“Quantum technologies will define the coming decades, not only for states and territories but also for businesses and individuals: the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region understood this as early as 2018 and has since continued to invest resources and support projects developed by our university system. Q-Connect FVG and Quasar-FVG address highly strategic aspects such as connection security and the creation of quantum computers.”

This was the summary provided today by the Regional Councillor for Universities and Research, Alessia Rosolen, during a press conference presenting the two new projects coordinated by the universities of Trieste and Udine, in collaboration with Cnr-Ino, Cnr-Iom, Sissa, and the Synchrotron.

“Quantum technology, together with hydrogen,” Rosolen recalled, “is the key trajectory on which Friuli Venezia Giulia has focused to remain at the forefront from a system development perspective, in which the benefits must extend to the entire range of stakeholders, from research institutions to public bodies, from businesses to individual citizens.”

“Collaboration with the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region has been essential in recognizing the potential of the quantum technology sector, in which we have made significant territorial investments. The projects presented today position the University of Trieste as a leading player at the national level, with international opportunities both for fundamental research and for applications with companies across various sectors. We are already one step ahead nationally thanks to our strong partnership with the regional ecosystem,” added the Rector of UniTS, Donata Vianelli.

The role of UniTS

The University of Trieste, with Professor Angelo Bassi, coordinates the QUASAR FVG project, which aims to develop new experimental, theoretical, and algorithmic protocols for quantum computation and simulation. This role has been assigned to UniTS due to the laboratories of the university’s ArQuS group (Artificial Quantum Systems), led by Professor Francesco Scazza and Dr. Matteo Marinelli.

Professor Scazza leads a laboratory focused on the simulation of complex quantum systems, using the cooling, trapping, and control of two-electron atoms. By employing high-precision optical manipulation techniques and spectroscopy, it is possible to achieve control at the level of a single atom.

The new laboratory currently under development is coordinated by Dr. Marinelli and will specifically focus on creating new interfaces between atoms and photons for modular quantum computing.

These laboratories, unique at the national level for their research areas, together with the theoretical expertise that earned the UniTS Department of Physics the “Excellence” certification from the Ministry of Universities and Research, provide the ideal experimental and technological environment for the development of the QUASAR FVG project.

UniTS also participates as a partner in the Q-Connect FVG project, thanks to the existing quantum link between UniTS and UniUD, inaugurated in February 2025 at the Trieste campus. This link represents the first step toward an infrastructure that aims to become a model for Italy and Europe.

The workshop “Energy Transition Lab: Think and Design the Future,” led by Dr. Valentina Bologna, a Physics lecturer, explored the central theme of knowledge entrepreneurship from a scientific perspective, actively engaging students in an experiential and interdisciplinary learning path.

The aim of the activity was to transform participants into true “Knowledge Entrepreneurs,” individuals capable of applying their skills in service of society and the environment, contributing concretely to addressing the challenges of the energy transition.

Through the Design Thinking method, the workshop guided students through a process that, starting from theoretical analysis, led them to design creative and innovative solutions, emphasizing the active and central role of the participants.

The program was structured into several operational phases. After a “warming-up” session, in which students reflected on their prior knowledge and the role they aspire to play in driving change, the workshop moved on to a technical analysis phase based on international case studies, including the potential of green hydrogen in Chile and the recommendations of the International Energy Agency to the G7 on decarbonizing the steel sector.

The core phase of the workshop involved participants in a structured Design Thinking process, divided into the stages of problem understanding, definition, ideation, and solution sharing.

The groups developed innovative project proposals, which were then presented and discussed in a collaborative setting.

With this initiative, the University of Trieste reaffirms its commitment to promoting innovative, impact-oriented teaching, in line with the objectives of the Transform4Europe Alliance.

Professor Luciano Campanacci, one of the masters of Italian Internal Medicine, has passed away. In a few days, he would have turned 96.

Born in Parma and graduating with top marks in Bologna, he was first a student in Rome of Professor Cataldo Cassano at the Institute of Medical Pathology, and later of Professor Ernico Fiaschi at the Medical Pathology Department of the University of Padua. During this period, he spent several periods abroad, contributed to the founding of the School of Nephrology, and helped establish—among the first in Italy—the hemodialysis service, which he directed from its inception.

In 1974, as a Full Professor of Internal Medicine, he moved to Trieste as Director of the Institute of Medical Pathology, later renamed Clinical Medicine, bringing with him several collaborators from Padua, including Professor Guarnieri.

In Trieste, Professor Campanacci founded a highly regarded School of Nephrology and also led and expanded the Internal Medicine school. He surrounded himself with collaborators whose professional development he fostered, guiding them not only in Nephrology but also toward other branches of Internal Medicine such as Gastroenterology, Hematology, Endocrinology, and Hepatology, encouraging them to undertake numerous periods abroad. Some of them later dedicated themselves to the study of arterial hypertension, forming a group known throughout Italy and participating as founding members in the creation of the Italian Society of Hypertension.

Many of his students went on to achieve leading positions both in academia and in clinical practice in Trieste and the surrounding region.

He was the author of numerous scientific publications and took part as a speaker in many scientific conferences.

For his students, he was an outstanding teacher: rigorous, demanding, always available, and open-minded.

The University of Trieste remembers him with great esteem and affection for his exemplary work with students and colleagues.

In celebration of World Water Day, the University of Trieste, together with the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, is organizing the event “The Invisible Reserve: Freshwater Beneath the Sea”, scheduled for Monday, March 23, from 10:00 to 12:15 at the Sala Tessitori (Regional Council Building of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia).

The initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, is open to the public and aims to raise awareness about the sustainable management of water resources. It will present the results of the RESCUE (RESources in Coastal groundwater Under hydroclimatic Extremes) project, which focuses on studying freshwater reserves beneath the seabed of the Northern Adriatic.

Coordinated by the University of Trieste and launched in 2024, the project involves an international consortium including OGS, Ruden AS, the University of Derby, and the University of Malta.

Participation is free, subject to registration.

Programme

10:00 – 10:15 Opening remarks
Ketty Segatti, Director of the Specialized Unit for Research, Innovation, European Social Fund Plus and other EU funds, Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia
Paola Del Negro, Director General, OGS

10:15 – 11:15 Insight talks
Chair: Maria Cristina Pedicchio, President of APRE – Agency for the Promotion of European Research

Freshwater beneath the seas – Angelo Camerlenghi, OGS
The Northern Adriatic – Cristina Corradin, OGS
What to do with this water – Luca Zini, University of Trieste
Who owns this water – Emma Mazzotta, OGS
Submarine groundwater: history and society – Corinna Guerra, Ca’ Foscari University

11:15 – 12:00 Round table
Chair: Franco Scolari, Director General, Alto Adriatico Technology Park

Paolo De Alti, Director of Water Resources Management Service, Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia
Maurizio Spoto, Manager, Miramare Marine Protected Area
Michele Pipan, RESCUE Project Coordinator, University of Trieste
Franco Clementin, President, CIA Italian Farmers – Friuli Venezia Giulia
Rodolfo Tlustos, Plastidite, Confindustria Alto Adriatico

12:00 – 12:15 Conclusions and community launch
Maria Cristina Pedicchio, President of APRE – Agency for the Promotion of European Research

A healthy mouth is not only about teeth: it is also about prevention, quality of life, psychological well-being and the ability to identify vulnerabilities and diseases early. These were the themes at the heart of “From smiles to well-being. Oral prevention and general health among university students”, the event during which the student community was informed about the opportunity to access free dental check-ups.

The initiative, promoted by the Rector’s Delegate for Student Well-being and Inclusion, Vanessa Nicolin, in collaboration with the Single-Cycle Master’s Degree in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics, highlighted the commitment of UniTS faculty members to promoting a culture of prevention aimed in particular at the student population.

Following the institutional greeting by Rector Donata Vianelli, UniTS faculty speakers explained how the mouth is not separate from the rest of the body, but rather an important indicator of a person’s overall health, also in relation to quality of life, psychological well-being and the possibility of identifying situations of vulnerability at an early stage.

Roberto Di Lenarda opened the series of talks by recalling the close relationship between oral health and general health, stressing that diseases of the oral cavity are not merely a specialist or aesthetic issue, but a public health matter with significant consequences for quality of life. Central to his speech was the role of chronic inflammation as a possible link between the mouth and the rest of the body, and the need to regard oral prevention as an integral part of protecting overall health.

Along the same lines, Federico Berton, Giulia Ottaviani and Katia Rupel focused on concrete preventive tools that are relevant also to the student population. Berton stressed in particular the importance of daily oral hygiene and cleaning interdental spaces, also recalling the impact that dietary habits can have on oral health, especially in an age group in which the frequent consumption of sugary or acidic drinks can favour enamel demineralisation.

Ottaviani and Rupel, on the other hand, addressed the issue of early diagnosis of oral carcinoma, focusing on the main risk factors and on the importance of screening and prevention, also in relation to the spread of HPV. In this context, they also recalled the importance of vaccination, with particular attention to the need to strengthen information and uptake among younger people.

Milena Cadenaro devoted her speech to dental trauma, highlighting how the promptness of intervention is crucial in emergency cases and drawing attention to correct behaviours that can make a difference in the first stages after an injury. Among the useful tools mentioned during the event was the ToothSOS app, developed by the International Association of Dental Traumatology, designed to provide practical guidance in urgent situations.

With Luca Contardo, the focus shifted to the role of the smile and orthodontics in the psychological and social dimension, highlighting the link between oral health, self-esteem, quality of relationships and self-perception. Giulio Marchesi, in turn, explored the relationship between oral signs and eating disorders, stressing how dentists can help identify at an early stage situations of vulnerability that require attention and multidisciplinary care.

Alongside awareness-raising, the initiative presented to the student community the opportunity to access 200 free dental check-ups, scheduled over four days at the Dental Clinic of Ospedale Maggiore.

The check-ups will be carried out by sixth-year students of the Single-Cycle Master’s Degree in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics, under the supervision of faculty members. This approach also strengthens the educational value of the initiative and its closeness to the student community.

UniTS students will be able to book a check-up by logging in with their institutional credentials at the following link: https://moodle2.units.it/course/view.php?id=16528.

Once logged in, each student will be able to choose a preferred time slot among those available on the different scheduled days, with the possibility of changing the booking until all places are filled.

During the event, it was also recalled that the Dental Emergency Service at Ospedale Maggiore remains active for emergencies and can be accessed directly in the event of trauma or acute pain.

Thanks to the activities carried out by the iNEST consortium, funded by the NRRP, Trieste has established itself as a strategic hub for the development and testing of innovative solutions in the maritime sector, fostering synergies between research, industry and public governance.

These collaborations were at the heart of the international workshop ‘Marine Digital Twins: coasts, ports and infrastructures for sustainable management, system integration and blue economy development’, an initiative that showcased results and ongoing activities related to advanced digital solutions for the sustainable management of marine and coastal systems.

The event brought together in Trieste representatives from academia, research bodies – in particular the OGS (National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics) – public authorities, port authorities and industry stakeholders, fostering a structured dialogue on the use of Marine Digital Twins (MDT) as a key tool for the green and digital transition of the maritime sector: an important opportunity for networking and co-design, aimed at developing future project proposals and consolidating international partnerships in the field of marine digital twins.

Marine Digital Twins for the green and digital transition

Marine Digital Twins represent an enabling technology for the integration of environmental and infrastructural data, real-time monitoring and the simulation of complex scenarios, supporting evidence-based policies and more efficient decision-making processes.

The workshop highlighted the results of the activities carried out by the Universities of Trieste, Padua, Venice and Trento and by OGS as part of iNEST Spoke 8 for the Upper Adriatic area. Application cases were also illustrated, such as DIGITPORTS, in which the Port Authorities of Trieste and Monfalcone are key players, and the GEMINI project developed by a consortium of companies funded by INEST. The focus was on the potential of Digital Twins to support infrastructure resilience, environmental compliance and the optimisation of port operations.

International cooperation and the macro-regional dimension

The workshop was coordinated by Pierluigi Barbieri, professor at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Trieste. The international and macro-regional dimension of the initiative were strengthened by the participation of experts from the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara and Mersin, including Mustafa Yücel and Elif Sürer, who presented results and technologies developed for the creation of Digital Twins in the Black Sea basin.

The discussion highlighted the importance of a coordinated approach across various European and neighbouring sea basins, in line with the European Union’s strategies for territorial cooperation and the sustainable management of marine resources. Collaborations were presented involving the presence of the Tekmer NETZERO technology centre in Ankara at the Lab Village of the Urban Centre in Trieste, managed by the Upper Adriatic Technology Hub.

Towards integrated digital ecosystems for the sea

The discussion sessions highlighted the potential of Marine Digital Twins to support integrated coastal zone planning, smart port infrastructure management, the development of the Blue Economy, and climate change resilience. The need emerged to strengthen data interoperability, integration between digital platforms, and the active involvement of public and private stakeholders.

The University of Trieste is strengthening its participation in Transform4Europe (T4EU), the European University Alliance that promotes shared pathways in research, education and innovation among partner institutions. In the second seed funding call run by T4EU, UniTS has had two UniTS-led proposals selected among the winning projects: both come from the Department of Humanities (DISU) and are led by Professors Federico Baricci and Paolo Sorzio.

Seed funding provides agile, targeted support designed to grow new international collaborations: it finances start-up activities—such as joint design work, content development, working meetings and first outputs—that help teams turn an idea into a structured initiative. One of the programme’s main aims is to foster projects that lead to joint educational pathways and micro-credentials. As for duration, each project can run from twelve to fourteen months. Within T4EU, grants go up to 22,000 euros and cover a maximum of 80 per cent of total eligible costs, with co-funding provided by partners. More information

A joint Master’s programme in Romance languages: PLURIEL

The project coordinated by Prof. Federico Baricci, together with Prof. Sergia Adamo, aims to create a joint Master’s degree programme provisionally titled PLURIEL – Plurilingualism and Interculturality in Romance-Language Spaces, developed with three partner universities: Université Jean Monnet de Saint-Étienne (France), Universidad de Alicante (Spain) and Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Portugal).

For UniTS, the most important expected output is the launch of an international educational pathway that integrates linguistic and cultural expertise across four Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese), with a strong emphasis on interculturality and multilingual teamwork. The programme also includes compulsory mobility in the third semester at one of the partner institutions and an international internship in the fourth semester, enhancing the programme’s attractiveness and supporting professional profiles oriented towards intercultural communication, cultural project design and cooperation.

Critical Pedagogy: micro-credentials and guidelines for a democratic school

The project coordinated by Prof. Paolo Sorzio, together with Professors Caterina Bembich and Barbara Bocchi, will run for 14 months and has a budget of 22,000 euros. The partners involved are the University of Primorska (Slovenia) and Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas (Lithuania).

The initiative focuses on developing micro-credentials devoted to the principles and good practices of Critical Pedagogy, an approach that critically reflects on the assumptions underpinning teaching and aims to create learning environments that can support advanced competences: reasoning under uncertainty, framing complex problems, and recognising and addressing key issues related to active citizenship.

“The project aims to provide a critical analysis of the implicit assumptions within school practice that may hinder the full participation of all students, and to develop guidelines for a democratic school,” explains Prof. Sorzio.

For UniTS, the expected output is twofold: on the one hand, the production of certifiable, modular and transferable training contents (micro-credentials); on the other, the definition of operational indications that can support more inclusive and mindful teaching—strengthening the University’s contribution to European educational initiatives and enabling replicable pathways also in collaboration with schools and the wider community.

A trajectory already underway: UniTS projects funded in 2024

This success in the second call builds on a trajectory UniTS has already developed within T4EU seed funding. In 2024, the University secured three further projects: two submitted by the Department of Economics, Management, Mathematics and Statistics (DEAMS) led by Prof. Rubina Romanello, and one by the Department of Life Sciences (DSV) led by Prof. Eleonora Malfatti.

Key outputs included: a faculty exchange initiative on corporate innovation and sustainability (with the University of Alicante and the University of Primorska); a project on the role of T4EU universities in supporting social innovations in the circular economy—concluded in December 2025—and the MINOX2ME initiative on microbial processes linked to greenhouse gases in Mediterranean wetlands, with a citizen science component connected to the natural and cultural heritage of salt marshes.

Taken together, these results show how Transform4Europe is becoming an increasingly strategic area for UniTS to develop joint initiatives, connect complementary expertise and help projects mature into tangible results—from new international educational pathways to innovative training tools, as well as research collaborations and knowledge transfer.

Upcoming opportunities: the third call is now open

The third call of the Seed Funding Programme is open until 15 March 2026; a fourth call will follow, with publication scheduled for early May 2026.

All details (eligibility, grant amounts and how to apply) are available on the official programme page: https://transform4europe.eu/seed-funding-programme/#grant-amounts

Demographics, digital transformation and the brain drain were the focus of the meeting organised by the Portogruaro Campus Foundation, which brought together Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and Donata Vianelli, Rector of UniTS.

The discussion highlighted the strategic role of universities as drivers of cultural, social and economic development supporting innovation, research and regional competitiveness. In particular, they discussed the need to strengthen links between universities, the business sector and local communities emerged as a key approach to tackle the challenges of the knowledge economy.

The focus was on the North-East, a region that must retain talent and foster dialogue with businesses, especially in light of data on youth mobility: over 450,000 Italians moved abroad between 2011 and 2021.

Other key issues included the impact of demographics on the university system, the decline in enrolments and the need to make universities more attractive internationally.

‘The issue of brain drain must be addressed with a broad perspective: internationalisation is a value and studying abroad represents an important opportunity for our students, but it is equally necessary to create the conditions for the skills acquired to return and generate value in their home regions,’ emphasised Rector Lippiello. ‘Today, the competitive salaries offered by other countries, the clarity of career prospects and, in certain fields such as STEM disciplines, the tendency of some companies to recruit young people before they have completed their university studies all play a significant role.’

‘The impact of demographic trends on universities is already very evident and, in some respects, is felt earlier than in other sectors. The decline in enrolment is intertwined with other structural challenges, such as the difficulty of offering competitive prospects compared to other European countries and the persistence of obstacles in career paths, starting with those for women,’ highlighted Rector Vianelli. ‘Universities cannot directly influence demographic trends, but they can and must strengthen their ability to support students, make themselves more attractive internationally, and create environments that are increasingly conducive to people’s education and development.’

Also present at the meeting was Massimo Forliti, a board member of the Portogruaro Campus Foundation.

Training, professional growth and the enhancement of female talent were at the heart of the meeting that saw the Rector of the University of Trieste, Donata Vianelli, as a guest of Wärtsilä as part of the initiative Training as a lever for continuous professional development: Stories of Women Growing.

The event provided an opportunity to reflect on the role that universities and businesses can play together in promoting more inclusive working environments, able to recognise and nurture talent, starting with female talent. In this context, particular attention was devoted to the value of training as a means of supporting professional paths that are stronger, more aware and open to growth.

In her speech, the Rector highlighted the importance of structured collaboration between the University and the productive sector, understood as a reciprocal exchange of skills, perspectives and needs. On the one hand, the University helps train people who are prepared to face the transformations of the world of work; on the other, dialogue with companies makes it possible to gain a closer understanding of how professional roles are evolving and of the cultural and organisational challenges shaping contemporary contexts.

From this perspective, the theme of female empowerment is linked not only to access to opportunities, but also to the possibility of consolidating skills, responsibilities and leadership over time, overcoming barriers and gaps that still limit the full recognition of women’s potential.

Alongside Rector Donata Vianelli, the panel, moderated by RAI journalist Francesca Terranova, featured contributions from Emanuela Rusconi, General Manager, Maintenance Management, and Paola Russo, a teacher at the Volta Institute in Trieste, together with a group of female students. The discussion focused on women’s professional growth, inclusion and the value of training as a concrete lever to support personal development and reduce the gender gap in education and career paths.

On this occasion, the Rector also met Gianluca Bertossi, Managing Director of Wärtsilä Italia, together with other company executives, representatives and staff, laying the groundwork for further areas of future collaboration. The visit then continued in several areas of the production site, including the WL&SA workshop, the Technical Labs and Product Validation, offering an opportunity to gain a closer look at the company’s activities, processes and operational contexts.

Trieste will once again host the regional selection for the Neuroscience Olympics, scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 13 March at 9.30 in the Luttazzi Room (Warehouse 26). The initiative has been organised by the University of Trieste since 2010 thanks to an agreement with Immaginario Scientifico Science Centre and with the support of the Municipality of Trieste. The project is coordinated by professor Paola Lorenzon of UniTS Department of Life Sciences.

Students from 13 secondary schools will participate in the competition: IIS Linussio in Codroipo, ISIS Magrini-Marchetti in Gemona del Friuli, ISIS D'Annunzio-Fabiani in Gorizia, Liceo Buonarroti in Monfalcone, Liceo Leopardi-Majorana in Pordenone, ISIS Manzini in San Daniele del Friuli, ISIS Paschini-Linussio in Tolmezzo, ITS Deledda-Fabiani and Liceo Galilei in Trieste, and ISIS Malignani, Liceo Copernico, Liceo Marinelli and Liceo Stellini in Udine.

The participants in the competition, some of the best students in the region with a passion for neuroscience, will compete on topics such as intelligence, memory, emotions, stress, ageing, neural plasticity, sleep and diseases of the nervous system. It will be an opportunity to explore topics that are often overlooked in school programmes but are arousing increasing curiosity among young people and can open up new perspectives for study and research.

In the morning Enrico Tongiorgi, full professor of Comparative Cellular and Developmental Biology at UniTS Department of Life Sciences will talk about the brain during adolescence. The day will end with a special visit to the Immaginario Scientifico.

The winner of the competition will go on to the national final of the Neuroscience Olympiad, scheduled for 22-23 May in Camerino (Italy). Here, the Italian representative who will participate in the international competition will be selected.

The Neuroscience Olympiad is the Italian selection for the International Brain Bee (IBB). The initiative, which began in the United States in 1998, now involves over 50 countries around the world. In Italy, it is promoted by the Italian Society for Neuroscience (SINS), the leading national scientific society dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of the nervous system and its diseases.