446 Master's degrees presented at the HSG

5 April 2022. Graduates were presented with their diplomas in the following programs:

• 81 in Business Innovation,
• 46 in Business Management,
• 22 in Strategy and International Management,
• 66 in Banking and Finance,
• 93 in Accounting and Finance,
• 17 in Management, Organization and Culture,
• 11 in Economics,
• 14 in Quantitative Economics and Finance,
• 28 in Law,
• 11 in Law with Economics,
• 3 in International Law,
• 27 in Marketing, Service and Communication Management and Marketing Management,
• 25 in International Affairs and Governance,
• 2 training in Business Education.

Balance between rebellion and resignation

With their upcoming entry into the professional world, master's graduates can bring their skills to companies or organizations and can be resolute. That being said, frustrating moments are to be expected, said Vice-President Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schmid in his address. "Your arguments will not always be heard, your energy may fizzle out, a colleague could prevail with a different view or a different solution." There is no consensus on the best solution, and the one chosen is often the one that can be supported by everyone with more or less enthusiasm, Ulrich Schmid elaborated. In such cases, it is important to find a good balance between rebellion and resignation and to develop a sense of "which battles you want to fight and which you don't."

"Bravery before a friend"

Against the backdrop of the Ukraine war, Russian expert Ulrich Schmid continued: "The decision-making structures of the Russian leadership have become well-rehearsed over the years. The formulation of political strategies in Russia no longer follows deliberation, a weighing of different scenarios." On the question of what this has to do with the graduates, he said that criticism is always more difficult to formulate than praise, because it takes courage and bravery. In a democratic Switzerland, he said, it has become rare to have to demonstrate "bravery before the enemy," as a military metaphor goes. But "bravery before one's friend," as the Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann once said, is not only important when discussing texts. For criticism, Ulrich Schmid adheres to the "sandwich rule," which wraps a critique in an opening and an exit praise.

At the end of his speech, Vice-President Ulrich Schmid gave the master’s students the following advice for their future private and professional lives: "Don't be afraid to be brave. A good friend will repay you with friendship and bravery on their part."

Images: Lautenschlager GmbH