Prof. Alessandro Lomi Speaks at the UBS Social Impact Forum 2026
Institutional Communication Service
12 February 2026
Prof. Alessandro Lomi, Full Professor at the Faculty of Economics of Università della Svizzera italiana, participated as a guest speaker at the UBS Social Impact Forum 2026, a prestigious international event dedicated to philanthropy, impact investing, and social innovation. USI's participation in an event of this calibre confirms the University's strong scientific and cultural standing in the global debate on social and economic impact.
The UBS Social Impact Forum 2026 – New frontiers of impact - took place in Zurich from 4 to 6 February 2026 and brought together more than one hundred internationally selected participants, including philanthropists, impact investors, social entrepreneurs, thought leaders and strategic decision-makers. The initiative is part of UBS's broader commitment to promoting investment and philanthropic practices aimed at generating lasting social impact.
On the second day of the Forum, Prof. Alessandro Lomi spoke alongside Prof. Henry Markram (EPFL), bringing an academic research perspective to the international impact investing community. In particular, his speech explored how the fundamental principles of open science can be translated into practice to enhance the impact of philanthropic initiatives and improve the quality of decision-making processes in impact investing.
A second area of focus concerned the role of emerging technologies in data analysis, management and collection, and how the international philanthropy community can leverage these tools to make its initiatives more effective and measurable. The presentation also addressed the organisational structures and governance models best suited to strengthening the impact of the global philanthropic ecosystem.
Prof. Lomi's presence at the UBS Social Impact Forum represents an important recognition for USI. It reaffirms the University's role as a leading voice in international contexts, capable of linking academic research to the practical challenges of contemporary philanthropy and impact investing.