Greeting of the Speaker

Dear ladies and gentlemen, friends, students, employees and alumni,

In 2019, we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the former Nuremberg Commercial College and today’s School of Business, Economics and Society. The founders would never have dreamt that the commercial college which started teaching in 1919 would grow to become, for a time, the largest faculty of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Today, the School of Business, Economics and Society is part of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Law and continues to be a visible university location, taking the lead from the commercial college by encouraging an interdisciplinary understanding of business, economics and social science. Throughout its eventful history, the School has produced a number of well-known alumni who have played a part in shaping the economy and society, strategically linking research and innovation to politics and business.

On the occasion of our anniversary, we would like to look back on the events of the 100 years which have passed since the commercial college was founded. We have selected some of the most memorable events for inclusion in a permanent exhibition at the Ludwig Erhard Building in the Findelgasse. The decision to establish a commercial college by the citizens of Nuremberg, the chamber of commerce and industry of Middle Franconia, and the commercial association Merkur was well-received at the time. Ludwig Erhard enrolled at the commercial college as student number 9 on October 20, 2019, one of just 174 male students and six female students, who were taught by one professor and 41 lecturers. Even in its early years, the commercial college offered a wide range of disciplines and was closely linked to both the local economy and international affairs. Again and again, trends were recognized early on and transformed into innovative business models. Leading ideas in the area of market research and information systems led to major spin-offs such as GfK. A number of events are planned throughout the anniversary year which we hope will reach a wide audience, not only our partners from business, but especially people who may not be involved in science and research on a daily basis. We will be holding many events at the School and throughout the whole of Nuremberg, inviting our guests to engage interactively with science and research.

Although celebrating our history is an important part of our anniversary year, we will also be taking the opportunity to look towards the future. The School of Business, Economics and Society has been interdisciplinary, international and practice-oriented from the outset, encouraging international networks while remaining close to the local region. Over the coming decades, we will expand our location in central Nuremberg into a leading research and innovation center which offers cutting edge teaching and research, closely embedded in industry and the vibrant city of Nuremberg.

We look forward to celebrating with all students, researchers, employees, and partners of the School of Business, Economics and Society in Nuremberg and can’t wait to see what the future has in store!

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Veronika Grimm

Speaker of the School of Business, Economics and Society

Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Law