It has been 25 years since the establishment of IEDC-Bled School of Management (the then Center Brdo), the first management development institution in Central and Eastern Europe that gained international reputation and recognition and is one of the most innovative business schools in the world.

To mark the special anniversary, IEDC has been organizing various events in countries from which their participants come.

The climax of the celebration will take place in October at Brdo pri Kranju where the conference titled »Creating the Future« will be held, while also several jubilee publications will be issued.

Prof. Danica Purg, the Dean and President of IEDC-Bled School of Management emphasizes that »IEDC has been acting as a role model in the area of business education in Central and Eastern Europe with its efforts to develop competent and ethical leaders«, adding that »IEDC has been an influential agent of change and one of the world's leading innovators in the area of business education«. For its significant leadership in integrating social, environmental and ethical issues in the curricula, IEDC was, as the only school from Central and Eastern Europe, ranked as one of the top 100 most innovative business schools in the world by the Aspen Institute, USA.

Since 1986 more than 53,000 participants from 70 countries have participated at various IEDC's educational programs for experienced executives and talented young managers.

Since many of them were the business and political leaders from Central and Eastern Europe, the school indirectly contributed to the economic and political transformation in the region.

More than 3,500 managers and leaders visit the School annually out of which 80% come from abroad thus making IEDC an important international business meeting place.

The school is successfully cooperating with more than 250 companies from various parts of the world, while is has also been the headquarters of the Coca-Cola Chair in Sustainable Development since last year.

The peak of the silver jubilee celebration presents the great international event »Creating the Future« on 14 October 2011 at Brdo pri Kranju with speakers such as: Prof. Ichak Adizes, USA, one of the leading management experts in the world, Prof. Nancy Adler, Canada, a foremost authority on cross-cultural management and women’s global leadership, Prof. Manfred Kets de Vries, France, a world-class authority on global leadership and a clinical professor of leadership development, Prof. Edgar Schein, USA, considered one of the original 'founders' of organisational psychology, Prof. Hermann Simon, Germany, one of the most prominent management thinkers in Europe, quite often compared to the late Peter Drucker in the German speaking areas, and Dr. Horst Weitzmann, Germany, long-serving President of the Badische Stahlwerke corporation.

More than 500 professors, current and past participants, business leaders, politicians and media representatives from all over the world will attend the conference. After the conclusions of the celebration at Brdo pri Kranju, the global IEDC alumni meeting in Bled will take place.

In October two publications will mark the school's anniversary; a book on IEDC as an agent of change in Slovenia, Central and Eastern Europe and in the field of management education by Dr. Phil Mirvis, renowned expert of organizational psychology, and a case study on the IEDC Leadership by Prof. Derek Abell, international expert on strategic marketing, management and leadership.