Who is the new director of THE USI IRE?

Prof. Mario Padula will take over the management of the Institute of Economic Research (IRE) of the Università della Svizzera italiana from 1 September 2026. At the same time, he will hold the role of Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Ticino. He succeeds Prof. Mario Jametti, who has led the Institute since 2022.

What is Mario Padula's academic and professional career?

Padula graduated from Bocconi University and completed his doctorate at University College London, carrying out academic activities at the University of Salerno, Ca' Foscari University of Venice and USI. From 2016 to 2023 he was Chairman of the Supervisory Commission on Pension Funds (COVIP) and, during the same period, a voting member of EIOPA's Board of Supervisors.

What are the main areas of research of the new director?

His research interests include social security, family finance, savings and consumption, the economics of ageing and the evaluation of public policies. In the note released by the university, Padula anticipated that the Institute's researchers will deal with ageing societies, climate change and related economic and social transformations.

What goals has the USI Rector stated?

Rector Claudio Bassetti defined the IRE as an expression of the university's vocation: "a University rooted in its own territory and, at the same time, open to the national and international context". The aim is to consolidate the role of the Institute in favour of the economy and institutions of the Canton of Ticino.

When will the handover formally take place?

Prof. Mario Padula will formally assume the direction of the IRE of the USI on September 1, 2026, as indicated in the note issued by the university in the morning.

Mario Padula new IRE Director of USI from 1 September

By Redazione Frontaliere Ticino (AI-generated text) · Published on 7 September 2026

USI campus in Lugano with new IRE leadership

The economist, former COVIP president and EIOPA member, succeeds Mario Jametti at the head of the USI Institute for Economic Research.

Context

In brief

Mario Padula appointed director of the IRE at USI
Start date: 1 September 2026
Succeeds Mario Jametti, director since 2022
Expert in pensions, savings, and aging economics

Key facts

What: Appointment of the new director of the Institute of Economic Research
When: 1 September 2026
Where: University of Italian Switzerland (USI), Faculty of Economic Sciences
Who: Prof. Mario Padula
Previous position: President of the Supervisory Commission on Pension Funds (COVIP), Italy, from 2016 to 2023
Additional role: Voting member of the Board of Supervisors of EIOPA during the same period
Education: Degree from Bocconi University, PhD from University College London
Predecessor: Prof. Mario Jametti (IRE director since 2022)

Appointment to the IRE at USI

From 1 September 2026, Prof. Mario Padula will take over the directorship of the Institute of Economic Research (IRE) at the University of Italian Switzerland (USI). The university announced this in a morning press release. Concurrently with his directorship of the IRE, Padula will hold the position of Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the Ticino university.

An economist with academic training from Bocconi University and University College London, where he earned his PhD, Padula has held academic positions at the University of Salerno, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and the University of Italian Switzerland. His academic career is intertwined with significant institutional experience in pension supervision: from 2016 to 2023, he served as President of the Supervisory Commission on Pension Funds (COVIP), the Italian regulatory and supervisory authority in the field of supplementary pension provision. During the same period, he was a voting member of the Board of Supervisors of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA).

His main research interests include pensions, family finance, savings and consumption, aging economics, and the evaluation of public policies in these areas. With his arrival, the IRE continues its academic and applied research activities and its commitment to analyzing the economic dynamics of the territory. Padula succeeds Prof. Mario Jametti, who has led the Institute since 2022.

The first statements from the new director and the Rector of USI outline the direction the Institute intends to follow in the coming years: strengthening ties with the institutions and economy of the Canton of Ticino and focusing on structural issues that characterize advanced economies, particularly demographic aging and transformations in the economic and social fabric.

Operational details

A profile that combines academic research and institutional supervision

The choice of Mario Padula for the direction of THE IRE of the USI is distinguished by the combination of international academic path and concrete regulatory experience. The position of President of COVIP, held for seven years until 2023, placed him at the centre of the supervision of Italian pension funds, while participation in the Board of Supervisors of EIOPA represented the European side of his work. This double register — academy and supervisory authority — is consistent with the declared research themes: social security, family finance, savings and consumption.

These areas also directly affect the functioning of pension and social security systems in Switzerland. In particular, the LPP (Federal Law on Occupational Welfare) and the AVS/AHV represent the pillars of the second and first pillars, with federal rules that apply uniformly and specific cantonal complements. The attention declared by Padula to the economy of ageing is particularly relevant in a context, such as that of Switzerland, characterised by structural demographic dynamics that affect both social security spending and household consumption and savings patterns.

The objectives declared by Padula and the Rector Bassetti

In the note issued by the university, Padula thanked his predecessor Mario Jametti for his work and indicated the future direction:

Useful planning tools

To estimate your pension strategy, use the pension planner and the pillar 3 simulator.

Key points

What changes with the new direction

From an operational perspective, the handover between Prof. Mario Jametti and Prof. Mario Padula at the helm of the IRE of USI does not entail interruptions in the research lines already initiated. The Institute will continue to carry out academic and applied research activities and to deal with the analysis of the economic dynamics of the territory, in continuity with the institutional mandate.

For those operating in Switzerland and wishing to deepen the pension themes that characterize the research agenda of the new director, there are some practical tools immediately available for consultation:

To navigate the calculation of the pension and LPP/BVG contributions: the salary calculator is available, useful for simulating the impact of pension withholdings on the paycheck.
To deepen the three-pillar system and the opportunities of the third pillar 3a: the guide dedicated to the third pillar allows you to verify the maximum amounts and tax advantages at the federal and cantonal level.
To estimate the effect of the AVS/AHV rates on the salary and future pension: the calculator provides a simulation of the benefits based on age and contribution situation.

Research themes and concrete impacts

The announced agenda — aging societies, climate change, economic and social transformations — reflects structural issues already discussed at the national level. In Switzerland, demographic aging intertwines with the sustainability of AVS/AHV and LPP/BVG, two pillars that depend on the evolution of the labor market and birth rates. The analyses of the IRE, under the new direction, can contribute to informing the public debate on these issues, particularly at the cantonal level.

For those who want to follow the developments of applied research in Ticino and Switzerland, the USI website represents the reference point for publications and reports. The same note released by the university indicates that the new director will formally assume the position on September 1, 2026.

Next steps

Those interested in pension themes and the functioning of the three pillars in Switzerland can:

1. Verify their contribution situation through the paycheck calculator. 2. Consult the updated contribution rates and federal rules on AVS/AHV. 3. Evaluate the opportunity of a payment in the third pillar 3a to obtain tax advantages in the federal direct tax. 4. For those seeking employment or considering a change of activity in Switzerland: the work section collects the active offers on the national territory.

To simulate the impact of pension contributions and taxes on their salary, the quickest starting point is the salary calculator.

Source: tio.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the new director of THE USI IRE?: Prof. Mario Padula will take over the management of the Institute of Economic Research (IRE) of the Università della Svizzera italiana from 1 September 2026. At the same time, he will hold the role of Professor of Economics at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Ticino. He succeeds Prof. Mario Jametti, who has led the Institute since 2022.
What is Mario Padula's academic and professional career?: Padula graduated from Bocconi University and completed his doctorate at University College London, carrying out academic activities at the University of Salerno, Ca' Foscari University of Venice and USI. From 2016 to 2023 he was Chairman of the Supervisory Commission on Pension Funds (COVIP) and, during the same period, a voting member of EIOPA's Board of Supervisors.
What are the main areas of research of the new director?: His research interests include social security, family finance, savings and consumption, the economics of ageing and the evaluation of public policies. In the note released by the university, Padula anticipated that the Institute's researchers will deal with ageing societies, climate change and related economic and social transformations.
What goals has the USI Rector stated?: Rector Claudio Bassetti defined the IRE as an expression of the university's vocation: "a University rooted in its own territory and, at the same time, open to the national and international context". The aim is to consolidate the role of the Institute in favour of the economy and institutions of the Canton of Ticino.
When will the handover formally take place?: Prof. Mario Padula will formally assume the direction of the IRE of the USI on September 1, 2026, as indicated in the note issued by the university in the morning.