Meet our Founder, Dr. Stephen Harrison, PhD

Dr. Stephen Harrison, PhD, is the founder and driving force at the Swiss School of Business Research, one of the top online business colleges in Europe. A passionate businessman with a thirst for learning, he envisioned a unique business college that would truly help their students excel in their Careers. At the height of the 2020 pandemic, Dr. Harrison established SSBR and raised the bar for all higher learning institutions. The success of the school and the students’ eagerness to learn has grown exponentially, equipping them with all the digital and business skills necessary to succeed in this VUCA world.

I was born in Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, son of a soldier. I grew up in Malaysia before returning to the UK to start school. In my academic years, I attended 50 schools. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, a Master’s degree in Business Administration and completed my PhD at age 59.

At the age of 17, I joined the Royal Navy as the younger officer and pilot in the British Armed Forces. I saw active service in the Falklands War, became an airline pilot and worked with the Colombian government on the destruction of the cocaine crops.  I have been to over 80 countries and lived in 9, and started companies in 7 countries and 3 continents.

I saw that most business schools were too focused on just getting money out of their students. They were rigid in their methods, and I was determined to form a school that served the students – NOT the other way around. Universities MUST be based on the students’ needs to achieve their personal goal. A “One size fits all” approach will not work. We have bespoke tailors for a suit but not for the education that will shape the rest of our lives? The world is full of people who have spent 3 or 4 years of their lives to get a degree and then cannot get a job with it, or maybe even because of it.

We are more flexible and understanding of the students’ needs. We allow students to work at their own pace, learn the digital skills required in any professional setting and do not require students to take exams. Instead, they immediately put into practice what they have learned in class through the practical assignments specific to each course. This has allowed SSBR to stand out from other premier online universities in Europe.

Do something that you are passionate about, dedicate yourself to it, learn all you can and never stop learning about your Career.

My “Cool pilot name” was Frodo – from Lord of the Rings, because I was the shortest in the group. I had to use an extra parachute cushion in the plane to see out of the cockpit.