The academic community mourns the passing of Francesco (Franco) Volpi, former Professor of Development Economics at the Department of Economics and Management (DISEI). He was a cornerstone of the University and a leading figure for development economists in Italy.
He began his career at the University of Florence in the late 1960s, holding the chair of Public Finance until the mid-1970s, when he transitioned to teaching Economic Development Theory and Policy.
He founded the university’s specialized track in Development Economics and International Cooperation: the undergraduate degree in Sustainable Development, Cooperation and Conflict Management (SECI); the Master of Science in Economics and Development and the PhD in Development Economics and Local Systems (DELoS).