Dialogue between different areas of expertise

Research as a public good: the university is investing in young people

On 16 September, the Research Day organised by Sapienza’s MEMOTEF Department will take place at the National Institute of Roman Studies.

by Donatella Strangio

27 August 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

What is the purpose of university research today? To generate new knowledge, of course. But also to disseminate it, bring it into the public sphere, foster dialogue between different fields of expertise and, above all, create the conditions for a new generation of scholars to take it forward.

The event

It was in this spirit that, sixteen years ago, the Research Day of the MEMOTEF Department – Methods and Models for Economics, the Territory and Finance – of the Faculty of Economics at Sapienza University of Rome was established. An event that has become a tradition – interrupted only during the pandemic – which will take place on 16 September at the prestigious premises of the National Institute of Roman Studies.

The Day stems from the need to foster dialogue amongst the many facets of a highly interdisciplinary department. Economics, statistics, mathematics, demography, economic history, economic geography, languages and business studies offer different tools for interpreting phenomena that can increasingly rarely be understood through a single discipline.

The issues on the table

Demographic changes, territorial transformations, innovation, sustainability, finance, migration and new international balances all require languages and methodologies that can come together. But the 2026 edition aims, above all, to send out a message: the future of research lies with young people.

PhD students, research fellows and postdoctoral researchers will take centre stage alongside more experienced lecturers, presenting their work, findings and new avenues of research. The scientific and organisational leadership itself – which involves the young researcher Nina Deliu working alongside the Department’s management – is intended to send a clear signal in this direction.

The best pieces of work will be awarded prizes, certificates and incentives designed to enhance the academic careers of young scholars. Supporting talent in its early stages is not merely about rewarding an achievement: it means investing in the university’s future capacity to generate knowledge.

The choice of the National Institute of Roman Studies also holds symbolic significance. A place that preserves the city’s memory and history, under the presidency of Gaetano Platania and the directorship of Letizia Lanzetta, is opening its doors to new generations and becoming a space in which to discuss the future. The opening of new spaces dedicated to study and young people, in collaboration with Roma Capitale and at the instigation of Mayor Gualtieri, is also a step in this direction.

Building relationships

Research, however, cannot stop at the university gates. One of the challenges facing universities is to build ever stronger relationships with institutions, local communities and the business sector.

That is why the event will also feature insights from the worlds of business and craftsmanship, including those of Claudio Cutuli and his daughter Francesca, a recent master’s graduate from Sapienza University who is already involved in the family business at the age of 28.dieci, where tradition, creativity and sustainability intertwine in a contemporary interpretation of ‘Made in Italy’.

The Germozzi Foundation, which forms part of the Confartigianato network and is committed to promoting skills, craftsmanship and the younger generation, will also contribute to this dialogue.

It is precisely in the coming together of different worlds that Research Day finds one of its most profound justifications today. Universities, institutions and businesses cannot proceed along parallel paths: knowledge and innovation gain strength when they are able to influence one another and give back to society.

After sixteen years, this is perhaps the very essence of MEMOTEF Day. Research produces articles, books, data and projects, but above all it shapes people, raises questions and builds the future.

On 16 September, in the halls of the National Institute of Roman Studies, it will be young people in particular who take the floor. And this is a message that goes beyond a single event: the greatest legacy a university can leave behind is not merely the knowledge it has produced, but the people to whom it has given the tools to produce new knowledge.

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