Campus - 07.10.2017 - 00:00
7 October 2017. On the occasion of the Masters' Graduation Day, a total of 494 graduates were handed their degree certificates in the following programmes:
Focus on one single competence
The increasing influence of technology did not only have an impact on industry but also on the economy and on society, said President Thomas Bieger in his address. Soon machines and robots would be able to provide better investment recommendations or legal advice in response to standard enquiries than human experts, no matter how knowledgeable the latter are. "The fight against machines was already impossible in earlier times. But machines can help us make better use of human skills." To be able to cope with their career progress in the age of digitisation, graduates should either solve problems at a higher analytical level than machines or complement machines by means of emotional logic. A further strategy would be to understand machines in order to be able to explain their functions and results or even to develop the next generation of machines. What all the strategies have in common is that they focus on one single competence. This includes the ability to say no occasionally. "Saying no provides leeway for personal initiative," said Bieger. "And I hope that you will be able to enjoy a sufficient amount of leeway."
Attractive social programme
The musical background to the ceremony was provided by Malcolm Green. HSG Alumni President Urs Landolf congratulated the graduates on their 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. The graduates were able to go on a guided tour of the HSG's art works and to have their photographs taken with or without a gown, before and after the official ceremony. By way of a souvenir, the HSG Shop sold "Class of 2017" T-shirts. Refreshments were provided by the ad[hoc] coffee bar and the bratwurst sausage stand of the St.Gallen Addiction Assistance Foundation. In the evening, HSG Alumni staged the traditional Graduation party in St.Gallen.