Italian Knowledge Leaders
- ProjectItalian Knowledge Leaders
Investing and believing in Italian Intellectual Capital
CBItalia’s Italian Knowledge Leaders was launched in 2021 with the aim of involving and supporting the Italian academic community in its pursuit of innovation, expertise, and culture. In a world in which ideas, technology, and creativity are increasingly central to many sectors, we believe that the MICE industry has the duty and privilege to foster connection and collaboration among institutions, researchers, and specialists from across the globe, in order to create a much more knowledge-based society.
A key to this are academic conferences organised by international associations. By identifying and supporting the many Italian Knowledge Leaders who have risen to the Presidency of Associations thanks to their skills, experiences, and resolve to represent their professional communities, CBItalia’s goal is to improve even further Italy’s significance as a destination for associative conferences and thus the role of our country in the scientific global landscape.
In partnership with ENIT (Italian National Tourism Body) and CRUI (Italian Association of University Rectors), CBItalia cooperates with Italian Knowledge Leaders to sensitise and assist them in conference bidding processes to develop and promote “Knowledge Destinations”. This is done through the creation of working groups bringing together Knowledge Leaders, universities, local convention bureaux, and scientific associations to increase Italy’s socio-cultural capital.
Partner of the project
The event
Every year, CBItalia organises a half-day event to celebrate Italian Knowledge Leaders and their work. So far, two editions have taken place: Rome 2021, Milan 2022 and Rome 2023. The event includes the participation of institutional figures, established Italian Knowledge Leaders, Italian destinations, and DMOs that will have the opportunity to involve their Ambassadors, and other key players of the MICE industry like congress centres, and PCOs.
The event is structured around a series of talks and presentations that aim to enrich and strengthen the synergy between the many parties involved. It is a great networking opportunity for all participants, a chance to learn more about the activities and projects of everyone involved, and a starting point in the promotion of Italy as a destination for associations.
Photo Gallery IKL event november 2021
Photo Gallery IKL event december 2022
Photo Gallery IKL event december 2023
Advisory Board
Alaide Chieffo
Vita-Salute San Raffaele university, President of European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI - ESC)Mario Barbagallo
University of Palermo, President of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics- European Region (IAGG-ER)Mariagrazia Russo
Rector of the University of International Studies in RomePier Luigi Antignani
Professor at La Sapienza University of Rome, Past President IUA - International Union of Angiology, Director of a vascular center in private clinic (Nuova Villa Claudia)Federica Lucini
Event & Conference Marketing Manager Italian Exhibition group ( CB Rimini)Alessandra Albarelli
Director of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi SpaLaura Favaretti
Director of Convention Bureau Padova
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Meeting and Associations Conferences
One of the most important segments of the MICE industry association events, a leading sector for the promotion and development of “Knowledge Destinations”, be them nations, cities, or regions. The latest report by OICE (Italian Observatory for Congresses and Events) promoted by Federcongressi&eventi, found that 25.5% of global association events took place in Italy, hosting 30.8% of participants.
Attracting big association conferences is a great opportunity for scientific, medical, and professional communities to network with colleagues from all over the world, facilitating knowledge exchange collaborations for professional development. Within policies of development and promotion of destinations internationally, congresses have gained the role of “knowledge importers”, which has led even governments and tourism promotional bodies to invest significant resources in this segment.
How to attract big congresses
The responsibility of proposing a destination as a potential location for a congress is not on tourism promotional bodies, convention bureaux, or PCOs, but on the members of associations. These are professionals (doctors, researchers, scientists, engineers, etc.), who, thanks to their accomplishments and resolve to represent their professional category, are active in their associations and take part in their decision-making processes. Bidding to host a conference, and, in case of victory, holding it within one’s professional community can be one of the highest moments in one’s career.
In order to be taken into consideration, a bid needs to prove the strong correlation between the scientific propension of the destination and the objectives of the association or of the congress, and to present a thought-out argumentation on the destination’s capacity to host the event.
One condition for success is the collaboration between the local Convention Bureau and the local knowledge leaders, in order to present the destination as the natural urban extension of a society that considers science as one of its funding values.
Italian Opinion Leaders
In 2021, Italy was 6th in the world in terms of available intellectual capital. We have around 1,000 opinion leaders involved in boards and bodies of international professional and scientific associations that organise big events (more than 500 participants), and about 2,250 in associations that organise mid-size events (200-500 participants). In addition, we have around 100 knowledge leaders who are either President or Chairperson of relevant international associations. With our project, we want to give these knowledge leaders the recognition they deserve, by involving them in activities promoting Italy as a “knowledge destination” and, consequently, of its cities as ideal locations to host prestigious international congresses. Another long-term objective is to encourage more opinion leaders to be more active in the promotion of Italy as a “future destination”.