We were fortunate to win Timo’s cooperation and insights through the link in the CEMS university network between Aalto University and University of St. Gallen. Timo is the Dean of the School of Business at Aalto. Before joining Aalto, Timo was professor of finance and head of Department of Finance and Economics at Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki.

Through our exchanges on the subject, Timo described a wonderfully open and continuously growing perspective on the subject of the function and objective of academia. Part of our discussions circulated around the question whether universities should place greater emphasis on teaching the “how” or the “why” of phenomena. Beyond these broader ideas, he also shared very specific recommendations like his thoughts on the value of having a focused research question or on the necessity to leave it be for a few days, sometimes. Some of the most memorable thoughts dealt with the seminar he experienced as most valuable while being a PhD student and which type of help he still is most grateful for to his PhD supervisor.