Statement of Professor Dr Nils Stieglitz

Dear Frankfurt School Community,

Starting tomorrow, much of our social life will be suspended in Frankfurt, Hessen and Germany. Of course, we are worried; not only about our health and the health of our families and friends, but also about the social and economic impact of the Coronavirus. The demands placed on everyone to prepare our school have been significant.

Yet, in preparation, we have shown resilience, solidarity and strength. We don’t know what the future will bring, but I am confident we have the character and ability to shape it.

Today, I want to share the values that guide us and determine the actions we take.

We trust in our medical agencies and prepare accordingly.

This means staying informed in real-time, being prepared for all potential scenarios and being decisive when the moment calls for it. We are following and implementing the protective measures as set out by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the German Robert Koch Institute. We are also consulting with the Frankfurt Health Authority and the Hessian Ministry of Science and adapting campus management accordingly.

The health and wellbeing of the community is imperative.

We have already moved classes online and cancelled all executive seminars, conferences, and external events to reduce the number of people on campus. Most employees went into home office on Monday.

In light of the guidelines communicated by the federal government yesterday evening and the Robert Koch Institute’s increased risk assessment today, we have now decided to take further precautionary measures.

From the morning of Thursday, March 19, until Monday, April 6, campus will be closed to students. Student Services will continue to share detailed information on exams and specific services provided.

We trust in our resilience to minimize disruption during these extraordinary circumstances.

There is no precedence for this situation but we have a strong, resilient team. Our responses in the past weeks have shown that we have what it takes to ensure our students get the best education available despite the challenges ahead.

We will weather the storm.

While the current situation is daunting, do not doubt that Frankfurt School will weather the storm and come out better and stronger. I am proud of our team, our students and the larger FS community for their effort and dedication. More broadly, even while the crisis creates massive human suffering and strikes at the heart of our open society, I am convinced that the global community will become stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous.

We are all in this together and we try to learn and adapt as decisively as we can. Please stay safe, act responsibly, and look out for each other.

Sincerely,

Prof Nils Stieglitz

President
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH

You can download the statement as a PDF here.