Fashion, Design, Food and Art: SDA Bocconi and Altagamma have signed a new agreement to promote the Symbolic Economy

THROUGH A NEW ORGANIC TRAINING AND RESEARCH PROGRAM, THE AIM IS TO VALORIZE ITALY’S CULTURAL AND AESTHETIC HERITAGE, INCREASE THE INDUSTRY’S COMPETITIVENESS AND ACCELERATE THE GROWTH OF CREATIVE AND CULTURAL BUSINESSES.

Fondazione Altagamma and SDA Bocconi together for Italian culture, creativity, art, taste and style. These are all strategic ingredients of the Italian symbolic economy, a section that represents 4% of the national GDP and, directly and indirectly employs approximately 500,000 people. The new five-year agreement between the two institutions projects the consolidated collaboration between the two institutions towards new and challenging objectives: through a new organic training and research program, the aim is to valorize Italy’s cultural and aesthetic heritage, increase the industry’s competitiveness and accelerate the growth of creative and cultural businesses.
 
The collaboration between Altagamma and SDA Bocconi began in 2001 with the establishment of MAFED, the international Master in Fashion, Experience and Design Management. The program has the objective of creating professional roles from various educational backgrounds able to combine general management knowhow and skills with management of the intangible elements that make up the specificities and added value of Altagamma companies. In 2009, the scope of the collaboration expanded towards new sectors with the Master of Management in Food & Beverage (MFB).
 
The new agreement today aims to create a strategic platform that valorizes and brings together three educational proposals focusing on the symbolic economy: in addition to MAFED and MFB, the agreement also includes MAMA (Master in Arts Management and Administration), highlighting the desire for a holistic approach to Italian Creative Excellence represented by Fashion, Design, Food and Art.
 
Fondazione Altagamma has the task of involving member companies in the support of the three international SDA Bocconi Master programs focused on the symbolic economy by providing scholarships, being available to launch on-the-job projects and identifying recruiting opportunities, including at an international level.
 
The agreement also calls for research and higher education which aim to be a point of reference for producing knowledge in the high-end creative and symbolic industries, as well as for disseminating this knowledge at an international level. Exclusive events on innovative content are also planned to share research results and experiences of Altagamma companies, as well as educational initiatives on specific topics targeted at managers of various levels.
 
The collaboration valorizes the Knowledge Centers on Luxury, Fashion and Food at SDA Bocconi by enhancing its educational offer and it contributes to Altagamma’s mission: promoting and disseminating expressions of Italian culture, art and style around the world.
 
When signing the agreement, Andrea Illy, President of Fondazione Altagamma said, “I am certain that with this new and truly unique educational offer, the collaboration between Fondazione Altagamma and SDA Bocconi will provide an important strategic contribution to the growth of Italian competitiveness in the international markets of creative and cultural industries, which is currently valued at more than €1 trillion.”
 
The Dean of SDA Bocconi, Bruno Busacca, is on the same wavelength. He said, “With this renewed collaboration, high quality projects with a global impact will be brought about, able to promote Italian excellence around the world along with the values that support its development. This is fully in line with SDA Bocconi’s mission.”