15 April 2009. This study examines various effects such as the impact on regional purchasing power, but also an increase in knowledge and reputation effects triggered by the University of St.Gallen in the region.

CHF 300m a year spent
The University of St.Gallen, as well as its students and the participants in its executive education courses, spend about CHF 300m a year. Of this overall expenditure, about CHF 172m are spent in the agglomeration of St.Gallen and about CHF 196m in the labor market region of St.Gallen, which besides the agglomeration of St.Gallen also consists of further parts of the Canton of St.Gallen and the Cantons of Thurgau and Appenzell.

Greatest contribution made by students
If we take into account the origin of these resources and where they are spent, this results in the inflow of net purchasing power, which amounts to CHF 105 for the agglomeration St.Gallen and to CHF 119m for the labor market region. The greatest contribution to the agglomeration is made by the students, who draw CHF 20.8m income from the agglomeration and spend about CHF 80m in the agglomeration.

This results in an overall inflow of per capita purchasing power of CHF 719 in the agglomeration and CHF 226 in the labor market region.

CHF 152 m for the labor market region
All in all, the HSG’s contribution to regional value creation and thus to aggregate regional income amounts to CHF 147m per annum for the agglomeration and to about CHF 152m per annum for the labor market region.