FARAO CATERINA

Caterina Farao is a Assistant Professor (RTT) at the Department of Economics (DiECO) of the University of Insubria in Varese, Italy. She holds the Italian National Scientific Qualification (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale) for the position of Associate Professor. She obtained a PhD in Economics and Management of Technology (DREAMT) from the University of Pavia with the doctoral dissertation entitled: “Talent Management at the University: An Experimental Design to Enhance Students’ Employability.” Supervisor: Prof. Gianecchini (University of Padua) Co-supervisors: Prof. Zanetti (University of Pavia) and Prof. Mark Considine (Dean, Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia). Main Research Interests: • Talent Management • Human Resource Management and Development • Organizational Behaviour • Career Development • Employability • Higher Education • Soft Skills Academic and Institutional Appointments Since 2024 Member of the Academic Senate. Since 2022 Member of the Scientific Committee of the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). Since 2022 Deputy Director of the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC – University Special Center). She is responsible for soft skills training programs addressed to students, university staff, and local stakeholders. For Students: She has organized and scientifically coordinated several soft skills courses leading to the issuance of Open Badges, including: • Emotional Intelligence and Stress Management • Negotiation and Conflict Management • Creativity • Project Management Within these activities, she has also delivered several courses on Talent Development and Career Management Skills. For Faculty Members and Researchers: She has coordinated Faculty Development initiatives focused on innovative teaching methods, approaches, and educational tools. For Local Stakeholders: She has developed training projects for all employees of the Varese Chamber of Commerce (CCIAA Varese) and the Province of Como. She has also participated in numerous initiatives organized in collaboration with CCIAA Varese and Confapi Varese on the topic of soft skills, as well as in the participatory planning process for the new strategic mandate of CCIAA Varese. As Vice Director, together with the Director of the TLC, she coordinated monthly meetings involving eight TLC research fellows, one representing each university department, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and the development of new research streams, including: • Augmented Reality and Higher Education • Transversal Skills in the Legal Field • Universal Design and Learning Disabilities • New Generations in the Labour Market and Soft Skills • Transversal Skills and Entrepreneurship Memberships: • ASSIOA – Italian Association of Business Organization • EIASM – European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management • EGOS – European Group for Organizational Studies • ACHII – Albert O. Hirschman International Institute, which organized conferences on the “Hirschman Legacy”: o October 2017 – Boston University, USA o October 2018 – World Bank, Washington, D.C., USA o October 2019 – Berlin School of Economics and Law, Germany She also participates in the activities of ISVI – Institute for Business Values, coordinated by Prof. Vittorio Coda, which brings together leading entrepreneurs and managers in monthly meetings hosted at Bocconi University. International Collaborations: • Prof. Laura Riolli – Sacramento State University, California, USA • Prof. Mark Considine – University of Melbourne, Australia • Prof. Rie Okamura – Ochanomizu University, Japan • Prof. Khalid Dahleez – A'Sharqiyah University, Oman • Prof. Paola Ossola – César Ritz Colleges, Switzerland • Prof. Paolo Giorgetti, Prof. Cristina Carcano and Mauro Citraro – SUPSI, Switzerland • Prof. Leandro Bi