Bocconi and Politecnico, A new Master of Science to Become Top Managers of Sustainability
A Master of Science degree that has a specific goal: to train figures that have a mix of management competence and technological skills related to sustainable transition - professionals increasingly requested by companies. Real managers of sustainability. This is the Master of Science in Transformative Sustainability, the new joint degree course of Bocconi University and Milan Polytechnic.
The course was launched today in a press conference by the rectors of Bocconi and Polytechnic, Gianmario Verona and Ferruccio Resta, with the Minister of Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani; and the presence of Illycaffé president and Co-Chair of Regenerative Society Foundation of illycaffè, Andrea Illy; Leonardo's Senior Vice President Sustainability, Renata Mele; the Dean of the Bocconi Graduate School, Antonella Carù; and the Head of the Management Engineering Department at Politecnico, Alessandro Perego.
The new Master of Science, which will be directed by Francesco Perrini and Raffaella Cagliano – full professors of economics and business management at Bocconi and of people management and organization at the Politecnico, respectively – stands as an unicum in the European higher education landscape. It is unique in that it aims to train professionals with this double characteristic of 'manager-technologists' and a highly integrated, innovative perspective on sustainability, in line with the needs of a job market that increasingly requires multidisciplinary skills.
"Sustainable transformation is today an essential challenge for businesses," explains Bocconi Rector Gianmario Verona. "Sustainability is not only one of the pillars on which the Europe of the future rests, but today it must become part of the DNA of every business model so that the impact of firms can be ever more positive. It is essential for us to train future managers who have this vision."
"Technology is, without a shadow of a doubt, the enabling factor of the great transformations taking place, and this is the case with sustainability in all its meanings. It has a decisive impact on business processes and directs companies and public organizations towards complex development plans of which the Sustainable Development Goals are the founding elements, adds Polytechnic Rector Ferruccio Resta. "Hence the contribution of the Polytechnic and the need to combine the technical and educational skills of our two universities on key issues for economic and social growth."
This the second MSc program jointly developed these two institutions: after the Master of Science in Cyber ​​Risk Strategy and Governance launched in 2019, the MSc in Transformative Sustainability adds to the close collaboration between the two Milanese universities. Their relationship is further exemplified by the partnership between the B4i - Bocconi for Innovation and the Polihub accelerators for the development of a startup ecosystem.
The new graduate program will see the creation of a joint teaching model, but according to the respective areas of expertise: Bocconi professors will deal with the subjects most linked to the disciplines of social sciences, management, economics, finance and law - all necessary to manage a "just" circular sustainable transition. The faculty from Politecnico will train students on the most advanced technologies , particularly in the areas of energy, environment, chemistry and mobility, as well as conferring an engineering approach aimed at designing, innovating and managing sustainable systems. The new course will include classes in data analytics and innovation processes, ethics, diversity and inclusion.
The program will start in the 2022-2023 academic year with an initial cohort foreseen at 50 students.