Master's Programme in Industrial Management and Innovation

The Master's Programme in Industrial Management and Innovation educates future leaders to manage innovation in and around technology-intensive companies. Today’s industrial landscape faces increasing competition, changing demands, regulatory uncertainty, and environmental and societal challenges. To remain competitive, organisations must excel in innovation, business development, and the effective use of data for strategic decision-making.

Innovation involves not only technology but also economic, organisational, and societal dimensions. The programme combines knowledge of technology and business with practical skills for managing innovation and using data insights in technology-intensive organisations.

During the programme, you can expect to:

• benefit from close links to industry and research while gaining insights into innovation in practice;
• learn to manage the technical, societal and economic dimensions of innovation; and
• develop an understanding of how data and analytical tools can enhance decision-making and guide innovation processes.

After completing the programme, you will understand how innovations create value, how ideas are transformed into successful products, and how companies evaluate investments. You will also learn how data can support innovation strategies and business decisions. Graduates are well prepared for careers in technology-intensive and innovative organisations.

Student profile

You have a background in engineering and may have studied industrial management. You may also have practical work experience while maintaining a strong theoretical foundation. You are looking for an education that provides both conceptual understanding and practical tools for managing technology-based organisations, including the use of data and analytics in innovation and business management.

Career

Technology-intensive companies have great use of well-trained professionals who understand new technology and innovation and how it relates to business, organisation and society at large. In other words, there is a great need for people with broad expertise in several knowledge areas who want to engage in development and push innovation forward. The programme will train you to successfully manage complex problems where technology, organisation, business and data analytics interact.

Some examples of industries and companies where our students can pursue careers are:

• the automotive industry, such as Scania and Volvo
• the energy/utilities industry, such as ABB and Northvolt
• steel and mechanical engineering industries, such as Sandvik and Atlas Copco
• engineering consulting firms such as ÅF and Sweco
• the telecom industry, such as Ericsson
• innovation support, such as Uppsala Innovation Center
• the university sector

Examples of possible working positions:

• business consultant
• process engineer
• innovation manager
• product developer
• product manager
• project manager
• CEO
• data scientist
• industrial analytics consultant
• PhD candidate
• researcher

Content

Year 1

The first year of studies focuses on the core functions of organisations, including strategy, leadership, organisational development, marketing, operations, and research and development. You will develop the knowledge and skills required to manage innovation processes and lead projects in technology-intensive environments.

The programme also places innovation within a broader industrial and societal context through topics such as ethics, industrial transformation, and the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics in industrial settings. In addition, there are opportunities to broaden and deepen your expertise in areas such as supply chains, healthcare innovation, and business development.

Year 2

During the second year, you specialise in the management of technological innovation, gaining advanced knowledge of innovation processes, industrial transformation, and emerging technologies. You will work collaboratively on real-world industry challenges, developing solutions related to innovation and the implementation of new technologies.

In the final semester, you will conduct an independent Master's thesis in collaboration with an industrial partner or as part of a larger research project, where data driven insights may play a significant role.

Courses within the programme

See the programme outline for courses within the programme.

Learning experience

The teaching includes lectures, seminars, group exercises, labs, projects and field trips. In seminars, students discuss real business cases. Many courses use group work to develop collaboration skills. You will also meet industry professionals through site visits, guest lectures and projects.

Students are expected to take active responsibility for their learning, with emphasis on critical thinking and analysis of academic literature in innovation management. Written exams are included in all courses, and written communication is central.

Teachers are active researchers who integrate their research into teaching. You may write your degree project within a research project. A key aspect is applying data to real-world innovation and management cases to develop data-driven decision-making skills.

The programme is based at campus Ångström Laboratory in Uppsala and the language of instruction is English.

Degree

The programme leads to the degree of Master of Science (120 credits) with Industrial Engineering and Management as the main field of study.