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1978: Introduction of a stand-alone Law programme

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  7. 1978 – Introduction of the stand-alone Law programme
    1898 – Our beginnings1903 – Separation of the Business Academy from the School of Transport1911 – New name, new building at Notkerstrasse 201914 – World War I1928 – HSG’s first annual celebration1931 – Foundation of HSG Alumni1934 – Habilitation Ordinance1938 – New Higher Education Act and the right to confer doctorates1939 – The donation of the Presidential Chain1940 – The internment camp1943 – The first full-time sports teacher, Rolf Albonico1947 – Thomas Mann, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, visits HSG1949 – The award of the first honorary doctorates1950 – Start of the lecture cycle ‘Die neue Weltschau’ (The New World View)1956 – Aid for Hungary1959 Volksabstimmung zum Neubau auf dem Rosenberg1960 erster Spatenstich zu den Neubauten1960 Grundsteinlegung zu den Neubauten1963 – Inauguration of the new buildings on the Rosenberg – now with the abbreviation 'HSG'1968 – The institutionalisation of continuing education1970 – First HSG Symposium1978 – Introduction of the stand-alone Law programme1985 – Vote for extension building1989 – Inauguration of the HSG library1992 – Construction of the Holzweid Executive Campus1995 – HSG joins CEMS1995 – Inauguration of the new Executive Campus (WBZ) on the Holzweid site1995 – HSG is renamed as a university2000 Neukonzeption der Lehre2000 "Peterli" wird Bildmarke der HSGHSG-Logo im Wandel der Zeit2003 – Introduction of "Children's University"2004 Bezug des Zentralen Institutsgebäudes (ZIG)2005 Einführung institutsübergreifende Kompetenzzentren2005 – Inauguration of the Executive School for Management, Technology and Law (ES-HSG)2007 Fertigstellung der Sporthalle2008 – Moving into the HSG Alumni House2013 Bezug des Hauses Tellstrasse 22017 Einweihung des neuen Lehr- und Forschungsgebäudes Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 6/82018 – The Joint Medical Master2019 – The IT Education Initiative (ITBO)2022 – SQUARE

The idea of establishing a degree in legal studies at HSG was discussed for the first time in the mid-1950s, when the range of course offerings in this subject was expanding; Professor Wolfhart F. Bürgi, who was the president of the school at the time, initiated the discussion. However, HSG's plans to introduce a special business law degree met with united resistance from the Conference of Law Faculties in Switzerland, and it was decided to put the plan on hold in favour of other priorities. It was not until 1968 that a new attempt was made with the introduction of a specialisation in business law in the existing programme in business studies. With the support of the St. Gallen cantonal legislature and the cantonal examination board for lawyers, HSG thus became a door-opener for all kinds of legal profession. Criticism from other Swiss universities remained, however, due to the insufficient number of semester hours of legal subjects.

In the early 1970s, the project of a stand-alone legal degree programme in St. Gallen was taken up again, when the number of law students was growing steadily across Switzerland and HSG students themselves expressed a wish to be able to take a final degree examination in law at their home university. From 1971 onwards, study programmes were developed and resource calculations carried out. After the introduction of the law degree programme was officially decided in 1974, the law department planned the details of the new degree programme, such as semester hours per week, teaching positions, full professorships and so on.

Following the approval of the cantonal government in February 1978, the degree programme was finally launched in the autumn semester 1978-79, so that – for the first time – students could be trained here to become lawyers, graduating with the qualification lic. iur. HSG.

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