History
FEI is one of Sweden’s oldest educational institutes, established in 1888, and we take pride in our rich and fascinating history. Our story begins on a cold December day when office clerk Edwin Björkman made his way to the Stock Exchange Building (Börshuset) in Stockholm.
It was the week before Christmas Eve when Edwin left his home at Västerlånggatan 36 and walked toward Stortorget. The cold was biting, and the snow crunched underfoot. Dim light shone from kerosene lamps in the windows. Edwin kept close to the building walls. Horses and carriages pushed aside pedestrians. But his mind was on something else – the meeting at the Stock Exchange Building with fellow clerks, known as "Herrar Kontorister." He was to explain the purpose of the meeting: to gauge interest in forming a Clerks' Association aimed at offering “instructional courses in subjects essential to the clerical profession.”
Would it be possible to gather enough interest so close to Christmas? He needn’t have worried. The Stock Exchange Hall filled up. More than 250 people attended. Edwin Björkman was elected to the committee tasked with drafting the association’s statutes. On March 17, 1888, the Swedish Clerks' Association was officially founded.
The association quickly gained a prominent role in society. This was solidified when His Royal Highness Crown Prince Gustaf agreed to become the association’s honorary president. When he became king, he continued in his role as the association’s “high patron.” This tradition was later upheld by Gustaf VI Adolf and continues today with King Carl XVI Gustaf.
Education has always been a cornerstone of the association’s mission. In 1889, the first course in German was launched, followed by courses in English and Russian. The shift toward business education began in 1944.
During the final decades of the last century, the educational activities expanded significantly. As part of this development, the association changed its name to Föreningen Företagsekonomiska Institutet (The Business Economics Institute Association), a name that better reflected the content of the courses and the professional roles of our clients.
Today, we are best known simply as FEI – one of the strongest brands in the education sector.