19. March 2016. At the Bachelors' Graduation Day, a total of 279 graduates were handed their degree certificates in the following majors:

• 179 in Business Administration,
• 39 in International Affairs,
• 35 in Economics,
• 14 in Law,
• 12 in Law and Economics.

Considering history

President Thomas Bieger pointed out to the graduates that developments in technology always affected the economy, society and thus private individuals. This was the case with the railways, with telephony and the digital revolution. Today, this was the internet of things and big data, the fourth industrial revolution. "This development also concerns people who want to accomplish something: people who want to leave traces on earth – and not only in the net," said Bieger. "This is why I believe that it is important to consider history." Bieger underpinned this theory with three reasons. Firstly, history provided orientation and helped to pin down developments. Even though history did not repeat itself, the mechanisms behind these developments were similar.

Leaving traces

Bieger's second point was that history created meaning. Often, the mission of an organisation could not be discovered in balance sheets and organisational charts, but frequently in its history. Thirdly, history provided identity and motivation. "Every human being would like to contribute to development and thus write history themselves," said Bieger, "if only at a low level." The graduates, he said, had already left some traces, for from now on they would always be alumni and thus part of the history of the University of St.Gallen.

Attractive social programme

The musical background to the ceremony was provided by the HSG Big Band. HSG Alumni President Urs Landolf congratulated the graduates on their first academic degree. He outlined the great advantages of the large HSG Alumni network for new graduates, in particular, and encouraged them to become actively involved in it. During the Bachelors' Graduation Day, graduates, their relatives and guests were able to enjoy a varied social programme ranging from themed guided tours in the city and guided tours of artworks at the University to Prof. Dr. Pietro Beritelli’s taster lecture on "Destination management – simpler than you think?" In the evening, HSG Alumni held the traditional Graduation Party in St.Gallen.