In the beginning there was a vision…
When Dr. Stephen Harrison first conceived of an educational institution, he focused on 4 major areas – and those areas eventually became the name of the institution itself:
1. Swiss, because Switzerland’s education system is held up as the standard all over the world, but being prohibitively expensive, can hardly be accessed by people living outside of Europe,
2. School, or institute, where the principles of advanced education could be followed flexibly without the rigidity of the classical university system,
3. Business, as a focused area of real-life study, and
4. Research, the fourth pillar, which bound and brought together people of different nationalities and backgrounds to collaborate, create and lay out their own vision of excellence, and in their own area of business expertise.
When the 2022 graduates who were able to travel – from different nationalities – gathered together on a balmy summer day at Hotel Alimara in Barcelona, Spain on July 2nd 2022, Dr. Harrison’s vision was realised.
The graduating class of 2021 – 2022 come from all walks of life: first time students achieving their Bachelors’ in Business Administration, bachelors with real life work experience working towards their Masters, MBA’s and MSc’s heading for the ultimate prize – a doctorate, or PhD. The day was a win-win for everyone at the school – students, faculty, staff, and Dr. Harrison’s dream itself.
That day they proved it could be done!
In her evocative keynote address at the ceremony, Dr. Paula Smith, CSP FAIM, who travelled from Perth, Australia to Barcelona, Spain, to receive her PhD by Portfolio degree, said as much. Her experience of her interactions with faculty and research facilities will undoubtedly inspire future cohorts of students to the school.
The follow up from her fellow Doctoral graduate, Dr. Anthony Cairns, who attained a PhD (Doctorate of Philosophy) in Management with honours, simply reaffirmed the message Dr. Smith sent out.
The Swiss School of Business Research was set up with the unique vision of bringing Quality Education to All – an enabler of real-life educational collaboration that upholds the high educational standards, but is also innovative, flexible, inclusive, interconnected, and international. In real time.
On July 2nd, the group of graduates gathered under one roof to celebrate their academic milestones were proof that this vision is a success!
Learn more about our business degrees: SSBR Business Programmes
Read our unique mission and vision statement: SSBR’s mission and vision statement
Photography credits: Carolina Sainz
Video credits: Urko Photo & Film
