Renaissance in Economics - National Festival of Civil Economy (Rome stage)
The international conference redefining the economy through the lens of people
About Renaissance in Economics
A Renaissance of economic thought in the heart of Rome
Every spring, Renaissance in Economics transforms the halls of the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Roma Tre University into an international laboratory of ideas. Promoted by NeXt Economia, Federcasse-BCC, and Confcooperative, in collaboration with the involved university departments, the conference serves as the Roman scientific stage of the National Festival of Civil Economy, whose main event takes place every autumn in Florence. In Rome, within the Tor Vergata district, academic debate meets the local community of the Municipality of Rome and the entire Lazio region.
A Manifesto for a new civil economy
The event's guiding thread is the Manifesto for a new civil economy, signed by hundreds of Italian academics. The proposal is clear: move beyond the reductionist approaches of the 20th century and build models capable of interpreting the complexity of the present, from the climate crisis and inequalities to the technological transition. Economics thus returns to being a science at the service of people and communities, rather than merely a tool for profit maximization.
Researchers from all over the world
The strength of Renaissance in Economics lies in its numbers: hundreds of scientific papers presented, dozens of parallel and semi-plenary sessions, and the participation of researchers from universities on every continent. In just a few years, it has established itself as one of the most significant European appointments for those studying civil economy, sustainable development, and cooperation.
Big names and frontier topics
The program alternates between keynote lectures by world-renowned scholars and round tables featuring presidents of major scientific societies. Topics include behavioral economics, well-being measures beyond GDP, development, gender equity, business resilience, shared administration, and cooperation. It is a multidisciplinary dialogue that weaves together economic theory, public policy, and social commitment.
Why attend
- Attend sessions by world-class keynote speakers.
- Discover the most innovative research on civil and sustainable economy.
- Experience two days of exchange between academia, institutions, and the cooperative sector.
- Visit two prestigious Roman universities, Tor Vergata and Roma Tre.
Renaissance in Economics is more than just a conference: it is an open workshop for redesigning the future of the economy, where scholars, businesses, and citizens imagine a more inclusive and sustainable growth together.
Renaissance in Economics — edition 2026
Renaissance in Economics 2026: the third edition
The third international conference Renaissance in Economics: Manifesto for New Economy took place in Rome on May 14 and 15, 2026, preceded on May 13 by a pre-conference workshop at Roma Tre curated by experts from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre on the measurement of multidimensional concepts (composite indicators, resilience, well-being).
The first day was held at the Department of Economics and Finance of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, the second at the Department of Political Science of Roma Tre University. In total, nearly 300 scientific contributions were presented across dozens of parallel and semi-plenary sessions.
Keynote speakers
- Uri Gneezy (UC San Diego) - lecture on behavioral economics.
- Ravi Kanbur (Cornell University) and Phoebe Koundouri - "Is development economics still relevant?".
- Bina Agarwal (University of Manchester, Balzan Prize) - "Development as Equality".
- Kenneth Amaeshi (University of Edinburgh) and Manal Totry-Jubran - market externalities, instability, and war.
- Martin Dufwenberg (Purdue University) - lecture on social and civil economy.
Core themes
Round tables between presidents of scientific societies ("Reframing Economics for a Renaissance"), sessions on macroeconomics, well-being measures beyond GDP, trust and business resilience, intergenerational equity with the Young Paper Award 2026, local development, and shared administration. The event also included a gala dinner with a concert at Villa Mondragone.
Programme Renaissance in Economics 2026
Thursday, May 14 - University of Rome Tor Vergata
- 08:30-09:45 Parallel sessions (scientific papers)
- 10:15 Institutional greetings (Nathan Levialdi Ghiron, Monica Lucarelli)
- 10:30 Presidents' round table: "Reframing Economics for a Renaissance"
- 11:30 Behavioral economics lecture with Uri Gneezy
- 14:45 "Is Development Economics still relevant?" with Ravi Kanbur and Phoebe Koundouri
- 16:00 Semi-plenary sessions: macroeconomics, beyond GDP, business resilience
- 20:00 Gala dinner with concert at Villa Mondragone
Friday, May 15 - Roma Tre University
- 09:45 "Development as Equality" with Bina Agarwal
- 10:45 Intergenerational equity and Young Paper Award 2026
- 11:15 "Market Externalities, Structural Instability and War" with Kenneth Amaeshi and Manal Totry-Jubran
- 14:45 Lecture "Social & Civil Economy" with Martin Dufwenberg
- 16:00 Local development and shared administration
- 18:00 Closing aperitif
Wednesday, May 13 - Roma Tre (pre-conference)
Workshop by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre on the measurement of composite indicators, resilience, and well-being.
Highlights Renaissance in Economics 2026
- 260 researchers from 62 universities and 60 countries
- Nearly 300 scientific papers presented
- Keynotes by Uri Gneezy, Ravi Kanbur, Bina Agarwal, Martin Dufwenberg
- Presentation of the new Manifesto for a new civil economy
- Gala dinner with concert at Villa Mondragone
Prices Renaissance in Economics 2026
Practical information — Renaissance in Economics
How to get there
The Tor Vergata campus is accessible by car via the Grande Raccordo Anulare (Tor Vergata exit) and by public transport from the Roma Tor Vergata railway station. The Roma Tre campus is located in the Ostiense-Marconi area, well-connected by Metro Line B and the Roma-Lido railway.
Registration
Participation is open to academics, students, economic operators, and interested citizens. For information on accreditation and the program, please email [email protected] or visit the National Festival of Civil Economy website.
Tip
Rome offers a wide range of accommodation options; for the Tor Vergata campus, facilities in the south-east quadrant of the city are the most convenient.
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Where does it take place — Renaissance in Economics
Università di Roma Tor Vergata e Università Roma Tre
Via Columbia 2, 00133 Roma