The Bonaldo Stringher, Giorgio Mortara and Donato Menichella Scholarship

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Every year the Bank of Italy offers "Bonaldo Stringher", "Giorgio Mortara" and "Donato Menichella" scholarships for graduates wishing to undertake further study in the following fields:

  • Political economy and economic policy
  • Financial economics, econometrics, or mathematical, statistical or computational methods (e.g., artificial intelligence, machine learning, FinTech, and cybersecurity) applied to economics and finance
  • The interrelations between economic growth and the legal system, the impact of regulation on economic activities, and the legal aspects related to digital assets and the application of artificial intelligence to the economy.

Applicants must have completed a 4- or 5-year degree course at an Italian or equivalent foreign university, obtaining marks of 110/110 or equivalent, and they must be proficient in one or more foreign languages.

With these scholarships, the Bank of Italy funds promising graduates who are seriously interested in doing research in the fields described. Accordingly, in judging applications, special importance is attached to the candidate’s degree thesis and his or her aptitude for scholarly work as demonstrated in the thesis, as well as to the programme of scholarship and research that the candidate sets out.

The Bank of Italy may also grant - to the winners and particularly deserving applicants selected by the examining boards -first training research scholarships lasting three months (which may be extended up to six months) to take part in research projects at the Bank.

The selection process is usually announced in the fall, with a deadline for applications in November and the award of the scholarships by February.

Bonaldo Stringher (Udine 1854 – Rome 1930)

He was Director General of the Bank of Italy for the first 30 years of the 20th century, bridging the Giolitti and the Fascist eras. He succeeded in placing the Bank within the panorama of Italian public institutions and played a central role in Italy’s transition to becoming a modern industrial economy.

Giorgio Mortara (Mantua 1885 – Rio De Janeiro 1967)

He was an economist, statistician and demographer, teacher and mentor to Paolo Baffi and, in 1936, he played an important role in establishing the Bank of Italy’s Research Department. In 1938, following the passing of the racial laws in Italy, he emigrated to Brazil, where he continued his academic career.

Donato Menichella (Biccari 1896 – Rome 1984)

He was an important figure at the top of  IRI, Italy’s Institute for Industrial Reconstruction, and was appointed Director General under Governor Luigi Einaudi, to whom he succeeded in 1948 when the latter was elected President of the Italian Republic. He stood at the helm of the Bank of Italy until 1960, playing a crucial role in Italy’s post-war development.