The Florence School of Banking and Finance celebrates its 10th anniversary (2016–2026) this year, marking a decade of activities connecting academia, policymakers, regulators, and financial institutions across Europe. Since its creation within the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute, the School has grown into a recognised knowledge centre for policy dialogue, research, and executive education in banking and finance.
The milestone is being marked with a week of events in Florence, bringing together leading experts and practitioners to discuss key challenges shaping Europe’s financial future.
The celebrations began with the launch of the Savings and Investments Union Lab (SIU Lab) and the first edition of the SIU Academy, held from 2 to 4 March. The Lab seeks to contribute to the policy debate on capital mobility barriers in the EU by generating new analytical evidence, illustrating the benefits of deeper market integration, and supporting more effective policy design and implementation.
On 5 March, the School hosted an exclusive training on the digital euro in the global crypto context, designed for a selected group of experienced journalists covering banking and financial regulation. Participants from major European media outlets - including Politico, The Economist, Reuters, Bloomberg, La Repubblica, BBC, and El País - engaged with FBF experts to explore the broader policy and market implications of crypto-assets, central bank digital currencies, and the digital euro.
The anniversary week culminated with the 2026 FBF Annual Conference (5–6 March), held under the theme ‘The EU Savings and Investments Union: Opportunities for European Savers and European Companies’. The event brought together a distinguished group of policymakers, academics, and market participants to discuss the future of European financial integration, with a strong line-up of speakers including European Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque.
Opening the conference, Patrizia Nanz, President of the European University Institute, highlighted the School’s distinctive role: “The Florence School of Banking and Finance has created an environment where rigorous research informs policy discussions and where policy challenges inspire new research questions. In doing so, the School has contributed not only to financial debate, but to European cooperation itself.”
Looking ahead, the School remains committed to its mission: combining academic excellence with policy relevance. As it enters its second decade, the Florence School of Banking and Finance will continue to support informed debate, capacity building, and knowledge creation for the evolving European and global financial landscape.
Learn more about the Florence School of Banking and Finance in the anniversary brochure.