The Bocconi of Tomorrow: Science Led, Human Centered and AI Ready

In the future, the boundary between human and machine capabilities will be increasingly fluid. Organizations will make decisions by combining expert judgment and algorithmic analysis; the skills required of graduates will change very rapidly; and the quality of scientific research will become the main distinguishing factor in a changing global context. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and ongoing changes in different university systems around the world — particularly in the United States — raise questions about academic freedom, international cooperation and researcher mobility. Within this context, preserving autonomy, independence and scientific rigor is part of the University's mission.

Against this backdrop, Bocconi has outlined its developmental direction in the Strategic Plan 2026–2030. It is structured around three pillars: strengthening the centrality of science and research as the driving force of academic activities; investing in the human skills that are hardest to replace; and preparing for the transformations brought about by artificial intelligence. "Technological transformations require a realistic rethinking of the way we prepare the new generations," observes Andrea Sironi, President of Bocconi. "For us, this means combining technology, human expertise and the scientific method."

The Strategic Plan is also part of an increasingly competitive international context where Europe remains the natural home for the University. This cultural and institutional identity will be strengthened just as new barriers to global collaboration are emerging. Bocconi will continue to contribute to the construction of the European Higher Education Area, also as a founding member of CIVICA, monitoring the evolution of a European Degree and participating in the debate regarding European policies on research, mobility and innovation.

The University also aims to consolidate its positions in global rankings, strengthen student mobility — about 50% of undergraduate students already spend a period abroad, while there are more than 2,200 exchange students per year — and expand the network of double degrees to include up to 40 partners. The ability to attract talent from around the world — in part through a more interdisciplinary offer and an expanding range of programs — is an integral part of this vision. It is a vision that incorporates demographic trends, interpreting talent as boundless not only in geographical terms but also across generations. "Bocconi is a lifelong learning ecosystem that, together with SDA Bocconi School of Management, educates, upskills and continuously develops the competencies of young people and adults who will play a significant role in driving change," emphasizes Bocconi’s Rector, Francesco Billari.

Science Led: Rigorous Research, Scientific Method and Responsible Dissemination

"Science remains the basis for interpreting change, evaluating evidence and building credible solutions," says the Rector. "Being science led means strengthening our ability to produce reliable, multidisciplinary and impactful knowledge. We uphold the principle that the social sciences must be sciences in every sense of the word.”

The Strategic Plan places the scientific method — rigor, transparency, replicability — at the center of academic activity. Bocconi intends to consolidate its leadership in social sciences based on data analysis and foster growth in new quantitative and behavioral fields. This will be supported by the establishment of the Department of Cognitive Sciences, which will contribute to the development of interdisciplinary research on behavior, decisions and interactions between human beings, society and technology.

Alongside scientific output, the Plan also enhances impact at different levels as an essential part of the university's mission: making research understandable and accessible reinforces its value for society, organizations and public debate.

Actions outlined in the Plan:
• creation of the Department of Cognitive Sciences by 2027
• consolidation of leadership in ERC Grants;
• strengthening of the PhD School: scholarships extended to the 5th year, goal of 70 PhDs/year by the 2029-2030 academic year, new quantitative and cognitive tracks;
• development of new interdisciplinary Research Centers and Labs at the intersections between social sciences, cognitive sciences, data and technology: INSPIRE (Social Policy Impact Evaluation Center), focused on assessing the impact of social policies; Collaborative AI Lab (COAI), focused on human-machine interaction; AI in Social Sciences Lab (AISSL), for the application of AI in the social sciences, with the aim of developing general-purpose AI tools and AI agents;
• strengthening of research services, with a goal of increasing European and international projects by 20% by 2030;
• promotion of scientific outreach and the dissemination of research findings to society and institutions.

Human Centered: Critical Thinking, Inclusion and Entrepreneurship

"The capabilities that allow people to evaluate, debate, imagine and make decisions are increasingly important as AI becomes ever more embedded in our daily and professional lives," notes Rector Billari. "Investing in human capital means preparing citizens and professionals who are not only able to use tools, but also to shape their impact."

The Strategic Plan emphasizes the quality of human thought as a strategic resource, especially in a world where new technologies can amplify both our abilities and our biases. Creativity, judgment, intuition and social awareness are non-delegable elements and become central to reducing the inequalities generated by emerging technologies themselves.

Human centered also means creating the conditions for everyone to grow: access, inclusion, social mobility, wellbeing, belonging, entrepreneurship, international opportunities and civic engagement. This vision includes the strengthening of the third mission, with initiatives such as Project 34, which aims to promote social mobility through the involvement of schools, families and education communities.

The human-centered focus therefore brings together four components:

1. Creative and critical skills, to counteract the risks of cognitive delegation.
2. Inclusion, social mobility and a sense of belonging, to allow everyone to participate fully in university life.
3. Mobility and internationalization, as a core educational experience.
4. Entrepreneurship and innovation, as part of both personal and professional growth.

Actions outlined in the Plan:
• introduction of the compulsory Cognition and Behavior course for 100% of undergraduate students;
• activation of at least 4 new courses on decisions, emotions, organizations and policies;
• achievement of 30% of dialogic teaching by 2030;
• development of laboratories on future skills, with the stable involvement of at least 20 partner companies;
• increase in financial aid measures: total support for 1 in 3 students by 2030, with an investment by the University for student support exceeding €80 million per year, also by 2030;
• strengthening of inclusion policies: physical and digital accessibility, services for disabilities and learning disorders, psychological wellbeing, multiculturalism;
• expansion of third mission initiatives, including Project 34, dedicated to social mobility;
• strengthening of international student mobility and summer school programs;
• integration of  the University's entrepreneurship and innovation tracks with the Tech Europe Foundation.

 

AI Ready: Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Teaching and Research

"AI marks one of the most rapid and pervasive changes in recent history," says the Rector. "Unlike previous revolutions, this one does not automate only repetitive tasks: it intervenes in complex cognitive activities, influencing learning, skills and professional roles. The challenge is not to use more technology, but to use it better. Being AI ready means educating people who can guide its application across different contexts and critically assess the outputs of algorithms."

In the Strategic Plan, AI is not treated as a simple tool to be added to the curriculum, but as a structural condition that calls for new forms of literacy, new ways of teaching and renewed attention to the quality of thought. AI ready means developing basic technical skills — data, models, algorithm logic — but also, and above all, judgment skills: verifying, contextualizing and understanding risks, biases and limits.

The transformation concerns both teaching and research. For students, it entails new fundamentals and a first year redesigned in light of quantitative and digital knowledge. For the scientific community, it requires the ability to integrate AI tools into knowledge production without sacrificing methodological rigor.

Redesigning the first year of undergraduate programs, strengthening quantitative skills and updating teaching methods are the pillars of this focus: a pathway aimed at shaping students not as passive consumers of technology, but as professionals capable of guiding it with awareness.

Actions outlined in the Plan:

• introduction of a common first year for undergraduate programs in the areas of economics and management, with strengthened quantitative and digital foundations and two new required courses in AI and cognitive sciences;
• updating of core courses with AI content, with the aim of aligning all programs by 2029;
• creation of an Advisory Committee on AI and ethics;
• increased investment in High Performance Computing and data infrastructure, with the aim of continuing to expand HPC capacity, targeting year-on-year doubling.

The Campus as a Driver of Transformation

The three strategic focuses of the Strategic Plan — science led, human centered and AI ready — can only express their full potential within an environment capable of supporting them. For this reason, the Strategic Plan 2026–2030 combines academic guidelines with a series of interventions dedicated to spaces, services, sustainability and quality of life within the community.

The Campus 2030 project is part of this perspective. It includes new spaces for studying and socializing, the expansion of teaching areas, greater accessibility, the construction of the new Bocconi 6/8 building, as well as the development of a nursery school for 50–60 children also available to residents of the surrounding area. In addition, the reconstruction of the building at Piazza Sraffa 11 is planned for the period after 2030.

Environmental sustainability is an integral part of the vision, with measures aimed at carbon neutrality, the gradual replacement of gas boilers, more than 70 water dispensers, over 500 bike parking spaces, smoke-free policies and new criteria for building energy management.

"The campus is not just a container, but an enabling factor for the quality of university life and our ability to grow as a community," says Riccardo Taranto, Bocconi’s Managing Director. "The investments planned for the coming years will allow our study and work environment to support the Strategic Plan's ambitions in terms of technology, people and research."

Looking Ahead to Bocconi 2030

The direction indicated by the Strategic Plan 2026–2030 integrates three complementary areas: strengthening scientific output, investing in human skills and preparing for artificial intelligence. Added to these is a broad vision of the university's role as an accessible, international, sustainable and attractive place for talent from all over the world.

As Andrea Sironi summarizes: "Technology, human capabilities and science are the levers through which we will address the years ahead. The Strategic Plan has been built on these areas, as well as our commitment to interpreting change with responsibility and an international outlook.”