Scientific Program 

Final Program

Day 1

Industrial Event: Company Visit – Geico S.p.A

📍 Address: Via Pellizza da Volpedo, 109/111, 20092 Cinisello Balsamo (MI)

🚌 Transportation: Bus transportation from Milan to the company is included in the participation fee.

📍 Meeting point: Participants are requested to meet at 12:40 pm at Milano Centrale Station, at the following meeting point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/166oriVdHv7CtKEA7

Please make sure to arrive on time, as the bus will depart at 1:00 pm.

🍽️ Welcome lunch: Please do not bring your own food, as a welcome lunch will be provided by the company.

Both the bus transportation and the welcome lunch are already included in the participation fee, so no additional payment will be required.

🍕 Social Dinner – Frigerio Wine Bar & Restaurant

📍 Address: Piazza XX Settembre, 54 – 23900 Lecco (LC)

⏰ Time: 8:30 pm (20:30)

🍽️ Dinner: Join us for a relaxed social dinner at Frigerio Wine Bar & Restaurant, in the heart of Lecco, with pizza and Italian cuisine.

ℹ️ Details: The restaurant is located in Lecco’s historic centre and will be the meeting point for our evening together.

Day 2

Keynote session:

“European Trends in Higher Education in Industrial Engineering and Management’  

 Speaker  Prof. Giovanni Mummolo

Digital transformation of production systems asks for new competence and re-qualification of workforce mainly in high cognitive tasks. On the average, innovation rate of physical assets is not properly supported by a corresponding rate of innovation in higher education offered in academic or vocational programs: a knowledge gap is observed, mainly in the field of industrial engineering and management (IE&M). The increasing adoption of AI technologies in work environment is expected to widen the gap while it is considered a strategic factor for the competitiveness of European companies facing with the digital and green transitions. A competition for human capital is observed worldwide, and a profound innovation of higher education institutions and programs is required in Europe as stated by the Knowledge Strategy set forth by the European Commission. The ‘University-Industry’ knowledge alliance, coupling Innovation Methods and Expertise Connection, is to be pursued to address society challenges by qualified human capital: innovating higher education in Europe reveals a strategic key driver. The talk intends to shortly address rationale and purpose of the European strategy and explore innovative trends in IE&M Higher Education.

Short Bio:

Giovanni Mummolo is Full Professor of Industrial Engineering at the University of Bari with interest in Human Centered Production Systems. 2019 – 2021: Principal Investigator of the Erasmus plus – Knowledge Alliance Project: ‘Industrial Engineering and Management of European Higher Education’ (https://ie3.eu). 2011-today: President of the European Academy for Industrial Management (https://europe-aim.eu/). June 2025 – today: President of the Foundation ‘European School of Industrial Engineering and Management ETS’. 

Keynote session:

Those who produce, rule. Why Research is becoming a key act in the political geoeconomics 

Speaker  Prof. Marco Taisch

Manufacturing plays a central role in global power dynamics. The increasingly close interweaving of political decisions, research capacity, and industrial impact makes it clear that “those who manufacture” do more than merely generate value: they help redefine the balance of economic governance and geopolitics. In this context, international competition for technological and human capital is intensifying, while the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, data, and cyber-physical systems is accelerating the reconfiguration of value chains. At the same time, Europe, engaged in digital and green transitions, is confronting the need to strengthen its strategic autonomy by rethinking the relationships among research, industry, and advanced education. This contribution proposes a reading of research not only as a driver of scientific progress and industrial innovation, but as a true “geoeconomic act,” capable of influencing the ability of national systems to compete and position themselves on the international stage. Attention will be devoted to the role of universities and innovation ecosystems in building skills and cognitive infrastructures that support the required level of industrial competitiveness. The aim is to highlight how the convergence of research, industry, and education today represents a decisive factor for sovereignty itself. 

Short Bio:

Marco Taisch is a full Professor at Politecnico di Milano, where he teaches Digital Manufacturing and Operations Management. He is one of the coordinators of the Manufacturing Group at the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano. He has been a member of the Advisory Board of the National Industry 4.0 Plan, coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Development. He serves as Vice-President of the Board of EFFRA, and he is a member of the Board of Cluster Italiano Fabbrica Intelligente and member of the Cluster Lombardo Fabbrica Intelligente. He is a co-founder and Scientific Chairman of the World Manufacturing Foundation. He is currently a member of the UniCredit Territorial Advisory Board for Lombardy Region, President of MADE – Competence Center Industry 4.0, one of the eight competence centers of the National Industry 4.0 Plan, and President of the Extended Partnership Made In Italy Circolare e Sostenibile (MICS), a project funded by the Ministry of University and Research under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. He is a founding member of Miraitek4.0, a recognized spin-off of Politecnico di Milano specializing in Industry 4.0. At present, he is a consultant for numerous companies, for which he has developed, together with a team of collaborators, projects aimed at improving digitalization and production processes.

🍷 Wine Tasting & Dinner

📍 Address: La Taverna ai Poggi – https://www.latavernaaipoggi.it/

⏰ Time: 8:30 pm (20:30)

🍷 Wine Tasting: Guided wine tasting led by the host winery, fully included in the registration fee.

🍽️ Dinner: Dinner at an authentic local restaurant offering a true taste of the region. The menu includes two first courses and dessert at €30 per person. Payment is to be made directly at the restaurant to facilitate individual reimbursement requests with your institution.

Day 3

As part of the social program of the XXXI Summer School, participants can choose between one of the following guided activities before the Gala Dinner. Both activities are already included in the Registration Fee, and no additional payment is required. These experiences offer an opportunity to discover the beauty, history, and cultural heritage of Lecco and its surroundings.

Option 1 – Guided Manzoni Walking Tour

🕢 Meeting Time: 7:30 pm (19:30)
📍 Meeting Point: Politecnico di Milano – Lecco Campus

The walking tour will depart from the Politecnico di Milano – Lecco Campus and continue towards the iconic Ponte Vecchio.

From there, participants will stroll along the lakeside promenade to the town of Malgrate, enjoying scenic views of Lake Como.

The tour will conclude at Ristorante Griso, where the Gala Dinner will take place.

Throughout the walk, an expert guide will introduce participants to the history, culture, and landscape of Lecco, with a particular focus on the places associated with Alessandro Manzoni and The Betrothed.

Option 2 – Guided Boat Tour on Lake Como

🕖 Meeting Time: 7:15 pm (19:15)
📍 Meeting Point: Floating platform in front of McDonald’s
📍 Coordinates: 45.854315, 9.388078

The boat will depart at 7:30 pm (19:30) for a guided cruise lasting approximately one hour, returning to the same boarding point.

During the cruise, an expert guide will accompany participants, sharing insights into the landscape, history, and cultural heritage of the Lecco branch of Lake Como, along with interesting facts about the places seen along the route.

At the end of the tour, participants will walk for approximately 15 minutes to Ristorante Griso, where the Gala Dinner will be held.

Please note: The boat tour has limited capacity. Places will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis according to the order in which registrations are received.

The social activity will be followed by the Gala Dinner, providing participants with an opportunity to continue networking in a relaxed and elegant setting.

 🥂 Gala Dinner

📍 Address: Ristorante Griso – https://grisopanoramarestaurant.it/

⏰ Time: 9:00 pm (21:00)

🍽️ Dinner: A dinner with a breathtaking view of the lake, where fine cuisine meets the magic of lights shimmering on the mountains. Reserved exclusively for participants who have registered for the Gala Dinner.