History

In the period 1982-85, several young professionals (from industry and academe) were awarded scholarships to pursue advanced training in Germany under the sponsorship of the Hanns Seidel Foundation with the collaboration of the Center for Research and Communication (a private economic think-tank now known as the University of Asia and the Pacific). The duration of the scholarships ranged between 1-2 years depending on the scholar's program.

Most of the scholars returned to the country with the hope of applying the education and training they received in various German universities, companies and institutions. Some went back to the academe, some worked for private companies and public institutions while others started their own businesses or private practice.

In 1988, the alumni got together to form the Association of Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholars of the Philippines (AHSFSPI). This was formalized and incorporated under the guidance of Dr. Michael Czepalla and Mr. Paul G. Schäfer. The AHSFSPI is more familiarly called as The Hannsiklub.