Bocconi Takes the Gold

RECTOR GIANMARIO VERONA'S EDITORIAL OPENING THE NEW ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE VIA SARFATTI 25

Who would have thought that the new academic year in 2021-2022, coming after eighteen long months of pandemic, would be a record year for Bocconi?  The outlook was poor after being isolated in our homes, in front of a computer to meet our needs for socializing, studying, shopping and entertainment. And yet 25 new professors have joined us from all over the world, the most since we started recruiting internationally. In addition, we have seen a boom in applications, with an increase of 30% for the Undergraduate and Law Schools.  A boost of more than 13% for international applications to the Graduate School brings the total number of international students enrolled to 21%, and they represent 42% of students in classes delivered in English.

In this Olympic year, we might say we have earned several gold medals. It all testifies to the desire for recovery, the demand for education, and the search for a stimulating and innovative work environment. And to the desire to choose a university that will continue to grow in all its dimensions, thanks to its community. In these excellent numbers, we can recognize the desire for mobility, for a mixture of cultures and knowledge, and for inclusion.

Mobility, as we know, is among the most effective vectors of knowledge transfer. All the more so when it is aimed at implementing innovation, as we found with colleagues Christian Stadler from Warwick and Constance E. Helfat from Dartmouth in a recently published work, "Transferring Knowledge by Transferring Individuals: Innovative Technology Use and Organizational Performance in Multiunit Firms” in Organization Science.

Teaching innovation, which has accelerated in this period of the Covid pandemic, remains one of the prime objectives of our University. In this academic year, which marks a (hopefully permanent) return to physical presence on campus and in the classroom, Bocconi’s faculty continues to experiment with new teaching methods under the direction of BUILT, Bocconi University Innovation in Learning and Technology. This year, 83% of courses will be delivered face-to-face, with the possibility of following online. The remaining 17% will be blended or entirely digital lessons with a strong dose of experimentation and innovation. All this will give rise to the signature methods of a new Bocconi.
 

by Gianmario Verona