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first year. “This is an initial
step toward our objective of
becoming a pivotal forum
for thought and debate in
international public policy.”
Intellectual and financial
support for BIPR was
provided by Johns Hopkins
University President
Ronald Daniels, whose seed
contribution was critical in
shaping the scale of BIPR’s
efforts. Additional support
from SAIS Advisory Council
member Robert J. Abernethy
JHU’62 made it possible
to move quickly toward a
formal launch. One of the
institute’s first endeavors
was to undertake a review
of how other Western
European policy research
institutes are funded. Valeria
Calderoni B’11 played a
key role in this project
and continues to work
with BIPR and the Bologna
Center Development
Office to identify academic
grantmaking programs and
foundations to support
research programs.
In September, BIPR
submitted its first funding
application for its program
“Implications of the Global
Economic and Financial
Crisis.”
“Research proposals are
arriving with encouraging
regularity from interested
academics, and early
momentum of the institute
is strong,” said Jones. “These
intellectual pursuits are only
possible, however, because
of the capable team behind
us. If a central aspect of
Director Keller’s vision is for
the BIPR to develop as an
integral part of the Bologna
Center, it is the actions of
the entire center staff and
faculty that make it so.”
Follow BIPR’s activities at
www.jhubc.it/bipr.
Alumni Weekend 2011
Three hundred
alumni
reunited in
Bologna from
April 29 to
May 1 for the
annual Alumni Weekend,
an occasion for Bologna
Center classmates, faculty
and staff to reconnect. The
classes of 1956, 1966, 1970,
1971, 1985, 1986, 1990,
1991, 2001 and 2006 were
all well represented at the
event. The first Bologna
Center class of 1955–56
celebrated 55 years since
graduation, while the 80
members of the class of
2006 raised a glass to their
five-year anniversary.
The opening events were
held Friday evening at the
Arena del Sole, a theater
and city landmark on Via
dell’Indipendenza. Bologna
Center Director Kenneth H.
Keller kicked off the evening
by welcoming alumni
with a speech on the success
of the building renewal
campaign and on upcoming
projects. This was followed
by a roundtable discussion
on “Politics in the Age of
Austerity,” moderated by
Professor Erik Jones B’89,
’90, Ph.D. ’96 and featuring
Tom Row JHU’78, B’79, ’80,
Ph.D. ’88, Dana Allin B’85,
’86, Ph.D. ’90 and Lanxin
Xiang B’84, ’85, Ph.D. ’90.
Saturday’s events were
held at the center. The
morning’s main conference,
“Reflections on Teaching at
the Bologna Center,” featured
Professor John Harper
B’76, ’77, Ph.D. ’81 and
Pierre Hassner, emeritus
research director at the Centre
d’études et de recherches
internationals in Montreal,
who taught at the Bologna
Center in the 1960s and
1970s.
This year, for the first
time, alumni participated in
class sessions held on Saturday
morning by Professors
Marco Cesa, Mahrukh
Doctor B’89, ’90, David
Ellwood B’71, Mark Gilbert,
Arthur Rachwald and
Vera Zamagni. Attendees
expressed enthusiasm about
this new “Alumni Back to
Class” series.
Alumni and guests
gathering for
opening cocktails
at the Arena del
Sole theater
After the traditional buffet
luncheon, a panel of 50
alumni from 15 countries
answered student questions
on career paths in foreign
service, political risk,
finance, the environment,
international development
and other sectors.
In the evening, classes
met separately for dinner in
various restaurants around
town.
The three-day event
concluded with Sunday
morning visits to local
attractions. Alumni could
experience new aspects of
the city, such as the permanent
collection of the
recently relocated museum
of contemporary art and the
stunning Manifattura delle
Arti, an artistic hub with
a collection of postindustrial
architecture, or take
walking tours of Bologna’s
Renaissance highlights or
hidden treasures.
This year’s Alumni Weekend
will be held April 27–29.
Visit www.jhubc.it/aw2011 to
view photos from the 2011 event.
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