Irene Bianchi, current Economics and Social Sciences student: “I always wanted to become a journalist, so after graduating from High School I thought I should find a university which would give me a good understanding of the economic and political dynamics  of real events, and basic knowledge to evaluate them. It was not easy to find a path through the rich choice of courses offered by Italian universities, but finally I decided to take the FUB  Economics and Social Sciences (PPE) degree because it offers a good theoretical knowledge of Economics that is not confined to Business Economics, or Accounting, which don’t really interest me. Besides, courses like Philosophy, Politics, Law and Sociology mean a much broader  perspective in general. Continues

Anna Uhl, former Economics and Social Sciences student, now at Hertie School of Governance in Berlin for a Masters Program on Public Policy: “I chose the Economics and Social Sciences Program at FUB because it offers insights into three of the most important subjects for understanding society: economics, politics and philosophy. The overview I got in the programme confirmed how important the connecting points of these three distinct, but nevertheless connected fields are. How could we possibly understand political decisions without the insights into the economic forces at hand? Or grasp the impact of welfare economics without considering the ethical implications of a welfare state? The programme presents many tools and options from the field of social sciences, while leaving it up to each of us where exactly to put the emphasis. It prepared me well for my current masters degree in Public Policy and the insights I gained supported me in my decision to work in the field of international aid organizations. The trilingualism of the programme is unique and even though this can seem a challenge it often turns out to be an opportunity to broaden ones horizons.”  

Georg Eder, current Economics and Social Sciences student: “The programme as it is set up gives you a whole new scope in finding the field of expertise and ideas that really interest you. I found out about the programme some time ago, in a summer school, where I met two students who sparked my interest in it. The same day, I got informed about the admissions procedure and despite the fact that I had never been to Bolzano before, I applied.  Two months later, I moved here. The reason I chose FUB is quite simple, I did not want to hustle for a seat in an overcrowded lecture as the quality of the university diminishes. Continues

Julius Friedrich, current Economics and Social Sciences student: “My decision to take the bachelor “Economics and Social Sciences” was made last year when I was working in a development aid policy project in Ecuador. While gaining this important practical experience I noticed how indispensable  theoretical background knowledge is for an understanding of the complex correlations in a globalized world. Therefore I decided for Bolzano’s Economics and Social Sciences programme which offers an interdisciplinary approach to economics, politics and philosophy. Continues

Maximilian Kern, former Economics and Social Sciences student, currently completing a Master in Development Finance at the Frankfurt School for Finance and Management:" I first got to know about the FUB through one of my classmates at the German School of Rome, who went to Bolzano right after we finished our high school. The degree appealed to me because it is taught in the three languages in which I am fluent, and because it offered a degree with a very broad perspective. I hold the view that if you would like to understand the workings of the economy it is essential to study all the different layers, including sociological perspectives, philosophical concepts, political issues, and, it goes without saying, the different economic disciplines.  These two reasons convinced me and that is why I did my Bachelor’s degree in Bolzano. Looking back at the years in Bolzano, I think I made the right choice. Although tuition fees are relatively low, the education I received was very good: professors are well prepared, classes are small, the IT-services as well as the library and other services are very good and, most importantly, the professors have time for the students. Exchange-Programmes are also well-organized and offer the possibility to leave Bolzano for 1 or more semesters. I was able to go for 4 months to the US, experience a culture new to me and get to know their educational-system. After finishing my degree in March, I left for Central-America and did an internship at the GTZ-office (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit) in Nicaragua. In September I then  enrolled for a Master’s degree at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, called Development Finance. I chose this degree because I wrote my Bachelor Thesis in cooperation with a microfinance institution and got fascinated by the topic. The degree I received in Bolzano is very helpful for my current studies. Besides giving me the opportunity to start in Frankfurt it prepared me well for the specialization. The foundations I received in mathematics, economics and the social sciences help me not only to understand the world of Finance but also to be conscious about the broader issues. Although I have a disadvantage over most other of my fellow students regarding finance and accounting classes, which we  studied very little in Bolzano, I am more knowledgeable in Economics and have the advantage of a broader perspective."  

Hannes Dollinger, current Economics and Social Sciences student: “I decided to study Economics and Social Sciences at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano while I was still at secondary school. The secondary school I attended in Bolzano was targeted towards Economics with the main focus on Business Administration. Concerning my interests I always preferred Economics and therefore I first wanted to study Economics in Vienna. Thanks to a friend I got to know about the Economics and Social Sciences programme offered at the FUB which integrates Economics with Politics and Philosophy. This was a mix which I found very interesting as it offers a diversified knowledge, Becaus of this and the convincing infrastructures I chose this study programme. I took this decision two years ago and I’m still happy with it. The mix of subjects covers different topics which integrate and complement each other. After the first terms we begin to note how strongly  interconnected these different topics are in an indivisible way in the real world. This confirms my choice for me. I don’t know yet which path I’ll choose after obtaining my Bachelor in Economics and Social Sciences. But I do know that Economics taught in combination with Social sciences offers a broad perspective which might be of great use in the professional world. More than this the programme offers a broad base for further studies.”  

Michael Stemmer, former PPE-Student, currently enrolled in the Double Degree Program in Economics specialized in Globalization and World Economy between Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Fudan University, Shanghai   Compared to all other programmes, the Bachelor in Economics and Social Sciences, briefly PPE, is the most diversified and intellectually challenging programme. It not only gives a sound economic education, but also the combination of concepts studied in politics and philosophy that aggregate to a tremendous added value in terms of academic achievement and personal development.   However, not only is the accumulation of knowledge beneficial, probably even more important are the vast opportunities of extracurricular activities, such as study trips abroad or the participation in student associations and activities, which broaden the horizon, demand leadership skills and shape cultural and social awareness. It is of no surprise that the majority of students engaged in these activities hail from the PPE programme.  Studying now in an international economics master programme, I can truly say that PPE has equipped me with the right academic and soft skill toolbox, the mental flexibility, and not least the perseverance required to pursue further studies or to discover and succeed in hitherto unknown professional tasks.

Matthias Goegele, former Economics and Social Sciences student currently completing a Master in Management program with major in finance at the ESCP Europe in London, Paris and Berlin: “At the time, I was looking for an international economics programme within a good quality environment. I chose FUB because of the interesting multi-language courses offered there and the non-availability of a comparable programme in Austria. In retrospect it  prepared me well to understand capital markets and the economic factors involved. In my particular case, I am missing a bit of Accounting and Corporate Finance, but the programme prepared me well with the basics in academic research and presentation skills.”  

Julia Möllenhoff Studying Economics and Social Sciences Studies at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano meant an enormous change for me! Before I enrolled at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, I already studied at a University in Germany where I was not satisfied at all. Now, I can tell from my experience that studying here definitely makes a difference. I appreciate the lectures and exercise hours in a small group of students and the advantage of the international focus. In the first semester I had lecturers and teaching assistants from Germany, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Ukraine and Poland which allowed many different points of view. For instance, abstract economic models were explained by our Spanish teaching assistant with the help of concrete and up-to-date examples of the precarious economic situation in Spain. When I decided to start the Bachelor in Economics and Social Sciences, I chose it because I considered the composition of Philosophy, Political Science and Economics as future-oriented and challenging. By the time, it is astonishing to see how the different perspectives are linked and how they interact with each other. For instance, the philosophy courses are not some abstract review of ancient material but apply modern methods of thinking which are designed to broaden the students’ minds. I am convinced that Free University of Bozen-Bolzano alumni will stand out of the crowd and have a wide range of Masters opportunities since we  are used to studying in the three university languages English, Italian and German.