New fund to strengthen the Stockholm School of Economics and Sweden’s competitiveness
The Stockholm School of Economics Foundation is launching a permanent endowment fund to further strengthen the School’s long-term financial base and contribute to Sweden’s and Europe’s competitiveness and capacity for innovation. The fund has received initial donations totaling SEK 300 million to date.
When the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) was founded in 1909, Sweden was undergoing profound change. Knut Agathon Wallenberg and the entrepreneurs and visionaries of the time recognized that industrialization was creating a need for new knowledge, new perspectives, and people with the right skills. More than a century later, society is undergoing an equally profound transformation, making independent higher education and critical thinking more important than ever.
The Stockholm School of Economics Foundation was established to build and manage an endowment over the long term in support of the School, with the ambition of further safeguarding and developing what its founders created. Through the fund, donors can contribute capital that will be invested for the long term, with returns supporting SSE’s continued development.
The overarching aim is to safeguard an independent institution dedicated to critical thinking and research, today and for generations to come. Stronger long-term funding will help SSE remain an important part of the Swedish and European academic landscape, contributing to Sweden’s and Europe’s global competitiveness and capacity for innovation.
The fund is designed to last in perpetuity and will continue to grow through support from donors, alumni, and other individuals and organizations in Sweden and internationally. Its capital will be managed to generate growth and returns for generations to come.
The initiative has been made possible through the fund’s first donations, which currently total SEK 300 million. Björn Nilsson, Lars Förberg, Thomas von Koch, and Magnus Tyreman are among those who have played a leading role in establishing the fund.
“SSE’s mission to strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness is more important than ever,” says Magnus Tyreman, Chair of the Board of the Stockholm School of Economics. “To fulfill that mission, we need to be a world-class institution, and that requires substantial resources. Securing the School’s long-term funding is therefore one of the Board’s key responsibilities. I am very pleased with the support we have received for this important initiative.”
“You don’t have to be an SSE alum to recognize what the School means to Sweden,” says Björn Nilsson, Chair of the SSE Foundation and CEO of Gotlandsbolaget. “I didn’t study there myself, but as a business leader I have seen the difference that SSE’s education and research make. Our ambition is to help lay the foundations for something will last for generations, and we hope many more will want to contribute over time.”
Lars Förberg, Managing Partner at Cevian, continues:
“The Stockholm School of Economics has meant a great deal to me, and I have supported it in the past. Now I want to make a more lasting contribution. This model gives the School a stable long-term financial foundation and the confidence to continue making bold decisions, regardless of economic cycles, changing trends, or political leadership.”
Thomas von Koch, one of the founders of EQT, concludes:
“The Stockholm School of Economics is one of the few institutions in Sweden where the government does not control what is taught. Quality is what matters here. There are no tuition fees, only the best students, the best researchers, and the best ideas. That has been SSE’s strength for more than a century, and it should remain so. But meritocracy and political independence cannot be taken for granted. They must be protected, and that is what we are helping to do through the Foundation.”
About the Stockholm School of Economics Foundation
The Stockholm School of Economics Foundation is an independent foundation dedicated to securing long-term funding for the Stockholm School of Economics and supporting an independent institution of higher education focused on critical thinking and research, today and for generations to come.
For more information, please contact:
Lars Strannegård
President, Stockholm School of Economics
Email: lars.strannegard@hhs.se
Phone: +46 8 736 97 18
Hanna Flodmark
Director of Communications and Marketing, Stockholm School of Economics
Email: hanna.flodmark@hhs.se
Phone: +46 70 689 90 15
Press photos of the founders can be found on our press photo page.
About the Stockholm School of Economics
The Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) is the leading business school in the Nordic and Baltic countries and enjoys a strong reputation in Sweden and internationally. World-class research forms the basis of our programs, consisting of Bachelor’s, Master’s and postgraduate programs, an MBA program and a wide range of executive education programs. Our programs are developed in close collaboration with both the research and the business communities, which gives our students great opportunities for achieving leading positions in businesses and other organizations.
SSE is accredited by EQUIS, which ensures that both teaching and research are of the highest international standards. The School is also the only Swedish member of CEMS and PIM, which are collaborations between leading business schools around the world, contributing to the high quality for which SSE is known.
Press contact
Ylva Mossing
Content and Media Relations Manager
Email: ylva.mossing@hhs.se
Phone: +46-730 97 26 16
For more information about the Stockholm School of Economics, or see all of our press releases, please visit our website.
