Innovation Management University of Trento

Overview

Why study Innovation Management?

The Master’s Degree (Laurea Magistrale) in Innovation Management - MAIN is jointly organized by the University of Trento and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa. This two-year Programme is involved  with market leaders and employers in research, industry and government.

MAIN is particularly designed for students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation aiming at management careers in innovative organizations.

Nowadays, innovation skills are the only real tool able to enhance the position of a firm or a collective organization. ICT applications together with market globalization have radically changed business models, organizations, and the competitive environment. The dematerialization of products and resources asks for new approaches in strategies and management.

However, the capacity to generate innovation is not sufficient to ensure market success. That’s why innovation is mainly a management issue rather than a technical one. Specifically, innovation today is an innovation in “service” and therefore requires an interdisciplinary approach that blends and integrates technology, management, computer science, and strategy in order to transform a smart idea into a true market success.

So innovation without innovative management skills is of little use.

MAIN students will learn how to think strategically in order to reduce or take advantage of uncertainty in the markets. Furthermore, students gain theoretical knowledge and practical know-how to select the best innovative strategies for private and public institutions. 

Teaching Methodology

MAIN is based on a mixture of teaching methods, which is believed to be the best balance to merge a thorough understanding of theoretical issues with the ability to apply them in real-life situations.

Students are often divided into discussion groups where they are confronted with different business scenarios and asked to solve problems in an effective way. This approach fosters fruitful cooperative learning.

Students get used to time-pressure situations, and through factual learning and a stimulating internship experience, they are provided with a solid platform to make the best possible decision.

MAIN students are also stimulated to participate in the Business Labs (for example, Start-Up Lab, Contamination Lab) together with students from other areas (Engineering, Computer Science, Cognitive Sciences, Biotechnology, etc.). That's a great opportunity to strengthen students' entrepreneurial spirit and soft skills.

Admissions

How to Apply

Access the online application form

• Upload the required documents

• Submit your online application by the deadline

• Pay the application fee of 30 Euros

Admission to MAIN is selective: the competition is intense since the class is open to only 35 students. The application is entirely online.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent);

• English at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference;

• At least a minimum of 40 University credits (CFU) that certify a good knowledge of Economics, Business, Technical-Production, and Computer Science, statistics, Mathematics and Quantitative topics. Specifically, the students have to certify a minimum number of credits, as follow:

• at least 8 CFUs (ECTS) in the Economics area: SECS-P/01 (ECON-01A), SECS-P/02 (ECON-02/A), SECS-P/04 (STEC-01/A), SECS-P/05 (ECON-05/A), SECS-P/06 (ECON04/A), ING-IND/35 (IEGE-01/A);

•  at least 12 CFUs (ECTS) in the Business, Technical-Production, and IT Computer Science areas: SECS-P/07 (ECON-06/A), SECS-P/08 (ECON-07/A), SECS-P/09 (ECON-09/A), ICAR/22 (CEAR-03/C), ING-IND/17 (IIND-05/A), ING-INF/05 (IINF-05/A), ING-IND/35 (IEGE-01/A);at least 8 CFUs (ECTS) in the Mathematics and Quantitative area: SECS-S/01 (STAT-01/A), SECS-S/06 (STAT-04/A), MAT/01 (MATH-01/A), MAT/02 (MATH-02/A), MAT/03 (MATH-02/B), MAT/04 (MATH-01/B), MAT/05 (MATH-03/A).

The Selection Committee will evaluate if the study plan of the Qualification/s obtained abroad meets the above-mentioned binding requirements.

• Curriculum Studiorum and Curriculum Vitae;

• Statement of Purpose,

• Reference Letters;

• GRE/GMAT score might be an advantage. 

Students will be evaluated and assigned the Application Score out of 100 points. The resulting ranking will be used to assign tuition waivers and scholarships only for non-EU applicants.

Curriculum

First Year in Trento

Crash Courses before the start of the ordinary lectures

• Introduction to International Business

• Introduction to Quantitative Methods

• Introduction to Economics

Compulsory courses  

• Economics of Innovation Processes

• Intellectual Property and Competition Law

• Data Analysis and Forecasting

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Strategy and Innovation Management

• Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Start-Up Lab 

• Industrial Dynamics

• Information System and Knowledge Management or ICT Innovation - Product Design and Development

Electives offered in Trento 

At least 16 ECTS of electives before graduating are distributed among the following (either first or second year): 

• International Marketing  

• Managing Drug Discovery: from concept to market

• International Corporate Strategy

• Global Economic Scenarios 

• Quantitative Methods for Market Analysis

• Effective Managerial Decision Making

• Organizational Behavior

Seminars

Different kinds of  seminars aiming at catching different perspectives on business around the world are offered throughout the year. Since seminars are held by Visiting Professors, the topics can change every year. Some examples are: Doing Business in India, in Russia, in China, in Nordic Countries, in Latin America.

Second Year in Pisa

Compulsory courses

• Financial and non financial Metrics 

• Advanced Topics in the Economics of Technical Change

• ICT: Business intelligence and CRM 

• Open Innovation Modelling and R&D 

• Managing Innovation Lab

• Performance in Service: Managing Performance in Healthcare or Business Sustainability Management

Electives offered in Pisa

• Performance in Service: Managing Performance in Healthcare

• Services Marketing 

• Cost in Performance Management 

• Business Sustainability Management

• Introduction to Research Methods

• Corporate Finance

Internship

Master Thesis