Labour Shortages

XXVII European Conference

Auditorium, Department of Economics
Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna
Piazza Scaravilli 2, Bologna
5 giugno 2026 | 09:00 – 17:30

The Ing. Rodolfo Debenedetti Foundation (fRDB) is pleased to announce the XXVII European Conference, dedicated to the theme of labour shortages. The conference will take place in Bologna on Friday, 5 June 2026.

In recent years, labour markets across Europe and other advanced economies have experienced persistent labour shortages, rising vacancy rates, and increasing difficulties in matching workers to available jobs. At the same time, demographic change, technological transformation, and evolving skill requirements are reshaping labour demand and supply. Understanding the causes and consequences of labour shortages is therefore crucial for designing effective labour market and education policies.

The 2026 European Conference brings together leading scholars and policy experts to discuss new evidence on labour shortages, labour force participation, skill mismatch, demographic trends, and the role of digital job-matching platforms. The conference aims to foster dialogue between academia, policymakers, and labour market practitioners.

Watch the conference live on this page or directly on our YouTube channel.

Programme

09:00 – 09:30
Registration and Welcome Addresses

09:30 – 11:00
Labour Shortages, Participation and Mismatch: Lessons from OECD Countries
Luca Marcolin (OECD, Paris)
Francesco Filippucci (OECD, Paris)
Discussant: Samuel Bentolila (CEMFI, Madrid)

11:00 – 12:00
Vertical Mismatch
Pietro Garibaldi (Collegio Carlo Alberto, University of Turin)
Pedro Gomes (Birkbeck University of London)
Thepthida Sopraseuth (Cergy-Paris CY University)

Aging Population and Technology Adoption
Daniele Angelini (University of Konstanz)

12:00 – 12:30
General Discussion
Moderator: Paolo Pinotti (fRDB and Bocconi University)

12:30 – 14:00
Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:30
Hiring Difficulties and Firm Growth
Thomas Le Barbanchon (Bocconi University)
Maddalena Ronchi (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University)
Julien Sauvignat (Bocconi University)
Discussant: Christian Dustmann (Rockwool Foundation, Berlin and UCL)

15:30 – 15:45
General Discussion
Moderator: Paola Monti (fRDB)

15:45 – 16:15
Coffee break

16:15 – 17:15
Roundtable: What Did We Learn?
The conference will conclude with a roundtable discussion reflecting on the key insights emerging from the day. Featuring Umberto Frigelli (HR Manager Association), Lidia Caterina Molinari (People Advisor Director, Adecco Italia) and Paola Nicastro (President and CEO, Sviluppo Lavoro Italia), the panel will draw together voices from academia, institutions, and the private sector to discuss the implications of recent research for labour market policy and human resource management.
Moderator: Tito Boeri (fRDB and Bocconi University)