# Graduate School of Agri-Food Management and Economics

> graduate school in Cremona, Italy

**Wikidata**: [Q7391137](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7391137)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_School_of_Agri-Food_Management_and_Economics)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/graduate-school-of-agri-food-management-and-economics

## Summary
The Graduate School of Agri-Food Management and Economics (SMEA) is a graduate-level academic institute of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, founded in 1984 and located in Cremona, Italy. It specializes in advanced education and research for the agri-food sector, operating under the Italian university system.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1984 in Cremona, Italy
- Official abbreviation: SMEA
- Part of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- Website: http://smea.unicatt.it/
- Twitter handle: @smea_unicatt (active since 9 April 2015)
- Facebook page: SMEACremona
- Contact e-mail: smea@unicatt.it
- Wikidata class: university (instance of)
- Only English-language Wikipedia article exists (1 sitelink)

## FAQs
### Q: What does SMEA stand for?
A: SMEA stands for "Graduate School of Agri-Food Management and Economics" (Scuola di Specializzazione in Management ed Economia Agro-alimentare). It is the shorthand name universally used for the school.

### Q: Where is the school located?
A: SMEA is located in the city of Cremona in northern Italy. All classes, offices, and administrative functions are centered on this single campus.

### Q: Is SMEA an independent university?
A: No. SMEA is a graduate school and specialized institute that operates within the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, one of Italy's largest private universities.

## Why It Matters
SMEA was created in 1984 to bridge management skills and economic analysis for Italy's dominant agri-food chain. By siting the school in Cremona—historically a dairy, meat-processing, and agricultural machinery hub—the university placed advanced training next to one of Europe's densest clusters of food producers, PDO/PGI consortia, and quality-control labs. Alumni move into supply-chain management, food-policy roles, and advisory positions, helping Italian and EU firms remain competitive after the Common Agricultural Policy reforms of the 1980s-90s. The school's research feeds directly into regional development plans, food-safety protocols, and sustainability benchmarks used by Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna authorities. For students, SMEA offers one of the few Italian programs that combines agricultural science, economics, and management at the graduate level, producing specialists who can speak the language of both farmers and finance.

## Notable For
- One of Italy's first graduate schools devoted exclusively to agri-food management and economics (founded 1984)
- Located in Cremona, a city with Europe's highest concentration of PDO cheeses and traditional meat products
- Operates within a private university yet focuses on a public-good sector—food security and rural development
- Maintains an active bilingual social-media presence (Twitter since 2015, Facebook) unusual for small Italian graduate institutes

## Body
### History and Foundation
SMEA opened in 1984 as a post-laureate specialization within the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. The goal was to give graduates advanced managerial tools tailored to the agricultural and food industries, sectors undergoing rapid EU regulatory change.

### Campus and Location
All activities take place in Cremona, Lombardy. The school occupies renovated buildings in the historical center, providing classrooms, a library, and research labs.

### Academic Profile
As a "Scuola di Specializzazione" the program follows Italian Ministry rules for postgraduate, professionally oriented study. Admission requires a previous laurea magistrale; the curriculum blends economics, supply-chain analysis, food law, and field projects with firms and consortia.

### Outreach and Communication
- Website: http://smea.unicatt.it/ (multilingual sections)
- Twitter: @smea_unicatt, launched 9 April 2015
- Facebook: SMEACremona, listed as official page
- Central e-mail: smea@unicatt.it

## References

1. [Source](https://www.facebook.com/SMEACremona)
2. [Source](http://smea.unicatt.it/)