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 Programme on Public Policy: “I chose the Economics and Social Sciences Programme 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 program 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 opportunity 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 then I 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, Because 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 for me my choice. 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 combined to Social sciences offers a broad horizon which might be of great use in the professional world. More than this the programme offers a broad base for further studies.”  

Michael Stemmer, current Economics and Social Sciences Student: “My interest in economics was already been raised by an intensive course in Economics & Law I took to prepare for High School graduation and then I decided to opt for an economics-oriented academic programme instead of straight Business Administration. Combined with political studies and philosophy, So I chose the Economics and Social Sciences -programme combined with political studies and philosophy at FUB. Besides the attractive subject combination, the emphasis on languages, in particular English convinced me. Continues

Matthias Goegele, former Economics and Social Sciences student currently completing a Master in Management programme 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.”  

Mario Györi, currrent Economics and Social Sciences student: After finishing High School in Germany, I was not at all sure what to study. However, I knew that I wanted to pursue a degree that is really interesting – and not just training for money-making. The Economics and Social Sciences programme at the University of Bolzano thus was really attractive to me. After completing two years of the Economics and Social Sciences programme, I can confirm that it really is an enriching programme. Taking courses not only in Economics but also in Philosophy and Politics has given me a better understanding of how society works. It is really interesting to consider certain problems from the viewpoint of three different academic disciplines. Continues