Posted on 29 June 2011
Pasquale Ferrara succeeds Marco Del Panta as the Institute’s Secretary General.
After graduating in Political Science (International Politics) from the University of Naples and carrying out postgraduate studies at SIOI (Italian Society for International Organization) and the School for Advanced studies for Civil Servants, Pasquale Ferrara joined the Italian Foreign Office in 1984 and has spent much of his career in Italy and abroad, including postings in Chile and the United States. Positions in Europe include Brussels where he was involved, amongst other things, in the launching of the European Convention.
He served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet of the Minister (1986) and in the Office of the Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the Republic (1987-1988). He was Secretary of the Legation at the Italian Embassy in Chile (1989-1992), during the country's transition from the Pinochet dictatorship to democracy. Later (1992-1996) he served as Italian Consul in Athens. He participated as Adviser to the Permanent Representation of Italy in the European Union (from 1999 to 2002) in the financial negotiations on the '"Agenda 2000" and in the Intergovernmental Conference for the Reform of the Treaties of the European Union in view of Enlargement. In Brussels, he followed the launching of the Convention for the drafting of the European Constitution and the activities of the European Parliament. From 2002 to 2006 he was First Counsellor of the political sector in the Italian Embassy in Washington, where he was also responsible for coordinating Italian cultural activities in the United States. Over and above his diplomatic duties, he continues to carry out research into the theory of international relations, and has published numerous articles in specialized journals and is author of several volumes on international relations and political theory.
He joins us from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he was Head of the Press Office and Spokesman for the Minister, and subsequently Director of the Analysis and Planning Unit of the Ministry.
In his new role at the European University Institute, Pasquale Ferrara will assist President Josep Borrell in the leadership and management of the Institute.