programme provided students with opportunities to strengthen their international communication and teamwork skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.

The BIP demonstrated how collaboration between higher education institutions and industry can connect academic learning with real-world business needs. At the same time, the programme promoted international networking and strengthened cooperation between ABB, the participating universities, and future business professionals.