Industrial Engineering and Management
Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM) is a discipline that examines organisational economics and operations in a broad sense. IEM researchers typically engage in broad research collaboration across disciplines to address the current societal challenges. Our research interests have recently focused, among other things, on circular economy and the related requirements on company networks, the global transformation of manufacturing, the servitization of technology-based companies, autonomous systems, and the development of competitiveness through innovations, business analytics, and management.
Basic studies in industrial engineering and management have a goal-oriented and cross-disciplinary focus, and they prepare students for a wide range of development and management roles in industry and business. Our courses and study modules combine and balance technological, economic, organisational and human knowledge. Our undergraduate and graduate courses provide students with the ability to analyse and understand company processes, expand their mathematical and scientific knowledge and apply their acquired knowledge to resolve real-life business problems. Our doctoral education provides students with an in-depth understanding of their research field, provides them with the skills to generate new scientific knowledge and prepares them for a career in academia or expert roles in industry.
Our research interests cover four areas of international significance that address great global challenges: growing complexity, changes in value creation logics, the shift to sustainable development, and social changes. A common theme running through our research is sustainable value creation in technology-driven organisations. Our five research groups specialise in the following fields:
- Center for Innovation and Technology Research, CITER, technology strategy & technology-based business, innovation management, with application areas especially in energy solutions and circular economy
- Cost Management Center, CMC, profitability management, decision-making and interventionist research; especially the impact of different business processes on profitability
- Center for Research on Projects and Services, CROPS, management of project and service business, especially the organisation and management or project business, project networks, industrial services, and the servitization of manufacturing
- Center for Safety Management and Engineering, CSME, safety and risk management, especially the safety of industrial companies and services, safety engineering and occupational safety
- Operations and Supply Chain Management Group, OSCG, operations and supply chain management, especially procurement, sustainable supply chain management, value creation in industrial buyer-supplier relationships and operations strategies.
Publications of the Unit of Industrial Engineering and Management in TUNICRIS portal
Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM) is one of the most popular fields of study in engineering in Finland and among the most sought-after degree programmes at Tampere University. We admit more than 80 students to our degree programmes on an annual basis. Approximately 55 new students enrol in our bachelor's programmes, 15 are directly admitted to our master’s programmes and 20 join our international master’s programme. Our industrial management modules are popular minor and major subjects among students in other degree programmes.
We also offer intermediate and advanced modules in safety engineering, which are primarily attended by students enrolled in other degree programmes at Tampere University. Industrial engineering and management is integrated into several multidisciplinary study modules, such as the modules in circular economy, industrial internet, and innovation and entrepreneurship. The Doctoral Programme in Business and Technology Management is a joint effort by our Unit and the Information and Knowledge Management Unit at Tampere University. The Doctoral Programme educates experts who specialise in demanding tasks in economics, technology and information management.
Our graduates enjoy consistently exceptionally high rates of employment. Studies in industrial engineering and management have also been demonstrated to significantly promote employment prospects and career advancement among students who specialise in other fields of engineering. The graduate employment record among students who complete our international master's programme has likewise been exceptionally high.
Degree programmes
Photo: Jonne RenvallWe maintain active collaboration with researchers across Tampere University who specialise, among other things, in physics, business economics, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, medical technology, administrative sciences, signal processing, social psychology, information and knowledge management, security and safety management, and environmental engineering. We also maintain close ties and research partnerships with universities, research institutions, companies and public organisations in Finland and abroad. We are active members in the international research community and contribute to topics relating to industrial engineering and management.
Please contact us to inquire about collaboration opportunities with the Industrial Engineering and Management Unit:
- Small-scale problem-solving and development assignments concerning, for example, a specific product, service, process or project. You can commission an assignment from a student group or a small-scale research project from one of our research groups (typically 1-4 months).
- Medium-size problem-solving and development assignments concerning, for example, production, procurement, business processes, product and service development, organisational activities, business development, safety and security, risk management or profitability. You can commission a master’s thesis from a student or a company-specific research project from one of our research groups (typically 4-12 months).
- Extensive research and development assignments concerning current business challenges, business renewal and future needs. You can initiate your own research and development project or join the applied projects carried or by our research groups in collaboration with other organisations (such as Business Finland projects that typically last 2-3 years).
- Long-term strategic collaboration to promote the continuous development or bold renewal of business activities and generate new research knowledge in the field of industrial engineering and management. You can establish a strategic partnership with Tampere University and/or participate in large-scale research programmes in collaboration with other organisations and international networks (such as programmes administered by the Academy of Finland or the EU, which typically last 3-5 years).
Please contact a professor with relevant expertise to inquire about collaboration opportunities. Their contact details are available on the Our people page and on the web pages of our research groups.
