Despite being located in Milan, a hub for culture and creativity, Bocconi attracts students that mainly attend the university with dreams of working in big corporations and financial institutions. With it being the most prestigious university in Italy, this absolutely makes sense.
To this extent, I believe that many prospective students, especially at an international level, don’t know they can study Art Management at Bocconi. The stereotypical image of the university and its rank as one of the best business schools in the world might not spark the interest of individuals passionate about the creative sphere, who instead, turn to Art and Design Schools to look for cultural management courses.
In the same way that some students might not see Bocconi as the place for creativity, people that are active in the creative field often seem puzzled, when I approach them. I usually think to myself: “they probably think that I’m just coming from one of the school’s business degrees”, in an effort to understand and justify their reaction. What I’m trying to say is that it is highly likely that the stereotypes around Bocconi are pushing away potential students. Isn’t it a shame that possibly brilliant students feel unable to see themselves fitting into the University’s environment, due to its rigid structures and perpetuated stereotypes? And an even bigger shame that this might be what’s preventing Bocconi from establishing itself as an academic leader in business for arts and culture?