Andrea Sironi, Rector Through 2016

A SECOND TERM WAS APPROVED TODAY BY THE BOARD. SOCIAL MOBILITY, INNOVATION, TEACHING AND INTERNATIONALIZATION WERE THE COMMITMENTS HE PURSUED DURING THE FIRST TWO-YEAR PERIOD

Today the University Board, following the proposal by President Mario Monti and Vice President Luigi Guatri, unanimously confirmed Andrea Sironi as Rector for another two years, from 1 November, 2014 – 31 October, 2016.

"The increased international exposure among students and the international reputation of the University represent one of three strategic lines on which Sironi’s efforts have focused during the two years of his first term. The other two main thrusts involve support for social mobility and innovation in teaching, " commented Prof. Monti. “In addition to strengthening his focus on these three points, the Rector will will devote renewed attention to the development of the international faculty during this second term. He will also oversee the launch of new study programs and other initiatives starting from the 2015-16 academic year. Speaking for the Board and for myself personally,  I am happy for Andrea Sironi, both for the important accomplishments he has already made and for his acceptance of a second term. Our mission has always been to educate young people who are able to contribute to the economic and social development of Milan first of all, then Italy and, in more recent years, increasingly Europe and the world, working on behalf of institutions and businesses.” 

“The role of social mobility, " added Sironi, " is increasingly important in achieving this objective: by following the principles of meritocracy, universities must contribute to social growth among young people, removing all financial obstacles.” During his first term, Sironi launched the “Una Scelta Possibile” project, which supports students choosing to enroll in Bocconi with serious social and economic difficulties. In addition, in 2013 the university at Via Sarfatti invested almost 25 million euros in scholarships and financial aid (+11% over 2012), helping 2,000 students, 14% of enrollees.

“When considering young people, the most important thing is to provide them with a university able to innovate and evolve, which offers teaching that is able to speak the language of the new generations,” continues Sironi. “The rigor of the study content must be supported by teaching that is forward-looking, that actively uses new technologies, that places interaction between faculty and students at the center of learning.” To promote these innovations, BETA, the Bocconi Education and Training Alliance, was founded. The center aims to discuss and plan the future of learning and to support the needs and ideas of Bocconi faculty members. Among its first projects are new reconfigurable classrooms and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).

“Looking towards the future of our students also means preparing them to live in a world that is increasingly global and to teach them to be citizens of the world,” stresses Sironi. The internationalization process has deep roots: the first agreements with two foreign universities, the New York University and ESSEC in Paris, date back 40 years. Today Bocconi has 230 partner schools, a campus in Mumbai, and 25 Double and Triple Degree programs. 14% of the student body are non-Italians and 23% of graduates are working outside Italy one year after getting their degree. Faculty members are recruited from the international job market and the alumni network has chapters in 54 countries. “Over the past two years,” explains Sironi, “we have worked chiefly in two directions. First, we are committed to growing and improving our presence in the international rankings. Today we are 8^th in the world in the FT ranking for Master of Science programs in Finance, which is proof that we are headed in the right direction. Second, we have aimed to create opportunities for continuous learning and networking for our alumni in their countries of residence, which we have done with events such as the two Bocconi Alumni Conferences in Singapore and New York.”

During Sironi’s new term, in addition to increasing his commitment to these strategic policies, he will be engaged in strengthening the international faculty and launching new study programs and initiatives starting in the 2015-2016 academic year.

Andrea Sironi, 50 years old, is Full Professor of Finance at Università Bocconi, where he held the role of Vice Rector for International Affairs until November 2008. Previously, he was Dean of the Graduate School, Director of the Claudio Dematté Research Division at SDA Bocconi and Program Director of the Master in Risk Management.

by Barbara Orlando
Translated by Richard Greenslade