The University of Fribourg and Sika announce the signing of a partnership agreement. At the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, a research group on management in emerging markets will be established.

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First row: Jan Jenisch, CEO Sika, and rector Guido Vergauwen signing the agreement; 2nd row, from the left: Dirk Morschett (Prof. in international management), Robert Urban (Head Corporate HR Sika), Rudolf Grünig (Prof. in business management); Picture: Jean-Daniel Sauterel

The objective of the cooperation between Sika and the University of Fribourg is to promote research and teaching on management in emerging markets at the University of Fribourg which acknowledges the increasing relevance of these countries for the strategies of Western companies. The research group shall develop practically relevant insights by scientifically rigorous management research that will also be used to prepare students for the management in emerging countries. The focus will be on topics such as cultural differences, institutional conditions, leading employees in emerging countries and company strategies. It will further strengthen the successful study program on international management that the faculty has launched in the year 2007.

Prof. Dirk Morschett, Chair for International Management of the University of Fribourg, and Prof. Rudolf Grünig, Chair for Management, who have conceptualised the research group together with the company, explain: „Thanks to the financial support of Sika, the university can recruit an expert with a doctorate as head of the Sika-endowed Research Group Emerging Markets and advance an important research area. Due to their very high growth rates, the markets in Asia, Southern America, Eastern Europe and Africa play an increasingly important role in the strategies of Western companies, including those from Switzerland.“ Sika provides its financial support to the foundation of the university that allows a targeted and transparent use of private funds for strategic projects of the university.

Sika – A Swiss company with a special relation to Fribourg

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and the motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 84 countries around the world and manufactures in over 160 factories. Its more than 16,000 employees generate annual sales of CHF 5.14 billion. A strategic objective of Sika is to further increase the company‘s activities in emerging markets which already contribute 38% to group sales.

Dr. Romuald Burkard, a member of the Sika founder family and honorary president of Sika since his death in 2004, had completed his studies at the University of Fribourg with a doctorate. A member and president of the council of the university, he stayed closely committed to the university throughout his entire life.
On his initiative, Sika established in 1968 a production plant for adhesives in Düdingen in the Canton of Fribourg which was continuously expanded since. Today, the plant in Düdingen is the largest factory within the Sika group with an export share of 95%.

For further information, contact:
Prof. Guido Vergauwen, Rector of the University of Fribourg: +41 (0)26 300 70 02
Prof. Dirk Morschett, Chair for International Management, +41 (0) 78 8 25 80 22
Harriet Sihn, Public Relations Manager, Sika AG, +41 (0) 58 436 6856