Fashion, design, food and art: a new agreement between SDA Bocconi and Altagamma to promote Italian Excellence

AN ORGANIC TRAINING AND RESEARCH PROGRAM TO PROMOTE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE AND BEAUTY OF ITALY, TO INCREASE COMPETITIVENESS WITHIN THIS SECTOR AND TO ACCELERATE THE GROWTH OF CULTURAL AND CREATIVE BUSINESSES. 

Fondazione Altagamma and SDA Bocconi have joined forces in the name of Italian culture, creativity, art, taste and style. All of these ingredients are symbolic of the Italian economy and, as a sector, they account for 4% of the national GDP and employ, directly and indirectly, about 500,000 people. The new five-year agreement between the two institutions points their established collaboration towards new and challenging goals. The comprehensive program of training and research is in fact aimed at enhancing the cultural and aesthetic heritage of Italy, to increase the competitiveness of the sector and to accelerate the growth of cultural and creative enterprises. 
 
The collaboration between SDA Bocconi and Altagamma started in 2001 with the establishing of MAFED, an International Master in Fashion, Experience and Design Management. The program, which welcomes students from a diverse academic background, aims to create leading professionals who are able to combine technical expertise and general management skills with those required to manage the intangible elements that make up the special nature and the added values of the enterprises represented by Altagamma. Building on that success, the scope of cooperation expanded into new areas with the Master of Management in Food & Beverage (MFB) in 2009.
 
Today, the new agreement aims to create a strategic platform that values and synergises the three symbolic educational offers focused on the economy: in addition to MAFED and MFB, the agreement also concerns MAMA (Master in Arts Management and Administration), to underline the commitment to a holistic approach towards creative Italian excellence as represented by Design, Food and Art.

For Altagamma Foundation the task of involving associated enterprises in support of the three International Masters of SDA Bocconi focused on the symbolic economy is delivered through the provision of scholarships, and a readiness to activate field projects and identify recruitment opportunities. This extends further as well to the international level. 
 
The agreement includes research projects and high-level training, set to become a reference point for the creation of knowledge in the Italian high-end, creative and symbolic sectors and for the dissemination of that knowledge internationally. There will also be exclusive events on innovative content, which will allow participants to share research findings and their experiences of Altagamma companies, as well as training on specific topics for managers at different levels.
 
The collaboration enhances SDA Bocconi’s Knowledge Centers on Luxury, Fashion and Food, strengthening the provision of training and contributing to the mission of Altagamma: promoting and spreading Italian culture, art and style worldwide.
 
Upon signing the agreement, Andrea Illy, Chairman of Fondazione Altagamma, said “I believe that this new training offer, the collaboration between Fondazione Altagamma and SDA Bocconi, unique of its kind, will make a significant contribution to the growth of Italy’s competitiveness in a global market, that of the cultural and creative businesses, which is already worth more than one trillion Euros.”
 
On the same wavelength was the Dean of SDA Bocconi, Bruno Busacca, according to whom “This renewed cooperation is fully consistent with the mission of SDA Bocconi, it will produce projects of great quality and global impact, promoting Italian excellence around the world and the values that support development.”