On Thursday, March 27, His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden visited the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga) within the framework of an official visit and inaugurated a major anniversary for SSE Riga.

The visit of the King of Sweden opened a series of events dedicated to the 20th anniversary of SSE Riga which will be held throughout the entire year.

As SSE Riga Rector Anders Paalzow recalls:

When the School started operations in 1994, the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf opened the renovated art nouveau building, which SSE Riga students have now been calling their home for twenty years. During this period bright talents have received their diplomas here – more than 2000 graduates from the SSE Riga B.Sc. and EMBA programmes can be found all over the world in more or less every sector of the economy, including academia. With the vast majority of them in the Baltics, they have lived up to the wishes of the School’s founders – the Latvian and Swedish governments and the Stockholm School of Economics – by actively contributing to the economic development and the well-being of the three Baltic states.

During his visit to SSE Riga, King Carl XVI Gustaf met with the SSE Riga Rector and students and attended a public seminar with the participation of the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt: "What can the Eastern partnership countries learn from the Latvian transfer period experience?"

SSE Riga can be proud of one of the highest alumni employment indices in Latvia. The data of a recent piece of statistical research show that 97% of bachelor programme graduates are already employed within three months of graduation from the School. The international competitiveness of SSE Riga is also confirmed by the 2013 European Business School Rankings of the prestigious newspaper the Financial Times, where SSE Riga ranks first in the Baltic region.

Huge support for the School’s operation is also provided by SSE Riga alumni, who have donated almost EUR 400 000 to students’ scholarships over the last five years. “The participation and donations of the alumni is a kind of barometer of their satisfaction. The very high involvement of the alumni shows that the SSE Riga education is valued highly,” emphasises the Rector, adding that “during these 20 years the School has become an integral part of the Baltic scientific community. Through its policy-oriented research and it rich agenda in terms of outreach activities it has played an important role in terms of fostering an active debate not only on economic issues but also on issues such as journalism and media, and democracy.”

SSE Riga was established in 1994 with the support of the government of Sweden. At present the School offers a bachelor’s programme in business and economics, an executive MBA programme, and continuing education courses for executives.