Graduation 2025: Piazza Maggiore Embraces the Graduates of Bologna Business School
17 September 2025On September 12, in the heart of Bologna, Piazza Maggiore hosted the Graduation 2025 ceremony of Bologna Business School. A solemn and heartfelt celebration, the event united the world’s oldest academic tradition with the mission of a School that looks ahead—shaping leaders who will impact society and the global economy.
The evening began with the entrance of the graduating students, over 800 this year, followed by the academic procession of the Faculty, Master Directors, Associate Deans, and the Rector’s delegation. After the European and Italian anthems, institutional representatives took the stage: Michele De Pascale, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region, and Matteo Lepore, Mayor of Bologna, both highlighted the enduring bond between the city and the School, which for 25 years has been nurturing human capital and innovation.
The first international message came from Eric Cornuel, President of EFMD Global, who praised Bologna Business School as a unique institution that combines academic excellence, innovation, and responsibility.
“Your leadership must be about building bridges, in a time when neither prosperity nor peace can be taken for granted. You are called to lead sustainable and inclusive change.”
Romano Prodi, President of the BBS Steering Committee, followed with a speech that blended reflection and encouragement:
“BBS enters its 25th year—a brief but fruitful quarter-century, supported by the world’s oldest university, our Alma Mater. To the graduates, I say: don’t get swept along by change—have the courage to walk the path of transformation. Decline wins only if we accept it. Your strength will not lie only in individual or artificial intelligence, but in shared intelligence. Keep nurturing curiosity and experimentation, because we are all apprentices in a lifelong learning journey grounded in hope. Do not give in to fear, even in uncertain times. Stay together, work together—because, as we say around here: even if it’s night, dawn is near.”
Dean Massimo Bergami revisited the School’s journey and mission, offering the graduates a powerful message of vision and responsibility:
“The diploma you receive today is not an endpoint—it is a key. A key that opens doors. But remember: you are the ones who will build those doors, decide where to place them, and choose which worlds to enter. This is the challenge that awaits you—not merely to follow paths already paved, but to imagine new ones, with courage and accountability. In BBS, you’ve experienced how knowledge grows through dialogue, collaboration, and diverse perspectives. That is the spirit you must carry forward: imagination to glimpse possibilities that do not yet exist, and responsibility to turn them into reality. There is no such thing as individual success if it is not shared. Your true strength will lie in your ability to create value for others. The future is yours, to the extent that you can make it a future for everyone.”
The ceremony then honored the academic community with Faculty Awards for the best professors in the Master and Executive Master programs, as well as Student Awards for top-performing graduates across the different program areas.
One of the most powerful moments came with the speech by Sabrina Julia Portulese, Co-chair of the BBS Student Council, who intertwined her personal story with her BBS experience:
“Fear is not an obstacle—it’s a compass. If you’re not scared, you’re probably standing still. Here, we learned to turn disorientation into energy, and to become interpreters of different worlds. This is what the future demands from each of us.”
The Rector, Giovanni Molari, emphasized the significance of celebrating in Piazza Maggiore, “because education concerns the entire community,” and introduced the Laudatio by Professor Paola Giuri in honor of Stefano Domenicali.
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, delivered the Commencement Speech, sharing insights from his professional journey:
“Dare to take risks, cultivate dedication, integrity, and teamwork. True strength lies in transforming pressure into determination, and maintaining clarity even in the most difficult moments.”
Immediately afterward, the Rector awarded him the Sigillum Magnum of the University of Bologna, the University’s highest honor.
The final part of the ceremony saw the Associate Deans call out the names of the Master’s graduates, before the Rector officially conferred their degrees. Piazza Maggiore lit up with the traditional cap toss and the notes of Gaudeamus Igitur, sealing the moment in a collective embrace.
Graduation 2025 once again affirmed the deepest message of Bologna Business School: the future is not something to wait for—it is something we create. Together.
