The retail industry is currently in a period of very fast changes
Today we see how digitalization and sustainability are becoming more and more intertwined and the industry is really
At a stage where it's changing quite
rapidly and it but it knows that it has to revisit some of the old truths in regards to how to run a retail business
The design of the program is that we have courses at the school in addition to that we
have what we call an applied retail track and that track runs throughout the education for three years
The students join one of the partner companies for a year, they collaborate across the year
so first year, second year and third year students join the same what we call the retail track
In that cooperation with the partner companies they get to do certain things that bridging theory and practice.
So given the fast paced changes that we're seeing in the industry, it has been very important for us to bring industry into the program
It can be marketing issues, management issues, related to strategy, business development,
all the things that we have in the classroom they get to see
the challenge that they are facing at the moment
The best about the program I think is the Applied Retail Track so the applied retail track
It gives me like the opportunity to actually be in contact and be in touch with actual companies
When you go to university
Maybe you expect to just study theory and so learn facts and just like not apply them
We get the theory in class and the lectures and then we apply them right away through workshops or maybe tutorials
Talking to the partner companies and you feel like what you learn here can be applied later
It's really fun
We also have this initiative called The Antonia Ax:son Johnson Tutorial Program and what it allows us to do is
read on different topics about
self-efficacy or contributing to a group and then having people come here and talk about that or
reconnecting with your tutor that you have in the applied retail track and talking to them about how you can apply this
so it’s a lot more focused on personal development and being the best you that you can be
So it's a small scale program and that makes it really unique
All students will have close connections to companies but also to the professors that they meet in the classroom
It’s a very good relationship,
It is a very friendly yet professional relationship
The faculty at the retail management program really tries to create a program
that is helping students to realize that they
can get employment directly after graduation that is what we are focusing on
Of course, a lot of students really like to study and we encourage them
to do a master's program as well, of course
Approximately 50% of our students move on to master’s programs afterwards
the other 50% they are ready to go out in the industry and work directly after graduation
We see students actually in different industries upon graduation because the program is attractive for a lot of different companies
for instance advertising agencies, marketing and research firms, business consultants, management consultants
are a few examples of that
It gives you obviously an opportunity when you graduate to actually start working right away
So you will have a very good foundational knowledge of business
But on top of that you will have a deep understanding of the retail industry and what it means to
Be successful in an industry with close connections to consumers
And then you can take that in any directions that you want