Professor Patrizio Bianchi

Patrizio Bianchi was born in Copparo (Ferrara) in 1952. He is married (Laura Tabarini), with two sons (Lorenzo, 1988; Antonio, 1992).

After receiving a degree in Political Science at the University of Bologna, with Romano Prodi, and at the London School of Economics and Political Science, with Basil S.Yamey, Patrizio Bianchi made a rapid academic career in various Universities, he then returned to Bologna in 1990 as Full Professor of Industrial Economics and Public Policy.

Full Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Bologna (1989), and since 1997 at the University of Ferrara, Italy, where he was called to found the Faculty of Economics.

Rector of the University of Ferrara (2004-2010), member of the board of the Conference of the Italian University Rectors – CRUI (2004-2007) and President of the Foundation of the Conference of Italian University Rectors (2006-2010)

Commander of Merit of the Italian Republic (Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) for his scientific and educational activities (2010).

Regional Minister for European Affairs, Research, Education and Labour, Region Emilia Romagna, Italy (since 2015).

“Minister of Culture Award for Political and Social Sciences” for his scientific activities, by Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (2015). The motivation for the award states:

”Patrizio Bianchi offered a fundamental contribution to the political economy of production systems through the development of new and original analysis tools and innovative solutions to economic policy with respect to the issues of innovations and clusters”.

He served as minister of education in the Draghi Cabinet from 2021 to 2022. After his term in government concluded, he returned to academic activity, being appointed professor emeritus at the University of Ferrara. He is current chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Education, Growth and Equality.