MBS Semester Opening Ceremony 2019

This week, Munich Business School (MBS) welcomed its new students at the official 2019 MBS Semester Opening ceremony. Like last year, the festive event was held at the premises of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft in close vicinity to the MBS campus. The ceremony was opened by the band Meggadadunga.

In front of about 200 students – most of them freshmen – lecturers and staff, Prof. Dr. Stefan Baldi, Dean of Munich Business School, warmly welcomed the audience with a speech highlighting the diversity and internationality of the student body: There are 65 countries represented, summing up to a 49 percent share of internationals; men and women are equally represented among first-year students.

Following was MBS President, Dr. Alfred Gossner, who in his Opening Speech called upon the new students to approach today’s big environmental challenges.

Band Meggadadunga (left), Prof. Dr. Stefan Baldi, and Dr. Alfred Gossner during their speeches at the 2019 MBS Semester Opening.

Afterwards, the new MBS professors Prof. Dr. Sophie Hieke for Marketing, Prof. Dr. Thomas Röhm for International Business and General Management, Prof. Dr. Ellen Schmid for Responsible Leadership and Prof. Dr. Anne Tryba for Innovation and Entrepreneurship were appointed. In addition, the long-standing professors Dr. Adrian Hunger and Dipl. Kff. Claudia Lazarus were bid farewell.

New MBS Professors (with Dr. Alfred Gossner, President of MBS, and Prof. Dr. Stefan Baldi, Dean. Prof. Dr. Thomas Röhm, Prof. Dr. Ellen Schmid, Prof. Dr. Sophie Hieke, Prof. Dr. Anne Tryba and farewell to long-term MBS Lecturers Dr. Adrian Hunger and Dipl. Kff. Claudia Lazarus) (from left to right)

Afterwards, Stefanie Madeleine Schulz, Bachelor International Business student, presented the current MBS student associations and encouraged the students to participate.

 MBS student Stefanie Madeleine Schulz.

MBS Values – experiences in real life

The final presentation featured two MBS Bachelor International Business students – Lea Sofia Nikiforow from Germany and Sophie Paci from the UK –, who got to know each other during their very first days at MBS, and have since been building a deep friendship.

Lea Sofia and Sophie provided their first-hand insights on how a every day life at MBS looks like and how they live and experience the MBS Spirit acting innovatively, responsibly and globally minded. For their semester abroad Sophie went to UQAM (Université du Québec à Montréal) Montréal, Canada, and Lea Sofia to EDHEC Nice, France – an unforgettable time of their life. Spending time with more than 40 countries in one classroom is a truly international experience.

Speech of MBS Representatives (left) Presentation of »MBS Values – experiences in real life« from Bachelor students Lea Sofia Nikiforow and Sophie Paci (right)

The speeches were followed by the presentation of the MBS Awards, which are awarded to students (and a faculty member, as well) who have shown particular commitment during their studies – for example as student representatives or as ambassadors of MBS.

Here are the winners of the 2019 MBS Awards:

  • MBS Research Award: Prof. Dr. Florian Bartholomae
  • MBS Student Representative Award: Somar Mkdad (Bachelor International Business), Louis Peeters (Bachelor International Business), Minh Tran (Bachelor International Business), Angela Ruiz (Master International Business), Aniket Tyagi (Master International Business)
  • MBS Academic Award: Linda Brosig (Bachelor International Business), Victoria Welledits (Master International Business), Dr. Christopher Chamberlain (Doctor of Business Administration)
  • MBS Explorer Award: Wanning Gao (Bachelor International Business)
  • MBS Ambassador Award: Lea Sofia Nikiforow (Bachelor International Business), Angela Ruiz (Master International Business), Miriam Stoll (Master Sports Business and Communication)
  • Rudolf Gröger Award: Minh Tran (Bachelor International Business), Fabian Süle (Master International Business

The winners of the 2019 MBS Awards (with Dr. Alfred Gossner, President of MBS, and Prof. Dr. Stefan Baldi, Dean of MBS; from left to right: Prof. Dr. Bartholomae, Somar Mkdad, Louse Peeters, Minh Tran, Angela Ruiz, Lea Sofia Nikiforow, Angela Ruiz, Fabian Süle and Minh Tran.)

After the official part of the 2019 MBS Semester Opening, the students, faculty, and staff members gathered at the foyer of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft premises for a get-together over a glass of champagne, mingling with each other and establishing ties with their fellow students.

Thanks to the organization team and to our students for taking part and making the 2019 MBS Semester Opening another memorable event!