Partnerships, society and business
BI is known as the school of the business world, a position we will continue to maintain and develop in the future.
Close ties to business have always been important to BI. A good collaboration with business creates value for the students, who receive practical experience and relevant teaching.
In 2024, BI established a separate department for business and community relations. With this, BI will facilitate even greater collaboration with business in supporting research and student activities. Several activities were initiated last year, including:
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ABG Sundal Collier Foundation: Partner for BI's mentoring scheme for female students; Woman in Finance
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Statkraft: Partner and provider of Case for BI International Case Competition 2024
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Gjensidige: Partner for support for several student activities and financing of a full Master of Science Scholarship - Woman in Tech
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Grant Thornton: Partner for support for several student activities
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Circle K: Partner and provider of Case for BI International Case Competition 2024
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In addition, a new scholarship programme was established, with funding from business partners such as the Norwegian Association of Auditors, A. Wilhelmsen Foundation and Gjensidige.
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The Friends of BI Committee was established, comprising senior managers, former board members, and presidents from BI.
Among our foremost ambassadors, and as a link between BI and the business community, are our alums.
- BI has approximately 250,000 alums
Every year, BI invites alums to several events, including the Leader's Toolbox and the annual Alumni Day. At these events, alums receive professional enrichment, inspiration and the opportunity to network. Annually, the Alumni Award is presented to former students who have demonstrated strong social commitment and excelled in their professional lives.
Case competitions provide a unique opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience. Through cases, students gain exposure to real-world business issues, while companies gain creative solutions and perspectives on their business challenges. In 2024:
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BI hosted the national case competition, the BI National Case Competition, in collaboration with case partners Regnskogfondet and Gjensidige.
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BI hosted the international case competition, the BI International Case Competition, in collaboration with case partners Cirke K and Statkraft.
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BI collaborated with CBS, Lund University, Tampere University of Applied Science, Reykjavik University and the University of Agder to organise the Nordic Case Challenge.
Through various councils and boards, BI receives valuable advice and input in key areas, including strategy, study programs, and professional development. These committees comprise members from business, the public sector, academia, and former BI students.
BI will prepare students for the workforce and ensure that they possess the skills the labour market demands. Through BI Startup, students have created new jobs and value for society. In 2024:
- 1534 job advertisements were published in BI's career portal by 804 companies.
- 400 job search courses were conducted via Zoom.
- 900 digital job search courses were conducted on the learning platform Itslearning.
- Around 200 physical job search courses and workshops were conducted.
- 744 individual career guidance sessions were conducted.
- 450 students were members of BI Startup.
- There were 35 active startups at BI and 4 startups with funding from the Student Entrepreneurship Fund, Sefio.
As part of BI's corporate social responsibility, BI is committed to giving back to society. Every year, BI donates a sum to charity as a Christmas gift from its employees.
- In 2024, BI donated this year's Christmas gift to the organisation «Gi gaven videre», giving each employee the choice of which charitable organisation they wanted to support.