Foundation will provide €1.4 million to talented students and researchers in economics and finance

Milan – The UniCredit & Universities Foundation has announced its 2016 plan to provide continuing support for talented students and researchers in the fields of economics and finance, following approval by its Board of Directors.

For 2016, the board has approved an activity plan that includes spending €1.4 million on a number of vital initiatives, beginning in June. These include the following prestigious awards:

• one Marco Fanno Scholarship
• one Crivelli Europe Scholarship
• one US PhD Scholarship
• eight Masterscholarships (LSE, Oxford, BGSE Pompeu Fabra, Toulouse SE, Mannheim, Stockholm SE, Bocconi, Sciences Po)
• two Top-Up Foscolo Europe Fellowships
• three Modigliani Research Grants

“I’m proud of the plan that we approved to help the most talented students and researchers continue their work,” said Paolo Cornetta, the foundation’s chairman. “It represents UniCredit’s strong commitment to all of the communities where it operates.”

The foundation, which is fully funded by UniCredit, will continue its programs from 2015 and build on them. Last year it provided grants and scholarships to 136 young students and researchers from all 17 countries where UniCredit is present. This included 39 total initiatives, of which 16 were dedicated to research, nine to studies, eight to workshops and six to Fanno Alumni meetings.

“In 2016, new collaborations with prestigious centers for research and international associations will enable the foundation to expand its expertise and strengthen the impact of its initiatives still further,” said Franco Bruni, chairman of the UniCredit & Universities Scientific Committee.

The UniCredit & Universities Board of Directors has also approved the foundation’s 2015 balance sheet and confirmed the board’s membership, with Paolo Cornetta remaining as chairman, and Franco Bruni, Giorgio Barba Navaretti, Doris Tomanek, Erik Nielsen, Andrea Maffezzoni and Carlo Vivaldi continuing as directors. Additionally, the board appointed Franco Bruni as vice chairman.

At the same time, the board reappointed the Scientific Committee for another two-year term. Franco Bruni will remain its chairman, with Silvia Giannini, Tullio Jappelli, Levent Kockesen, Christian Laux, Catherine Lubochinsky, Massimo Motta, Giovanna Nicodano, Marco Pagano, Reinhard H. Schmidt and Branko Urosevic serving as members.

Finally, the board appointed Teresa Garcia Milà as a scientific advisor and confirmed the existing roles of Guido Ascari, Matthias Doepke, Barbara Petrongolo, Michele Polo, Paola Profeta and Joseph Zechner as scientific advisors.