Founded in 1999 as a joint project of the University of Turin and the Compagnia di San Paolo, CeRP is the first research centre in Italy (and one of the first in Europe) with a specific focus on pension economics and the economics of ageing. Since September 2006 the centre is affiliated, as a research unit, to the Collegio Carlo Alberto.

The mission of CeRP is to investigate the consequences of population ageing, with an emphasis on the economic factors affecting retirement and, in general, the welfare of the elderly. Theoretical and applied policy-oriented research play an approximately equal role in the activities of the centre.

The main research topics include pension systems design, reform and evaluation; households’ saving; retirement patterns, paths and choices; life insurance and annuities; intra/intergenerational redistribution induced by different pension systems; public policies and incentives towards retirement savings; intergenerational accounting; welfare policies directed at the elderly; participation in supplementary pensions; governance and financial aspects of pension funds.

Research is performed both at the micro and at the macro level, and a special attention is devoted to policy aspects. The centre aims at being a reference point for all institutions dealing with pension issues, both under an economic and a financial perspective.

CeRP is coordinated by Elsa Fornero, professor of Economics at the University of Turin. The Scientific Committee includes academics from Italian and foreign universities. The staff includes full-time and part-time researchers as well as visiting fellows from other institutions.

A relevant part of CeRP activity is devoted to the development of ad hoc methodologies, in particular simulation techniques aimed at assessing the performance of pensions systems as well as their structural microeconomic features. A parallel activity is the evaluation of reform policies, at the national and international level. Over the years CeRP has earned a solid international reputation, also thanks to its conferences and participation in European networks.

An important role is given to the dissemination of the research output, through conferences, seminars, publications and contributions to the debate on pension issues. CeRP has published several volumes and produces a Working Paper Series.