Roberta Capello was born in Milan, Italy. She has been full professor of Regional Economics at Politecnico of Milan since 2003. She is head of the Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering (ABC) (2026-2025). She is President of the European Rgeional Sience Association (ERSA) (2024-2028). She was RSAI (Regional Science Association International) President (2009-2010); Member of the European Organising Committee and Treasurer of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA) (2000-2006); National Secretary of the Italian Section of the International Regional Science Association (1995-1998). She has been Editor in chief of Papers in Regional Science for nine years, and of the Italian Journal of Regional Science for fifteen years. She is a member of the scientific board of two research centres: WiFo (Austria) and of IRPeT (Italy). She is a member of the editorial board of many scientific journals. She is the author of a textbook in Regional Economics, published in Italian (Il Mulino, 2004; 2° ed. 2015), in English (Routledge, 2007; 2° ed. 2015) and in Chinese (Economy and Management Publishing House, Beijing, 2014). She holds a Carrier prize of the 50° ERSA (European Regional Science Association) anniversary (Jonkoping, 2010), and a Laurea Honoris Causa from the West University of Timisoara, Romania (October, 2012). She is Fellow of the Regional Science Association International (since 2013).

Career

Degree in Economics at Bocconi University, Milan, ItalyPh.D. in Economics, Free University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Research

Research topics:

- Competitiveness of regions and cities

- Effects of new technologies and AI on local development

- Impact of technologies on employment, with a particular focus on the construction sector

- Digital platforms and markets and their impact on employment and local development- New technologies and their effects on income distribution

Selected Publications

Capello R. and Caragliu A. (2025), “Digital Transition in a Turbulent World: European Regional Growth Opportunities in 17 Years’ Time”, Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 34(7), 997-1015, DOI: 10.1080/10438599.2024.2393202

Capello R., Lopes Afonso D. and Perucca G. (2025), “The Double Dark Side of Regional Back-shoring”, Global Challenges and Regional Science, 10.1016/j.gcrs.2024.100001

Capello R., Lopes Afonso D. and Perucca G. (2025), “Regional Income Distribution of Trade-in-Task Production”, International Economics, 10.1016/j.inteco.2024.100575

Capello R. and Rodríguez-Pose A. (2025), “Europe’s Quest for Global Economic Relevance: On the Productivity Paradox and the Draghi Report”, Scienze Regionali, Italian Journal of Regional Science, 24(1), 3-7

Capello R. (2025), “Cooperation and Interdisciplinarity as Winning Strategies for Advanced Research”, Révue d’Economie Régionale et Urbaine, n. 3, 413-428

Capello R. and Perucca G. (2025), “Job Premium through GVCs’ Reorganization in European Regions”, Environment and Planning A, xxx

Capello R., Ciappei S. and Lenzi C. (2025), “Digitalisation, Platformization and the Transformations of Local Labour Markets”, Papers in Regional Science, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pirs.2025.100103

Capello R., Ciappei S. and Lenzi C. (2025), “The Great Challenge for Local Labour Markets. Lovely and Lousy Jobs in the Digital Era”, Global Challenges and Regional Science, xxx

Capello R., Lenzi C. and Panzera E. (2025), “Cities as Multipliers of Wage Inequalities from Digitalisation”, Spatial Economic Analysis, https://doi.org/10.1080/17421772.2025.2533478

Capello R., Castillo Hidalgo K. and Perucca G. (2025), “Industrial Market Power and Regional Functional Income Distribution”, Papers in Regional Science, xxxCapello R., Caragliu A. and Dellisanti R. (2025), “Making Do with What we Have: European Regional Dynamics in the New Normal Trade Policy Scenario”, Journal of Regional Science, xxx

Capello R. and Dellisanti R. (2025), “Unveiling Growth in Nearshoring Regions”, Growth and Change,10.1111/grow.70053Capello R., Lenzi C. and Perucca G. (2025), “Modern Sources of Inequalities in Regional Income Distribution Theoretical Expectations and Empirical Findings”, Scienze Regionali, xxxx

Capello R., Lenzi C. and Panzera E. (2025), “Automation and Income Distribution. The Role of Sectoral and Territorial Market Power”, Regional Studies, 10.1080/00343404.2025.2582658

Grants, awards and Honours

Regional Studies Association, Sir Peter Hall Award for Lifetime Contribution to Regional Science, 2022

“Kohno award” for outstanding service for the Regional Science Association International, San Antonio, Texas, November 2018

Best paper award of the Journal “Regional Science Policy and Practice”, written with Roberto Camagni with the title “Rationale and design of EU cohesion policies in a period of crisis”, 7 (1), 25-44 November 2017

ERSA European Prize in Regional Science, August 2017

Fellow of the Regional Science Association International (August 2013)

Doctor Honoris Causa, Timisoara University, Faculty of Economics, Romania (October 2012)

Commemorative medal from the University of Economics in Bratislava, Slovakia (August 2012)

Carrier prize of the 50° ERSA (European Regional Science Association) anniversary (August 2010)

Community Service

Member of the Board of Auditors (2025–2028) of AISRe – Italian Regional Science Association