Internationalization

During those years, the establishment of various institutes were not the only changes occurring within Bocconi. In fact, it was during that period that the University began to consider international efforts.

The start of the internationalization process became evident when Arturo Serena, a wealthy English magnate of Italian origin — having already funded Italian language chairs at Oxford, Cambridge, and Birmingham — allocated one million lire to the establishment of special chairs in Italy dedicated to the study of Anglo-Saxon culture. Enrico Consolo, director of the Banca Commerciale Italiana in London, informed Rector Angelo Sraffa of such a possibility. After negotiations with the president of Fondazione Serena, the British Council of Florence and Bocconi University were selected as operational partners.

Starting from 1921, numerous events, conferences, lecture series and seminars were organized to discuss the peculiar aspects of the Anglo-Saxon economy, civilization and culture.

Thanks to the support of Fondazione Serena, Bocconi launched international collaborations that allowed students to improve their technical expertise, as well as language skills, in English universities and institutions — both public and private — until World War II.