The project

In January 2023, the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) announced the departments selected for the five-year "Departments of Excellence" program (2023-2027). The program provides competitive funding to strengthen and enhance research through investments in human capital, infrastructure, and high-quality graduate education.
 
DISES is one of 18 Italian departments funded in the fields of Economics, Business, and Statistics. It had already been awarded the grant in the previous round and is among the few departments in Italy recognized for excellence in both editions of the program. Selection was based on the results of the 2015-2019 Research Evaluation Exercise (VQR) and on the quality of a research project assessed by a national commission appointed by MUR.
 
Over the 2023-2027 period, DISES will receive total funding of €6,750,000. These resources will support the recruitment of new faculty and postdoctoral researchers, investments in advanced doctoral and master's level training, and the establishment of an international Visiting Professors program.
 
The project aims to further strengthen research in three areas in which DISES has already achieved significant international recognition: financial economics, applied microeconomics, and economic theory.
 

The actions

• Recruitment

The recruitment of young researchers on the international job market is a central priority and is carried out in collaboration with CSEF (Center for Studies in Economics and Finance). The project will expand tenure-track positions and opportunities for promotion to associate professors, thereby improving career prospects for early-career scholars.

• Data Center (FiiND Hub — https://www.dises.unina.it/data-center)

To support research activities, DISES will establish a Data Center providing researchers and PhD students with specialized data management support. The initiative includes the acquisition of new economic and financial datasets and the development of partnerships with institutions and data providers, including INPS and Intesa Sanpaolo.

• PhD in Economics

The project aims to attract high-quality doctoral candidates by increasing financial and teaching resources and aligning the program with the Department's three core research areas. In particular, the Junior Fellows initiative is designed for graduate students who wish to pursue a PhD in Economics or Finance and an academic career.

• Research Quality

Faculty will be encouraged and incentivized to publish in leading international journals, present their work at major conferences, and compete for external research funding.

• Visiting Professors

An international visiting program, open to both external scholars and DISES faculty, will foster research collaboration and enhance the Department's global visibility and reputation.

 


The governance

  • Scientific Director

The Scientific Director, Maria Gabriella Graziano, oversees the project, appoints and coordinates project managers, and reports on progress to the Steering Committee.

 

  • Project Managers

Project managers are responsible for coordinating key components, including the Data Center, the PhD in Economics, master's programs, the academic job market, the postdoctoral program, and the Visiting Professors program.

 

  • Steering Committee

The Steering Committee monitors project implementation, recruitment quality, and the PhD program. It includes the Scientific Director Maria Gabriella Graziano; three faculty members, Antonio Acconcia, Tullio Jappelli, and Marco Pagano, and three international scholars: Antonio Guarino (University College London), Luigi Pistaferri (Stanford University), and Frank Riedel (Bielefeld University).