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Highlights from the 19th Cycle Winter School in Bardonecchia

The ASP Winter School concluded few days ago, marking an enriching experience for the students of the 19th Cycle. The School was hosted and sponsored by the Municipality of Bardonecchia (TO), and specifically held at Villaggio Olimpico and Palazzo delle Feste.

Throughout the week-long event, participants delved into a diverse array of topics, under the theme “The Intangible Matter of Places: Impact and Innovation Commons”.

During the School, coordinated by Mario Calderini, students were asked to design commons, shared intangible infrastructures that are set to deliver social and environmental impacts through innovation. Impact and innovation commons are public-private partnership schemes, impact finance and investing instruments, in­novation governance schemes, impact-oriented models of entrepreneurship and, ultimately, their institutional arrangements.

During the initial two days, sessions featured speeches and discussions on various topics, including:

  • Tech-intensive Innovation Districts by Stefano Minini, with a case study on MIND Milano –an ambitious project conceived to transform the former Expo 2015 area of Milan into a high impact innovation district– and the role of Lendlease. The case of MIND Milano served as empirical background to inspire ASP students to design their commons
  • Urban regeneration and the challenge of community engagement, by Kelly Russell Catella, Head of Sustainability & Communication & Chairman of Sustainable Innovation Committee, COIMA SGR
  • Impact and innovation commons, by Mario Calderini
  • Integrating physical and intangible masterplans, by Matteo Robiglio
  • Impact investing, by Stefanie Kneer
  • Complex decision-making processes, by Marta Bottero

Furthermore, students were introduced to opportunities for pursuing a PhD at Politecnico.

In the latter part of the week, the focus shifted towards group work and negotiation activities. It was an opportunity for ASP students to apply their newfound knowledge and skills in practical scenarios, reflecting the spirit of Alta Scuola Politecnica.

Amidst the parallel group projects, a multi-stakeholder panel on Exploring perspectives on MIND Milano, and other lectures provided invaluable insights into real-world applications and industry trends, enriching the participants’ understanding of the subject matter:

  • Innovation districts, by Giulia Rossi
  • Perspectives on Purpose and Sustainability, by Federico Frattini
  • Impact Measurement and Management, Irene Bengo, Mario Motta, Jacopo Famiglietti & Enrico Bellazzecca
  • Impact public-private partnerships, by Veronica Vecchi
  • The transition towards industry 5.0, the case of EssilorLuxottica by Luca Torelli