ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND — The Swiss School of Milling St Gallen (SMS) awarded diplomas and certificates to 24 students from 19 countries, completing their nine-month training to become an executive grain milling technologist.

The SMS is globally one of the most prestigious international training institutions and offers professionals from across the world training in the field of grain milling technology.

The course included a broad range of theoretical subjects and a strong practice orientation. In his diploma speech, Michael Weber, the principal of the SMS, made the audience aware that all students were working very hard the last month.

“You were able to build a very stable fundament of milling know-how within the last nine months and now at home you will hopefully get the opportunity to use your knowledge,” Weber said. “As Socrates said, ‘I know that I know nothing!’ I hope you will never not stop learning. Ideally you learn every year something new, so you will not forget how it is to feel like a beginner, which will help you teaching other people, and it will be a humbling experience.”

In his speech to confer the Dr. René Bühler award for the best student of the course, Stefan Birrer, head of milling solutions at Bühler AG Switzerland, told the students that their knowledge and their skills will help to feed millions of people.

“The privilege to study at the SMS means on the other hand that there is an obligation to share knowledge with those who do not have the possibility to come to the SMS,” he said.

Nathan Li Zhi from China earned the Dr. René Bühler Award for receiving the highest score among the students.