Events - 26.08.2025 - 09:00
Since 2022, SQUARE at the University of St.Gallen has been breaking new ground in knowledge transfer. This applies not only to students: in addition to regular courses and public lectures, the light-filled glass building hosts a wide range of other public events each semester that invite visitors to think and participate. The focus is on informal learning.
At the heart of the SQUARE programme are the “Personalities in Residence”. Eight international personalities from the worlds of science, culture, politics and business spend a few days at the centre, offering their own events and engaging in dialogue with the audience.
In the autumn semester, these include Jacob Soll, historian, philosopher and Pulitzer Prize winner, who opens ups new perspectives on current economic policy with his research on financial history and political responsibility.
Also appearing will be Ugandan human rights lawyer Lina Zedriga, who is strongly committed to women's rights, among other causes. The current opposition leader will bring international perspectives on peace, decolonisation, social justice and democracy to SQUARE.
Film fans will also get their money's worth: in October, the popular format cinema@SQUARE will once again bring socially relevant films worthy of discussion to the big screen, accompanied by talks with experts who will shed light on the background and open up the space for dialogue. This autumn, the focus will be on war and armament, with films including ‘Der schwarze Tanner’ (The Black Tanner).
In September, SQUARE, in collaboration with Tamedia, will show the documentary film “GAME OVER: The Fall of Credit Suisse” by Simon Helbling. The film traces the spectacular history of a Swiss institution and raises questions about responsibility, regulation and trust in the financial system. After the screening, investigative journalist Arthur Rutishauser, finance professor Nina Reiser and Martin Nerlinger from the School of Finance at the University of St.Gallen will discuss, among other things, the responsibility of educational institutions for the future of the financial sector.
Another highlight in autumn is the highly topical two-person play “Oleanna” by US playwright David Mamet, which premiered in 1992. The power play focuses on language and gender roles and will be performed four times in collaboration with Theater Liechtenstein at SQUARE and TAK Theater in Schaan. The production invites the audience to grapple with questions of abuse of power, communication and different perceptions. The discussions afterwards will be led by Christa Binswanger, lecturer in the Gender & Diversity department, and HSG Ombudswoman Katrin Hilbert, among others.
At a time when public debates are often heated and polarised, SQUARE is committed to dialogue. The aim is not only to allow different opinions and perspectives to be heard, but to bring them together. As an open meeting place on campus, SQUARE is a link between the university and the urban community. It is a space where questions can be asked, ideas tried out and new perspectives gained.
Artistic director Tim Kramer likes to compare SQUARE to Djemaa el-Fna, the square of jugglers in Marrakesh. “Here, you leave your comfort zone, here you make the effort to encounter different ways of thinking and acting, and here, like me, you end up being rewarded with inspiring stories from other people,” he explains. “If we manage to convey and further develop this quality of the building and its vision, we will have created something particularly precious. A space that enables us to recognise ourselves in others.”
The complete programme is available online at: hsg-square.ch
Unless otherwise stated, all public events are free of charge and open to the public without prior registration. SQUARE is wheelchair accessible.
