The Reforms
The first project Sraffa worked on after being appointed Rector was preparing a reform of the study plan. The proposal called for the same first two years, followed by a second two-year period divided into three sections: business, industry and management. However, the initiative was considered too innovative for the time and was rejected both by the University Board and the Academic Council. On 16 September 1918, the Board discussed the need to modify the curriculum that had been used for 15 years. Despite its refusal, the proposal was able to spark a lively debate with the participation of the Bocconi Alumni Community. This led to the appointment of a commission in charge of developing a new teaching project chaired by Ludovico Mortara.
The commission's suggestions led to the revision of the study plans, the activation of a specialization course or application in political economy, proposed by Einaudi, and business economist Gino Zappa being called to teach, who dedicated his life to the study of the business economics. The idea of dividing the second two-year period into different courses was overcome with the establishment of the Institutes. They were assigned the task of integrating each Institute’s courses through a variety of short courses and specialization seminars. Among these, the Institute of Political Economy — directed by Luigi Einaudi — established itself as one of the main centers of economic thought in Milan. The Institute of Political Economy would be followed by an Institute of Technical-Business Research and Accounting, chaired by Gino Zappa.