Carlo Baldi, key figure in Reggio Emilia university development, dies at 87

Carlo Baldi, a prominent economist, accountant, and key figure in the development of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, has died at the age of 87.

Baldi was instrumental in transforming Reggio Emilia from a purely industrial and manufacturing hub into a center of knowledge and research. In 1990, he founded the Associazione Pro-Università to mobilize businesses and institutions, a movement that eventually led to the establishment of a stable university presence in the city.

Beyond his academic and civic contributions, Baldi founded the accounting firm Baldi and Partners in 1972. His career included serving as a municipal assessor for Heritage from 1990 to 1993 and running as a civic candidate for mayor in 2004. He was recognized by his family and colleagues as a visionary and an independent thinker who sought to expand the city's institutional and intellectual capabilities.