CEMS Business Projects at the Stockholm School of Economics

Play Play on YouTube

 

Business Project

The Business Project is a core part of the CEMS Master in International Management at the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE). Each spring, teams of students work with partner organizations on real business challenges. They define and analyze the problem, then propose solutions that can be put into practice.

About CEMS

CEMS is a global alliance of 33 leading business schools, together with corporate and social partners. Its Master in International Management is ranked fourth in the world in the QS rankings, and admission is highly selective.

Business Project students are in the final year of their Master’s studies. They combine advanced academic training with the international outlook the program is known for.

Why sponsor a Business Project

Substantial project capacity

Each team of four to five students spends half of their working time on the project from February to May. In total, this is about four to six person-months of work.

Analysis grounded in your organization

Students are expected to go beyond desk research. With access to your people and information, they develop a detailed understanding of your context and challenge.

An external perspective

The team approaches your challenge without prior assumptions. This can help you test existing thinking and consider other approaches.

International teams

Teams are made up of students of different nationalities from the 33 CEMS member schools, with academic backgrounds in business, economics, and finance. They are trained to manage client projects in multicultural teams.

Academic supervision

Each team is supported by an SSE faculty mentor and draws on theory and methods from across business administration and economics.

What makes a good project

The best projects bring the students close to your organization. Projects that rely only on desk research are less suitable. A strong project might involve:

• Interviews or workshops with employees, customers, or partners
• Access to internal data, processes, or sites
• A challenge where the team’s analysis can feed into decisions or implementation

The team works on the project half-time from February to May, so the challenge should be large enough to justify about four to six person-months of work.

How the project is organized

Each project involves three parties who share one objective: delivering a project that creates value for the sponsor.

• Sponsor(s). One or more representatives from your organization who give the team access and guidance.
• Student team. Four to five final-year CEMS master’s students who are fully responsible for the project. This covers defining and planning the work, carrying it out, and managing the relationship with you.
• Academic mentor. An SSE faculty member who supervises the team’s process and provides coaching throughout the term.

Students work with a high degree of independence. As part of the course, they are asked to reflect on the underlying problem, alternative approaches, and potential barriers to implementation. As a result, they may occasionally raise questions that go somewhat beyond the original scope.

Timeline

Date	Activity
October 30, 2026	Indication of interest
November 30, 2026	Submission of project proposal
Mid-December, 2026	Confirmation of participation
February 3, 2027	Teams are assigned and contact sponsors to schedule an initial meeting
Within one week of assignment	Initial meeting to agree on scope, deliverables, and timeline
February–May 2027	Project work
May 2027	Final presentations at SSE. Final presentation or handover to the sponsor, arranged directly with the team
After completion	Sponsor feedback for assessment

Teams are also advised to plan a one-to-two-week break during the project period, with the timing agreed with the sponsor.

Sponsor responsibilities

• Appoint one or more contacts to serve as the team’s main point of contact.
• Meet the team within about one week of assignment, so that scope, deliverables, and expectations are clear early in the project.
• Be available to the team about every two weeks, with more frequent contact if the project requires it.
• Give the team the access to people and information they need to understand the organization.
• Guide the team toward the project objective and agree on the deliverables with them.
• Assess the team’s work at the end of the project, using a scoring sheet provided by SSE. Client deliverables form part of the final course grade.
• Agree with the team on a final presentation or handover at your organization.
• Preferably, attend the team’s presentation at SSE, either yourself or through a representative.

Deliverables

You and the student team agree on the deliverables together at the start of the project, based on your needs and the time available. Depending on the project, they might be a report, an analysis, a recommendation, a plan, or another format that suits your organization.

The final presentation or handover to your organization is arranged directly between you and the team. All teams also present their work at SSE at the end of the project. This presentation is designed to respect any NDA, so confidential details do not need to be shared.

Practical information

Confidentiality

NDAs can be agreed directly with the students, and faculty supervisors will also sign where required. Students must be able to discuss their projects in coaching sessions, so we recommend limiting restrictions to what is strictly necessary. The presentation at SSE is NDA-friendly.

Scope and deliverables

The sponsor and the team agree on the scope and deliverables in the initial meeting, taking into account the time available and academic deadlines.

Contact

William Ramsay, CEMS CRM (william.ramsay@hhs.se) coordinates the practical aspects of the Business Projects

Ciara Sutton, CEMS Adademic Director and Course Director, CEMS Business Projects, (ciara.sutton@hhs.se) oversees the projects.