SSBR 2025 Graduation at Schönbrunn Palace: Inspiration, Resilience, and a Shared Future
On August 16th, 2025, the Swiss School of Business Research (SSBR) gathered at the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna to celebrate the achievements of the graduating class of 2025. Against the grandeur of one of Europe’s most historic venues, the ceremony became more than a formal event—it was a day of inspiration, resilience, and unity across borders.
Dr. Karen Ng: The Mother of the Ceremony
The celebration was beautifully guided by Dr. Karen Ng, who served as Master of Ceremonies. Dr. Ng was described by many as “the mother of the graduation” – her warmth, kindness, and professionalism made everyone feel at ease. With humour and grace, she kept the program on track, ensuring every graduate felt honoured on their special day.
Overcoming Challenges Together
Not everything went according to plan. DHL failed to deliver all of the gowns and graduation folders in time for the ceremony. At first, this seemed like a daunting obstacle—but what unfolded was a beautiful display of community spirit. Graduates generously shared the robes we had on hand, passing them along so that everyone could step onto the stage properly attired.
What could have been a source of frustration instead became a reminder of what our institution stands for: resilience, generosity, and solidarity. We are deeply grateful to our graduates for handling this with such understanding and grace. Their actions turned a logistical hiccup into a meaningful lesson in cooperation.
Dr. James Punch: Resilience and the Will to Keep Going
The first keynote was delivered by Dr. James Punch, a graduate, faculty member, and a man who continues his academic journey while living with Parkinson’s disease. His speech was raw, heartfelt, and deeply moving.
Reflecting on his early struggles in education, he recalled how teachers had dismissed him as a failure:
“One teacher I remember commented, stating that I would never amount to anything and I was truly a lost cause.”
And yet, with the support of his fiancée Lindsay and the inclusive approach of SSBR, Dr. Punch completed his PhD and now mentors other doctoral candidates. In a particularly emotional moment, he spoke of his late mother, whose tireless nights of study he once resisted but later mirrored in his own life:
“Although she’s no longer with us, I know she’ll be proud of what I’ve achieved—and I have SSBR to thank for that.”
Dr. Punch’s testimony was a reminder that education is not about where you begin, but about the perseverance to keep moving forward—and the willingness of institutions to adapt and support their students.
Dr. Lewis Taylor: Rewriting the Script
The next speaker, Dr. Lewis Taylor, delivered an extraordinary address about transformation. Expelled from school at 15 and later imprisoned, Dr. Taylor shared how education gave him a second chance at life.
He recalled the harsh words that had shaped his self-image for years:
“My dad would call me things like a buffoon. He’d say, ‘You’ll never amount to anything. You’re stupid.’ And that stuck with me—and I genuinely believed that I was.”
But in prison, a tutor named Susie asked him a question that changed everything:
“She said, ‘Lewis, what’s the matter?’ And I don’t think anyone had ever asked me that before.”
From that point, his path shifted. He completed basic courses, went on to university, built an international personal development business, and finally earned his doctorate.
His message to the graduates was powerful:
“We all carry invisible scripts, stories written by other people telling us who we are and what we can or cannot do. My script was that education wasn’t for me—but I decided to rewrite it. Education should not complete us, it should reveal us.”
The audience was visibly moved, many wiping away tears as Dr. Taylor reminded everyone that education is not just about skills, but about reclaiming identity and dignity.
The Dean – Dr. Stephen Harrison: Education Without Borders
Dr. Stephen Harrison: Education Without Borders
The ceremony closed with an unforgettable address from Dr. Stephen Harrison, Dean of SSBR, whose mix of humour, personal stories, and bold insights left a lasting impression.
He began with a reflection on imposter syndrome, weaving in his own experiences as a young fighter pilot during the Falklands conflict:
“If anybody has heard of this thing called imposter syndrome… I had the biggest dose of it and sheer terror you could imagine. I thought, ‘They’ve got the wrong guy, I shouldn’t be here.’ But then, to cut a long story short, I finished the war with three air-to-air victories and a Distinguished Service Cross. Who knew? In other words, this feeling of imposter syndrome is only in our own minds—we have trained, we’ve done the job, and we deserve that job.”
He linked this to the work of SSBR’s graduates, noting that their capstones and dissertations often tackle real-world issues far more significant than some traditional academic topics. With his characteristic wit, he quipped:
“One of the topics studied at a well-known American university was how the phases of the moon affect the flavour of cheese. I’m biased, but I think that’s three or four years wasted. When I see your dissertations solving real-world problems, again I get imposter syndrome—I think I shouldn’t be doing this, I’m not up to it, it’s so impressive.”
Dr. Harrison also challenged the traditional model of the PhD, describing what he calls “the myth of the three-year PhD.”
“Most universities have students waiting months for feedback on a single chapter. Multiply that by eight, and you’re talking years lost. In reality, many three-year programs only deliver about 342 actual working days of academic engagement—less than a single year. What we’ve done at SSBR is get rid of the nonsense. You’re not getting a shortcut—you’re just not sat on your hands waiting for months.”
Finally, he delivered one of the most powerful moments of the day by affirming SSBR’s commitment to keeping politics out of education:
“I was asked recently, ‘Do you accept students from Russia?’ Yes, of course—unless you’re the Russian government or Putin himself. ‘Do you accept Israelis or Palestinians?’ Yes—unless you’re Netanyahu. State politics should never enter the classroom. At SSBR, we welcome everyone. Education is about building bridges, not barriers.”
His words brought the ceremony to a close on a note of courage, inclusivity, and pride.
A Graduation to Remember
The 2025 graduation at Schönbrunn Palace will be remembered not just for its historic setting, but for the stories that inspired us all. From Dr. Ng’s steady leadership, to the resilience of Dr. Punch, to the transformation of Dr. Taylor, and to Dr. Harrison’s vision of borderless education, the day embodied everything SSBR stands for.
To our graduates of 2025: your journeys are a testament to courage, perseverance, and hope. You are living proof that education changes lives, and the world awaits the impact you will make.
Congratulations, Class of 2025.
