Rome, November 27, 2023. Luiss Guido Carli University and Vodafone announce the launch of a new chair—the Vodafone Chair in Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation—within the master’s degree program in Data Science and Management. The new chair aims to support the development of new skills and professional profiles to meet the needs arising from digital transformation, cybersecurity, and the advent of artificial intelligence.

The Vodafone Chair was unveiled on Monday, November 27, at Villa Blanc in Rome, home to the University’s Business School. The event featured a roundtable discussion with speakers including Luigi Gubitosi, President of the University; Pietro Guindani, President of Vodafone Italia; Renato Loiero, Advisor to the Prime Minister; Ettore Rosato, Deputy Secretary of COPASIR (the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic); Alessandro Colucci, President of the Parliamentary Intergroup for Information and Technological Security; and Nunzia Ciardi, Deputy Director General of the National Cybersecurity Agency.

The event kicked off with a keynote address by the Chair holder, Paolo Spagnoletti, Professor of Business Organization and Director of the degree program in “Economics and Management.” He also leads master’s programs and executive courses on digital innovation, where he stands as one of the foremost experts in Italy and Europe.

The first course of the Vodafone Chair in Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation starts in February 2024 and features contributions from individuals working in Vodafone's cybersecurity, data protection, compliance and risk management, and business solutions departments . The chair also aims to transfer experience and co-create new skills to bridge the gap between labor supply and demand. According to the latest data from the Asstel 2023 Report, this is a challenge for more than three out of four companies (76%) in the telecommunications sector alone.

The ability to interpret and respond to cyber threats while managing digital transformation processes through the proper use of data is essential for guiding public and private institutions and for competing in new business scenarios. Through the Vodafone Chair in Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation, students will learn to analyze the social, strategic, tactical, operational, and organizational implications of cyber threats and to integrate appropriate security measures into digital innovation processes.

“Our collaboration with Vodafone, which has long been at the forefront of digital transformation, further demonstrates our university’s commitment to working with national and international companies and institutions. We share the goal of creating new skills needed to tackle current and future challenges,” said Luiss Rector Andrea Prencipe. He continued: “Launching this new Chair means continuing our concrete investment in areas like cybersecurity and the security of critical infrastructure, which are crucial for digitalization and for meeting the competitiveness challenge that drives our country’s economic development.”

“Telecommunications networks have evolved into a digital platform capable of delivering strategic application services to businesses of all sizes, to citizens, and to public administrations—particularly the education and healthcare systems—as well as to the country's overall economic system. This new mission entails an ever-greater responsibility to society to ensure cybersecurity and enable development opportunities in complete safety, starting with the protection of personal data and all sensitive information for the management of private and public organizations,”said Pietro Guindani, President of Vodafone Italia. “The Vodafone Chair in Cybersecurity and Digital Transformation, established in partnership with Luiss University, reflects our commitment to supporting the country’s digital transformation—not only through investments in infrastructure and advanced technology, but also by training and developing new skills. This is how we aim to help shape the professions of the future, fostering a culture of prevention and ongoing professional development.”