Luiss Business School becomes an S.p.A.

The Luiss Business School will become an S.p.A. with an even stronger focus on the international market, managerial excellence, interdisciplinary skills, and a global vision and approach. Previously integrated within the Luiss Free International University of Social Studies, the management school is changing its legal form to become a joint-stock company, with the Guido Carli University retaining 100% management and control.

The new S.p.A. will increasingly look beyond national borders and toward the emerging needs of the markets, with greater involvement from the university’s faculty. In line with the NewCo’s strategic development, the management training programs will be complemented by activities that meet the needs of the business world and institutional bodies. These include open consulting, impact research, fully digital programs, and custom initiatives for the market, all aimed at creating value for the Business School and the University.

This operation has several key objectives: aligning governance with international best practices; building a global brand identity, including through improved rankings; playing a key role in training the talent needed for the country’s development; developing new initiatives in line with emerging market needs; and strengthening the ability to respond to the rapidly changing competitive landscape in higher education worldwide.

Luigi Abete will manage the new legal entity, and Professor Raffaele Oriani, formerly Associate Dean for Faculty and Director of the Custom & Consulting Business Unit, will be appointed Scientific Director. We extend our gratitude to Professor Paolo Boccardelli for his work and the significant results he has achieved over the years as the School's Director.

“With its transformation into an S.p.A., the Luiss Business School is embarking on a profound strategic shift that will further strengthen its ability to compete with leading international institutions in management education,” states Luigi Abete. “With this move, Luiss Business School S.p.A. aims to consolidate and enhance the significant results it has achieved so far by integrating interdisciplinary academic knowledge with the expertise of professionals and business managers.” “I thank Paolo Boccardelli for his great commitment and the extraordinary work he has done over the years,” concludes Abete, “and I wish Raffaele Oriani success in achieving the important goals of our growth strategy.”

“The ongoing changes in the global labor market and the development needs of our country call for new management models for higher education institutions, and the decisions we’ve made for the Business School are precisely in line with this direction,” states the President of Luiss, Vincenzo Boccia. “Thanks to the academic excellence of the Luiss Faculty, its ability to innovate educational models, and its close ties with corporate partners, our university continues to grow and expand internationally.”

Luiss Business School S.p.A. will focus on developing educational programs with a strong executive focus, offering a competitive program compared to other international business schools . Its market positioning will be clear and distinctive, following a self-standing business school model, linked to a university that is internationally recognized by leading global rankings. Operating for over thirty years as the University’s division dedicated to postgraduate education, Luiss Business School S.p.A. now aims to further enhance its hubs in Milan, Belluno, and Amsterdam. 

In 2020, it acquired the Amsterdam Fashion Academy (AFA) in the Dutch capital, a higher education institution focused on the fashion and luxury sectors with 200 students, 73% of whom come from 20 countries around the world.

With the aim of creating a center for advanced education, consulting, and applied research in Northern Italy as well, it opened a new location in Veneto in January 2020. This was made possible through a partnership with Confindustria Belluno Dolomiti, and the goal is to offer courses and master’s programs in business and management to companies and young people in the north of the country, where it has already been present since 2018 through the Milano Luiss Hub.

In 2015, Luiss Business School joined the top 1% of management education schools worldwide, earning EQUIS accreditation. This accreditation ensures rigorous quality control against international standards in terms of governance, programs, students, faculty, research, ethics, responsibility, and sustainability. Since 2017, the Luiss Business School has been based in Villa Blanc, one of Rome's most prestigious historic villas.