To contrast the hard-line student upheavals and protests of 1968, five students of the University of St. Gallen, from Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, set up the International Students’ Committee (ISC) and decided to create a Management Symposium at their alma mater in order to offer a neutral platform for constructive intergenerational dialogue.

The first St. Gallen Symposium, then called International Management Symposium, takes place in May 1970, with 100 representatives from the world of business, politics as well as research and an equal number of students joining the dialogue. The participants’ interest and their positive response prompt the founders to decide to organise an annual Symposium held in May.

The 3rd St. Gallen Symposium is highlighted by Dr. Aurelio Peccei’s presentation of the Club of Rome-report “Limits to Growth”, emphasising the world’s scarce natural resources.

The economic crash, together with problems in securing continuity of the student team, forces the 5th St. Gallen Symposium to be postponed. The crisis is utilised as an opportunity to provide the ISC initiative with a new institutional framework. It is placed under the aegis of the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies, purposed to advise and professionally supervise the organising students, while the Circle of Benefactors creates permanent contact with the world of business and ensures material continuity.

St. Gallen. It promotes “outstanding achievements aimed at maintaining and developing the liberal economic and social order”. The Max Schmidheiny Freedom Prize was awarded annually from 1979 to 2003 at the St. Gallen Symposium.

On the occasion of his 70th birthday, Dr. h. c. Max Schmidheiny establishes the Max Schmidheiny Foundation at the University of St. Gallen.

The anniversary symposium took place from 6–7 May 2010.