A Very Short History of RCEA and Its Mandate 

 The Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis (RCEA) was founded in Rimini in 2007 by Luciano Chicchi (its first president) and Gianluigi Pelloni (its first director) with the collaboration of local public figures, eminent economists, and econometricians from around the world. The birth of RCEA was triggered by the conference “Small Open Economies in a Globalized World” held in Rimini, August 29th - September 2nd, 2006. From the outset, RCEA’s mission has been to create an unconventional forum for the development of advanced research in Economics, Econometrics, and related fields. The aim was to create an environment where the pursuit of excellence went hand in hand with informality, collegiality, and collaboration. RCEA was conceived as a bridge for the free flow of scientific information across scholars and countries without the hierarchical structure and career pressure that often hinder other, more conventional environments. It is grounded in the belief that one cannot learn and develop any science, natural or social, from only reading and writing professional articles and books; the research of acceptable explanations and understanding is also found in oral exchange of information, in the wrestling with ideas together, and the grinding out of debates. The successful development of such a process could bring about an all-embracing ethos of independent inquiry, a sense of belonging together in the common endeavour of scientific research. Thus, the fundamental objective of RCEA is to create a spirit of collaboration, commitment, and unity for a free (but not anarchical), open, self-selecting community of social scientists.

 These ideals are not easily attainable. However, the founders believed that they could be achieved through the intensity of contact within RCEA, coupled with an open exchange with the rest of the profession and the public. To be realistic, such a programme needed practical means which were not an end in themselves but reflected and were conducive to the “spirit” of RCEA.  RCEA should be a non-profit organization, financially independent and capable of generating its funding through its activities and sponsorships. The realization of the RCEA communicative community required an operational structure. The founders chose a bottom-up organization because it would preserve the mindset, the aims, and expectations of the RCEA project. RCEA is organized into study groups, which independently shape their compositions and agendas. Their Steering Committees, composed of rotating chairs and scholars, would coordinate the activities of the study groups and their interactions. The RCEA structure also contemplated rotating directors and members of a Scientific Committee whose overview would help the formation and development of the study groups, help in their coordination, fill potential gaps in the programmes, and decide on the entrance of new scholars. The Scientific Committee does not interfere with the study groups' choices if these conform to RCEA’s mandate. The Scientific Committee is the final guarantor that the different components of the organization match RCEA’s aims. This basic structure was embedded in the RCEA Constitution and its subsequent revisions.

 Scholars at various stages of their careers (from eminent researchers of international fame to young Ph.D. graduates) joined RCEA. The 2006 conference triggered the beginning of RCEA’s subsequent activity, which was centred on a biennial general conference and a colloquium. Workshop, seminars, and conferences reflecting the activities of the research groups were the core of the RCEA Colloquium. All these activities obtained significant success and were attended by scholars from all over the world. Given its success and expansion, RCEA opened a branch in Canada with the special responsibility of coordinating one of the biennial conferences.

 After the death of Luciano Chicchi in 2012 and the retirement of Gianluigi Pelloni in 2016, it was decided to move the headquarters to Canada. Subsequently, the RCEA’s Scientific Committee agreed to move the headquarters to the University of California, Riverside, where RCEA’s new director was located, and open a European branch in Milan with a branch director there. A new Executive Committee was also set up to help the Scientific Committee manage more frequent executive tasks. Notwithstanding the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, RCEA continued its activity successfully, first only online and then both online and in person. In addition to being successful in its aims as a forum for scientific colloquia, RCEA wishes to expand its interest in organizing and coordinating research projects and in developing an outreach program for the general public interested in Economics.