The European Retail Academy met for its Annual Meeting 2011 at the EHI Retail Institute, GS1 Germany and the world leading exhibition for retail technology EuroShop. Main special issue for ERA was life long learning and the proliferation to vocational training/blended learning by modern technologies ( EuCVoT).

On the occasion of this year first working meeting of ERA, Prof. Dr. Bernd Hallier received the Diploma of Honorary Member of the Romanian Scientific Management Society (SSMAR). This prestigious title has been awarded by the Senate of Romanian Scientific Management Society on 24th January 2011 to Professor Bernd Hallier „for his acknowledged sustained contributions to retail-research and promotion of the benchmarking in retail education, for his lifetime commitment to transparency of the market and trends discovery in the mutual benefit of the producer, distributor and consumer, being actively involved in developing cooperation between the Germany and Eastern markets, and for his outstanding contribution to the promotion of the international transfer of know-how between business and universities.” The „Laudatio” has been made by the President of the Scientific Council of SSMAR, Professor Gheorghe Zaman, Associate Member of the Romanian Academy, and Chairman of the Group of Experts of the Romanian Distribution Committee.