The Werner Siemens House. at the University of St.Gallen

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1 PROFESSOR DR. ROBERT WALDBURGER The Werner Siemens House at the 1. The Law and Economics degree course at the The Law and Economics degree course at the was born out of an initiative based on practical experience. The idea was to equip lawyers with a basic tool in economics suitable for professional practice as part of their academic education. The Bachelor in Law and Economics degree course started in the autumn semester of At that moment in time, no other Swiss or European University offered this type of academic education. By offering this course, the University of St.Gallen took on a pioneering role in the integrated teaching of Law and Economics at universities in Europe. A few other universities, (such as for example the University of Augsburg), have since also taken up the idea of an integrative degree course in addition to classical legal training and have introduced the Law and Economics degree course. The Bachelor in Law and Economics (BLE) degree programme is composed of Seminar room in the MLE building Photograph by Peter Krause

2 the core lectures of the legal, business and economics bachelor s degree programmes. Law makes up two thirds of the course and one third is devoted to economics. This additional qualification in economics is orientated to the University of St.Gallen guiding principles and stresses this university degree course s focus on economics and commercial law. As BLE students have to attain the same standards in examinations as other bachelor students, they regard the BLE programme as very demanding and challenging. All lectures and seminars of the classical legal degree course are part of the mandatory BLE curriculum or are completed in the first semester of the Master in Law and Economics that follows on from the Bachelor degree course. Students have few options within the curriculum, but this restriction is indispensable to ensure they acquire the appropriate knowledge that is indispensable for legal training. Following the introduction of the revised degree course curriculum in 2011, integrative degree course lectures and seminars in Law and Economics now begin already at Bachelor level. It was mainly the students who had campaigned for this change and they were accordingly pleased with the development of the programme. The chance to participate in an exchange in the 5 th semester without extending the length of the degree course is one of the strong points of the programme. Many students take advantage of this opportunity and spend a semester at a University abroad. In contrast to classic legal training, which is largely dominated by national law, the BLE/MLE degree course is particularly suited to attending economics courses abroad. The four-semester Master in Law and Economics (MLE) has been open to students since the autumn semester of 2005, and continues the interdisciplinary training of Law and Economics. In the first semester of the Master, basic law study is completed, which is preparatory for the majors in the 2 nd and 3 rd semester. In contrast to the set curriculum of the bachelor degree course, students of these majors have a wide choice of legal and economics courses whereby they can attend lectures and seminars of the other Master programmes in addition to those designed specifically for the MLE programme. Meanwhile, there is also the option of attending the 2 nd and 3 rd Masters semester at a partner university abroad. The integrated seminars play a prominent role in the MLE, and take place in the final semester and during which renowned practitioners analyse the integration of Law and Economics based on current cases together with the students. This final seminar summarises all the semester course work and is the ultimate conclusion of the Law and Economics study programme. The objective of providing in-depth understanding of the relationship between Law and Economics followed by the Law and Economics degree course aims to provide graduates with a basis for finding professional solutions to the problems they will encounter in practising their profession. The advantages of this study programme have also been recognised by the business world, which shows great interest in MLE graduates, most of which receive two to three firm job offers from renowned law offices or companies by the end of the last semester. Since the introduction of the MLE programme, increased cooperation has taken place with Insper São Paulo, the elite private University in Brazil, which was established by Professor Nobel and Jose Lemann with the support of his foundation, the Lemann Foundation. Within the

3 framework of this collaboration, an extensive student and teaching staff exchange takes place between the two institutions every semester. Furthermore, many internationally renowned personalities that are affiliated with institutions such as the International Monetary Fund or the European Court of Justice participate in the MLE programme. It is at this point that we would like to give a committed graduate the opportunity to state her view of the Law and Economics programme from a student s perspective: I am now nearing the completion of my Master of Law and Economics at the University of St.Gallen and look back at my degree course with great satisfaction and a certain amount of pride. About five years ago, I switched to the HSG after an initial preparatory medical course. In the course of my studies, I discovered the multidisciplinary, international, and creative elements that I was missing from my medical studies. Next to the Master in Quantitative Economics and Finance, the Law and Economics degree course programme is considered one of the most challenging degree courses at the HSG. This had a particular appeal for me. My expectations were not disappointed; the University of St.Gallen s Law and Economics programme succeeds in combining two thinking processes, technical languages, and methods in a unique way. My study course trained my flexibility in thinking, through looking at a problem from various perspectives. I also enjoyed the very collegial atmosphere and exclusivity of the degree course. The Werner Siemens MLE House, donated by the Werner Siemens-Foundation, provides students with valuable support. Despite the relatively tight, academic course schedule, the programme allowed me to sample Asian culture for a semester and the characteristic atmosphere I experienced during my MBA exchange semester at the American Duke University was equally exciting. Although my career path is now due to head in the direction of economics, I would recommend my degree course to everyone. It is always good to know the rules of the game that we play every day. Karin Bosshard, 4 th semester MLE,. 2. The MLE Foundation Immediately after the establishment of the MLE foundation in July 2004, the Foundation Board was constituted at its first meeting in August 2004 and a governing body elected. The following prominent professors of the B.A. /M.A. HSG in Law and Economics degree courses were members of the governing body at that time (and simultaneously the founding members of the foundation): Professor Dr. Peter Nobel, Professor Dr. Robert Waldburger, Professor Dr. Heinz Hauser, Professor Dr. Günter Müller- Stewens and Professor Ernst Mohr, Ph.D. Professor Peter Nobel held the chairmanship of the governing body from its foundation until 2010, when Professor Robert Waldburger took over this position. The objective of the MLE Foundation is to offer a wide range of further integrative legal-economic lectures in conjunction with the MLE programme, as well as to extend the comprehensive interdisci-

4 Prof. Dr. P. Nobel Prof. Dr. R. Waldburger Prof. Dr. H. Hauser Prof. Dr. G. Müller-Stewens Prof. Dr. E. Mohr plinary research on the convergence between law and economics at the University of St.Gallen. For this purpose, the concept of a Centre for Law and Economics was developed in October 2007, together with representatives of several institutes at the (CLE). As a forum for collaboration between the various St.Gallen institutes and competence centre for economics and law, its purpose is to support both legal-economic research at the University of St.Gallen and teaching in the field of Law and Economics. An initial research project now forms the thematic emphasis (lighthouse) of the Law School at the University of St.Gallen Business Enterprise - Law, Innovation, Risk, which has had its institutional home in the CLE since August 2010, as its own focus area. The research in this focus area will be concentrated primarily on economics and business law, and will lead to the University of St.Gallen becoming a leader in the field of risk management and innovation law in the years to come. Three assistant professors, who collaborate closely with the MLE foundation and the Law and Economics programme, are assigned to the focus area Business Enterprise - Law, Innovation, Risk. 3. The work of the Werner Siemens-Foundation within the degree course Law and Economics Prof. Dr. Peter Athanas is one of the first Board members of the MLE Foundation, and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Werner Siemens-Foundation With the help of Prof. Athanas, the MLE Foundation made contact with the Werner Siemens-Foundation in 2007, who indicated their readiness for a possible engagement within the scope of the Law and Economics programme. During these initial discussions, the MLE House, as it was known at the time, and which was then owned by Prof. Dr. Peter Nobel, was the immediate focus of interest as a unique University institution whose renovation, extension and use as well as

5 re-naming as the Werner Siemens MLE House was considered worthy of support. Since its foundation, the MLE Foundation has had its domicile and office premises at Guisanstrasse 36 in St.Gallen, whose building quickly established itself as the MLE House (now named the Werner Siemens MLE House ) within the University of St.Gallen s operations. The administrative management of the Law and Economics programme is also located in the MLE House. It also accommodates the The MLE building The Swiss Law & Economics Student s Society (SLESS) student association established in 2005, which organises a wide range of activities for students including networking events with law offices and businesses, courses in rhetoric, and informal discussions. Various MLE activities and programme events are regularly held in the ground floor premises and garden, which were extended thanks to the generous commitment of the Werner Siemens-Foundation. In addition, the MLE Foundation is also pleased to put the premises at the disposal of the Law School to hold their graduation ceremonies. Furthermore, the three assistant professors in the focus area Business Enterprise - Law, Innovation, Risk have their offices at the premises of the MLE House, which has proved to be beneficial for the collaboration with the MLE Foundation and the Law and Economics programme. In 2005, the MLE Foundation began with the construction of a Law and Economics library at the MLE House, where there are numerous works on the subject of Law and Economics as well as on other topics relating to the links between law and economics. Initially, this library was housed in the seminar room on the ground floor. In 2008, the contact with the Werner Siemens-Foundation was intensified with the objective of a sponsorship and the Werner Siemens-Foundation agreed to purchase the House at Guisanstrasse 36 from Prof. Dr. Peter Nobel, and to grant the MLE Foundation the right to use of the building free of charge. In addition, the Werner Siemens-Foundation very generously took over the funding of the renovations and an extension of the MLE House, which included the setting up of a library and equipping of a seminar room. The corresponding contracts were concluded at the end of 2008, and the MLE House has since then officially borne the name of Werner Siemens MLE-Haus (the Werner Siemens MLE House). Construction work on the new library and seminar room began in early 2009 and was completed before resumption of lectures at the end of August The library has found an appropriate purpose-built home in the extension of the building funded by the Werner Siemens- Foundation. The library has been set up to be freely available to the general public and has been specially constructed to allow access to disabled students. MLE programme integration seminar lectures, as well as various other courses have been also held there since the spring of The Werner Siemens-Foundation s Foundation Board and Board of Trustees visited the Werner Siemens-Foundation House

6 in St.Gallen for the first time since its renovation during a scientific conference on tax law in the autumn of The Foundation Board and Board of Trustees members were able to see for themselves the fruition of their commitment. The university environment is changing. Budget cuts and cancellations are not unusual, even for universities in Switzerland. After making full use of public funds, very little scope for innovation remains. Despite its establishment at the University of St.Gallen, the degree course in Law and Economics is seen as a university innovation in the global (academic teaching) world due to its flexibility and which requires special support and a partner in order to achieve its objectives. The MLE Foundation has found a reliable partner for the future in the Werner Siemens- Foundation. The foundation is extraordinarily grateful to the Werner Siemens- Foundation that it has made it possible not only to maintain, but also to improve the Werner Siemens MLE House. This commitment on the part of the Werner Siemens-Foundation is not just an investment in mere bricks and mortar. Rather, it has given this foundation the opportunity to turn this house into the outwardly visible and inwardly tangible centre of academic and social activities for the entire programme and its participants. This fills us with gratitude and we owe the Werner Siemens-Foundation a great debt of gratitude on behalf of future generations of students and faculty members. Prof. Dr. Robert Waldburger Author PROFESSOR DR. ROBERT WALDBURGER Prof. Dr. Robert Waldburger is a lawyer and economist. Following practical experience in administration and management in the private sector, Robert Waldburger was promulgated as a full professor for tax law at the in the autumn of 1994 and simultaneously became the director of the institute for financial science and law. In 1998, Robert Waldburger was appointed by the Minister of Finance at that time, Kaspar Villiger, to be the director of the department for international tax law at the Federal tax administration in the position of a vice-director. In this capacity, he was a Swiss delegate to the OECD tax committee, and led the negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union on interest taxation, was a member of the UN team of experts for international cooperation in tax matters and negotiated a large number of Swiss double taxation treaties. Robert Waldburger became a consultant with Baer & Karrer AG on 1 st January 2011 and continues to teach at the as a professor for tax law in a reduced capacity. Robert Waldburger has broad professional experience in all fields of domestic and international tax law in Switzerland and advises both companies and individuals in all areas of tax, and is also involved in many diverse bodies as an expert.