The St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award invites graduate and postgraduate students to qualify for a participation in the 41st St. Gallen Symposium, taking place under the topic "Just Power" on 12-13 May 2011, Switzerland.

The competitors are asked to contribute your visions and entrepreneurial ideas to the current topic “Just Power” and to the subtopics of the competition. We expect a professional work such as an essay, a scenario, a project report or proposal, a multimedia presentation or an entrepreneurial concept by 1 February 2011. The participant must choose from one of the following subtopics.

1. Justice and Power

The balance of power in economics and politics never simply arises of its own volition, being in all cases a consequence of political, legal and economic conditions and negotiation processes. The question in this respect, both in a factual and normative context, is continually posed as to whether power is distributed justly, productively and on a sustainable basis. Address this question and define what, from the perspective of your specific generation, you consider a legitimate distribution of power in economics, society and politics would mean today.

2. Rethinking Leadership

One of the most serious consequences of the financial and economic crisis has been a dramatic loss of trust in many public and private sector institutions. The legitimacy of companies and their executives as well as of regulatory authorities lost a great deal of credibility in the eyes of the public and many investors. Now the question arises as to who is in a position to change the way in which our institutions are run. The current situation provides us with an opportunity to rethink existing approaches to leadership, and provide new direction in shaping public and private sector institutions. Comment on this situation, and draw up a leadership concept of your own that adequately addresses the challenges posed by the deficiencies that came to light during the crisis.

3. Public Goods and Values

Many states have, in the course of the global economic crisis, been forced to face the fact that they have been living beyond their means for decades. It has been demonstrated that measures can be taken to implement budget cuts and reduce the mountain of debt, but the more rigorous these measures are pressed, the greater consensus in the state is affected. In such a situation, the question quickly arises with regard to the level and extent of public goods which the state must provide to support the achievement of values and goals in a society. Should public goods be reduced drastically in future, or will other financing means, private if necessary, have to be found to ensure their continued existence? Are today's decision makers even capable of achieving a consistent realignment of such policies? Address this problem as a future decision maker.

St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award 2011.

To be eligible for the competition, all of the following criteria have to be fulfilled:

Eligible are:
» Students enrolled at a university
» Graduate and postgraduate students
» Any field of study
» Born in 1981 or after Deadline
» 1 February 2011 (date of post stamp)