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In September, the Finnish Business College Foundation celebrated its 70th anniversary, and, in honour of this, donated 70,000 euros to each educational institution it had established. The Foundation and its predecessor Korkeamman Kauppaopetuksen Kannatusosakeyhtiö, which was established in 1898, have been active in founding the Helsinki School of Economics (1911), the Helsinki university of applied sciences for business Helia (1992) and the Helsinki Business College (2009).

In 1898, the year Korkeamman Kauppaopetuksen Kannatusosakeyhtiö was established, its  cultural and economic life representatives who were proponents of an independent Finland, decided to establish a new educational institute to provide higher business education in Finnish. The institute was successful, and in 1911, the Aalto University School of Business’ predecessor the Helsinki School of Economics was formed from its graduate classes. The Helsinki School of Economics was housed in the same facilities as the institute in a Jugend period building on Fabianinkatu, built in 1907, until it moved to Runeberginkatu in Töölö in 1950.

70th anniversary festivities held at Pörssitalo

On Friday 27 September 2019, the Finnish Business College Foundation celebrated its 70th anniversary with a gala dinner at Pörssitalo on Fabianinkatu. Jarmo Oksaharju, chair of the Foundation's Board, welcomed the guests, after which Olli Rehn, Governor of the Bank of Finland gave a speech. Following this, representatives of the educational institutions, which had been granted donations, had the pleasure and the privilege to accept the donations. Dean Ingmar Björkman represented the School of Business at the event.

‘My warmest congratulations to the foundation on its 70th anniversary. I want to express my gratitude for this donation, which we will use for the development of teaching and learning,’ Ingmar Björkman said.

The event was hosted by Baba Lybeck, with pianist Janne Oksanen and a cappella group Club For Five providing the evening’s music.