Diego Scaglione: building bridges between universities and companies to innovate
We interviewed Diego Scaglione, Head of the Corporate and Continuing Education Unit and the Strategic Agreements and Corporate Relations Unit at Politecnico di Milano. From previous experiences, to the challenges encountered, up to his leadership style, Diego tells us about his role as a "cultural intermediary" between the University and the outside world.
"I apply an "emotional" leadership: attentive to individual motivations and capable of directing the team's energies towards shared goals. Not just performance, but listening, dialogue and continuous discussion."
Diego Scaglione, Head of Corporate and Continuing Education Unit & of Strategic Agreements and Corporate Relations Unit
To start, would you tell us about your role at Politecnico and what you do?
Over the years I have taken on a dual role at the University. Since 2013 I have been coordinating the Corporate and Continuing Education Unit, which deals with the establishment, promotion and management of the administrative career of university masters, specialization courses and continuing education aimed at professionals.
At the same time, since 2020 I have been leading the Strategic Agreements and Corporate Relations Unit, where we follow the development and maintenance of strategic partnerships with companies by creating synergies that generate value for research, human capital development and the transfer of knowledge and technology. We do this through innovative and long-term collaboration models.
A stimulating job. But concretely, how do you build shared innovative projects?
In everyday life, giving life to innovative projects means translating the vision of governance into concrete actions. It is a complex job, which requires – in addition to a deep knowledge of the academic and industrial worlds – also excellent listening, negotiation, analysis and strategic translation skills.
It means transforming complex objectives into shared operational plans. But above all, it means knowing how to "sell" a vision: we often find ourselves proposing ideas to companies that are still in the embryonic phase, intuitions that must be made concrete. Convincing them to believe in it and invest is the real challenge.
Yours is a role that requires expertise and experience. What were the main stages of your professional career?
I graduated in sociology in 2005, continuing with a specialization in political and territorial marketing. The first years of my career were a real training camp: I started in the placement sector, as an intermediary between job supply and demand, then as a sales manager in a training and employment services institution.
These were fundamental experiences, which allowed me to develop communication, commercial and negotiation skills – which are now central to my work. At the time, digital was not yet so widespread: relationships were built through direct contact, participating in events, creating networking opportunities, or simply going door-to-door. An approach that has shaped me a lot and that I have always found extremely stimulating.
When did you arrive at Politecnico di Milano and what was the initial impact?
I discovered the world of Politecnico in 2010, joining the office that offers orientation and placement services for students, the Career Service. Here, I focused on two main activities: on the one hand, the re-engineering of the management of university internships; on the other hand, the construction of relationships with stakeholders involved in career guidance and employment policies, such as institutions, associations, local and ministerial bodies.
I found a dynamic environment in constant development, a real laboratory where it is possible to experiment and grow at the same time. It is this innovative spirit that convinced me to stay, until I got to the role I hold today.
Not only innovative ideas, therefore, but also process innovation. How do you orient your team towards new goals?
I try to adopt a leadership style that I would define as "emotional": attentive to individual motivations and capable of directing the team's energies towards shared goals. Not just performance, but listening, dialogue and continuous discussion. We have introduced structured moments of discussion, such as weekly meetings and "tea rooms", informal spaces in which to reflect together on how we are working. This approach improved the team's climate and strengthened internal cohesion.
In recent years I have also worked to expand the group, introducing new junior resources and encouraging a constructive intergenerational exchange. I strongly believe in the value of young people and in their curious and positive approach to reality. In fact, I believe that curiosity and positivity are two winning approaches in a context like that of the University.
Have you ever encountered challenges along the way to change?
The first challenge I encountered was the transition to a managerial role: at the age of thirty I found myself leading a team, renewing processes and introducing a dimension of greater openness to the business world. I had no skills in managing people and giving them feedback. The careful and participatory observation of group dynamics has helped me a lot in this journey.
Is there a project that you think best represents your vision and the work of your team?
The Smart Eyewear Lab project is certainly one of the most significant. It was born from an agreement with EssilorLuxottica for the creation of a joint research laboratory located on our Leonardo Campus, where about 100 people from Politecnico di Milano and the company now work with cutting-edge technologies. The goal is twofold: on the one hand, to develop innovative solutions to design the smart glasses of the future; on the other hand, to integrate these new skills into the teaching of our students. This is why we have co-designed together with EssilorLuxottica an interdisciplinary program common to 8 master's degree programs.
It is a real revolution, which not only redefines the way of conceiving the product, but generates concrete repercussions on the economic and social fabric. This is why it is essential to start training today the skills that will be necessary to support and grow the entire supply chain tomorrow.
What are you most passionate about your job?
Building relationships of trust with companies and accompanying them in the discovery of the culture and approach of Politecnico. I like to think of my role and that of my teams as a cultural bridge between the University and the outside world. I have a strong belief in the value of Politecnico and I try to convey it every day, also countering some prejudices related to the fact that it is a public administration. In reality, here I found extremely competent and motivated people, and an organization that — while moving within complex rules and constraints — is dynamic and oriented towards continuous improvement.
And outside of working hours, how do you occupy your free time?
For many years I have been a volunteer in the Milan White Cross. It's an activity that has taught me a lot about managing time, priorities, and teamwork. In the emergency room, we work according to a very simple scheme: briefing, execution and debriefing. A very practical method, which I have also brought into my daily work to push the team to stop and reflect on our way of proceeding, always improve and not lose sight of the goals.
One last question: why, in your opinion, should a young person pursue a career at Politecnico di Milano?
Good question. My invitation is to overcome the prejudices that often accompany the idea of public administration. Politecnico is a stimulating environment, where it is possible to build a professionalism following one's interests and values. It is also a place that gives back a lot in terms of humanity and relationships. It is these elements that make it truly unique.