Universities, Luiss and Confindustria Imprese Estere join forces for the International Business course

To strengthen the dialogue between universities and businesses, providing students with theoretical tools and first-hand accounts to understand the strategies of multinational companies and the role of overseas subsidiaries in the country’s industrial development. This is the aim of the collaboration between Luiss Guido Carli and the Confindustria Overseas Businesses Working Group as part of the International Business module, which will begin in the first semester of the Master’s degree programme in Global Management and Politics.

The course, which already has 85 students enrolled, will be taught by Professor Antonio Majocchi, lecturer in International Business and Vice-Rector for Internationalisation at Luiss Guido Carli, and by Anna Ruocco, Senior Adviser for Foreign Investment and Director of the Foreign Enterprises Observatory. The course will focus on the management of multinational enterprises, exploring the key themes of international business in depth: internationalisation strategies, location choices, methods of entering foreign markets, organisational models of multinationals, coordination of global activities, value chains, sustainability, leadership, digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

The distinctive feature of the programme is the direct involvement of chief executive officers and senior executives from major foreign companies operating in Italia, who will bring to the classroom real-world experience of management, investment and growth in the country. Students will thus be able to complement their study of theoretical models with a practical understanding of the challenges that multinational companies face in global markets and in the regions where they operate. Among the companies involved are Accenture, Birra Peroni, Dumarey Automotive Italia, Electrolux, Ericsson, Nestlé, Siemens and Veolia. Barbara Cimmino, Vice-President of Confindustria with responsibility for exports and attracting foreign investment, will also participate as a lecturer.

The course comprises lectures, business case studies, group work, classroom presentations and a project based on real-world challenges, with the aim of fostering students’ judgement, independence, communication skills and the practical application of the knowledge they have acquired. “This course represents a unique opportunity for students,” says Antonio Majocchi, course lecturer and Luiss Vice-Rector for Internationalisation, “because it combines rigorous theoretical training with direct contact with the business world. We are convinced that this approach is a practical tool for preparing them to tackle professional challenges with competence and awareness.” “Bringing the business perspective into the classroom means showing students how global strategies translate into concrete decisions regarding investment, innovation and growth,” emphasises Barbara Cimmino, Confindustria’s Vice-President for Exports and Investment Attraction – “Training and openness to international markets are now essential components of the competitiveness of businesses and the country.”