On Friday 1st August, the final meeting of the first cycle of seminars entitled ‘A scuola di cittadinanza, un percorso condiviso’ will take place at Gorizia Prison as part of the University of Trieste’s Public and Social Commitment Project, conceived and coordinated by Prof. Elisabetta De Giorgi of the Department of Political and Social Sciences. 

The project is aimed at inmates at Gorizia Prison. Its aim is to tackle the issue of legality and try to understand why respecting the rules is so important, since living within a community involves having rights which we often ignore and duties which we sometimes perceive only as obligations. 

During this first cycle of seminars, academic speakers addressed various topics. These included rules in general, who makes them and why they exist, with Prof. Elisabetta De Giorgi, democracy, participation and the right to vote, with Prof. Mattia Zulianello, equality and social rights, with Prof. Chiara Bergonzini, and labour law and the right to work, with Prof. Roberta Nunin. The starting point for each meeting was the binomial rights/duties, in order to highlight the relevance of legal norms in everyday life through the concrete experiences of the participants. 

The feedback given by participants was extremely positive, demonstrating how much interest was aroused by the proposed topics and the opportunity to discuss them with experts. Attendance remained constant over time, despite the fact that the sessions sometimes coincided with other more practical courses, which are abundant at Gorizia Prison, a prime example of the good management and treatment of prisoners.

It is with a special mention of the Gorizia Prison that this first phase of the University of Trieste's collaboration with a penal institution comes to a close. It is thanks to the prison administration, and especially the prison director, Caterina Leva, and Margherita Venturoli, head of the education department, that it has been possible to start this valuable project, which will continue in the autumn with another series of seminars whose topics will be decided with the prisoners. Finally, special recognition goes to Massimo Bressan, a tireless volunteer at the prison, whose support has been fundamental throughout the process.

At such a dramatic time for Italian prisons, it is significant to recall the words of President Sergio Mattarella during his meeting at the Quirinale with the Head of the Department of Prison Administration and a delegation from the prison police: 'Prisons must not become training grounds for new crimes, nor places of hopelessness, but must be effectively geared towards the rehabilitation of those who have made mistakes. Every rehabilitated prisoner is an advance in security for the community, as well as being the goal of a commitment that is well known and constitutional.'

Universities can and must also play a role in achieving this goal.

The collection of 20th-century paintings on display in the Rectorate's halls has just been enhanced with new lighting. 

Two levels of light interact and illuminate the space, creating a skilful balance of contrasts: general lighting to guide visitors through the exhibition, and lighting focussed on each individual work to show it at its best. 

Thanks to this new lighting, reflections are no longer visible on the paintings, and through wireless controls, the amount of light can be adjusted according to the maximum annual illuminance requirements of each work, optimising their conservation. 

The high-quality LEDs do not emit UV or infrared rays, making them particularly suitable for preventing deterioration of the works, ensuring maximum colour rendering, energy saving and prolonging their life. 

The project was overseen by Ilaria Garofolo, former Deputy Rector for Energy and Building Management, under the supervision of UniTS Office for Utilities and Facilities.

“Starting September 1st, ARDIS – the Regional Agency for the Right to Education – will manage the complex of the former Military Hospital in agreement with the University of Trieste. The site will become a new Student Residence within the Trieste university campus. The agreement aims to increase the number of accommodations for talented and financially disadvantaged students on regional scholarship rankings, even before the major renovation works at Residence E4 are completed. Meanwhile, we are also working on the construction of a new large student housing complex in the former Rossetti Barracks, which will offer at least 50 beds along with communal living spaces.”

These were the words of Alessia Rosolen, Regional Councillor for Education, commenting on the additional resources allocated in the budget adjustment for university housing.

“The regional investment in student accommodation totals around €50 million,” she specified, “plus an additional €3.5 million approved yesterday with the budget amendment.”

“These are strategic interventions for our university system,” Rosolen added, “that concretely strengthen the right to education and respond to the increasing demand for student housing, helping make Friuli Venezia Giulia more and more attractive for those choosing to study in our region.”

The new residence hall at 76 Via Rossetti, designed primarily for medical students, will offer over 50 beds, while the former Military Hospital complex at 40 Via Fabio Severo will host an additional 176 students under the renewed agreement between the Regional Administration and the University of Trieste.

Both buildings are located near the University of Trieste and the Maggiore and Cattinara hospitals, and will be managed by ARDIS under multi-year agreements.

For the Rossetti Barracks project, the Regional Administration has already allocated €13.5 million (€10 million in 2023 and an additional €3.5 million with the newly approved adjustment law). The intervention includes the construction of new housing units featuring single rooms and shared mini-apartments, along with study rooms, shared kitchens, and a dining hall.

The Via Fabio Severo building will be managed by ARDIS through a renewable five-year agreement with the University of Trieste. It will temporarily replace the E4 Student Residence, which previously provided 124 beds. Beginning in the 2025/2026 academic year, the agreement will also allocate 63 additional accommodations to students from the Collegio Universitario di Merito Fonda.

“We are working to increase the number of student accommodations throughout Friuli Venezia Giulia,” Rosolen added. “We recently approved the Three-Year Guidelines for the Right to University Education, which foresee an increase of around 266 beds across the region in the coming years. Providing out-of-town students with access to university, along with full coverage of scholarships, remains a priority in ensuring everyone’s right to study.”

“Expanding student housing is a top priority for the University of Trieste,” stated Rector Roberto Di Lenarda. “It’s not only a valuable service, but also a way to increase the university’s appeal for talented and motivated students at a time when our institution is rapidly expanding. The new academic offerings, particularly in Master’s degree programs, are generating significant interest among students who see Trieste as one of the most appealing destinations for higher education. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Regional Councillor Rosolen for her ongoing sensitivity to the needs of our university system.”

On 28th July, the World Health Organization (WHO) marks World Hepatitis Day with the aim of raising public awareness about viral infections affecting the liver and promoting effective strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

On this occasion, Professor Lory Crocè, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Trieste and Heaf of the Department of Liver Diseases at the local healthcare provider (ASUGI), is promoting a free screening day open to the public.

This initiative offers everyone the opportunity to access simple but essential tests to assess liver health and detect early signs of viral hepatitis infection. Available screenings include a rapid capillary test for hepatitis C, targeted at individuals excluded from regional screening (born before 1969 or after 1989), as well as blood sampling for serological screening offered to people within the specified age group. Thanks to collaboration with Echosens, participants will also have access to FibroScan examinations, a non-invasive test measuring liver stiffness to detect signs of fibrosis.

Chronic viral hepatitis remains a significant public health threat, partly because it often remains asymptomatic for years until severe complications such as cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma develop. The spread of hepatitis C, in particular, was facilitated for decades by the lack of effective therapies and low awareness of the risks. Today, however, thanks to direct-acting antiviral drugs, over 98% of patients can be cured with short, well-tolerated, and easy-to-administer treatments. Early identification of infection is therefore crucial to halting its spread and reducing disease progression and mortality.

Regarding hepatitis B, research has also yielded important results: the compulsory vaccination introduced in Italy in 1992 has significantly reduced new cases, while nucleos(t)ide analogue therapies effectively suppress viral replication, improving the quality and life expectancy of people with chronic liver disease.

The screening event organised by the Complex Unit of Liver Diseases is made possible thanks to the collaboration and patronage of the University of Trieste, ASUGI, the Trieste Physiologists’ Association, the Trieste Nursing Professionals’ Association, the main Italian scientific societies in hepatology and gastroenterology – ASIF, FISMAD, and SIGE – as well as LILT. Patient associations including EpaC and AMAF, along with FIF health workers providing health education and information, also play a key role during the day.

Those interested can book a place by calling +39 040 3992953 on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11:00 to 12:00. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Firefighters Department, Public Rescue and Civil Defence – Provincial Command of the Trieste Fire Brigade will conduct fire prevention, firefighting, and emergency management training courses over the next three years for designated UniTS staff.

The Agreement provides both Level 3 fire safety officer training courses (formerly high-risk activities), lasting 16 hours (12 hours of theory and 4 hours of practice), and 8-hour refresher courses (5 hours of theory and 3 hours of practice).

Upon completion of each course, the Provincial Command will issue a technical qualification certificate.

With the coordination of its Prevention and Protection Service and in a perspective of continuous improvement of safety standards, the University of Trieste has appointed over 130 Level 3 Fire Safety Officers across its facilities. Thanks to this Agreement, staff will attend the required refresher courses at the scheduled five-year intervals. Further appointments are planned in the near future to cover staff turnover.

In the field of health safety and first aid emergency management, the University has also appointed and trained, in close collaboration with ASUGI, 160 employees as First Aid Officers, qualified to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use semi-automatic defibrillators (BLS-D). The University currently provides around 60 defibrillators, some of which are located in mobile surveillance vehicles.

Completing the emergency management framework, UniTS has a 24/7 professional security service, with staff trained to handle various types of emergencies.

Andreina Contessa, former Director of the Historical Museum and Park of Miramare Castle and member of the Board of Directors of the University of Trieste since November 2022, has been appointed Director of the new museum complex uniting the Galleria dell’Accademia and the Bargello Museums in Florence.

An accomplished museum curator, art historian, and expert in digital cataloguing and sustainability in museums, Contessa led the profound transformation and enhancement of the renowned cultural site in Trieste, which saw its visitor numbers double. Since 2020, she has also headed the Regional Directorate of Museums in Friuli Venezia Giulia.

In her new prestigious role, which also includes the Medici Chapels, Orsanmichele, Palazzo Davanzati, and Casa Martelli, Contessa will oversee the preservation of some of Italy’s greatest artistic treasures, from Michelangelo’s David to masterpieces by Donatello, Giotto, Cellini, and Ghiberti.

The Rector, Roberto Di Lenarda, and the General Director, Luciana Rozzini, on behalf of the entire academic community, congratulate Dr. Andreina Contessa on this significant appointment, which highlights her outstanding professional and scientific profile and is a source of pride for the University, which has long valued her contribution as a Board member.

The University of Trieste is hosting the second edition of the international Summer School "Sustainability and Digitalization in the Blue Economy", organized by the University as part of the iNEST – Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem (funded by the PNRR – NextGenerationEU) and Interreg Italy–Croatia MareSkill projects.

The initiative involves the Departments of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics “Bruno de Finetti” (DEAMS), Engineering and Architecture (DIA), and Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences (MIGe), with the support of OGS – National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, and the Port Network Authority of the Eastern Adriatic Sea.

Entirely held in English, the Summer School welcomes 28 participants, including master’s and doctoral students, from Iran, Croatia, Serbia, Pakistan, Ghana, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Morocco, Moldova, and Italy. The initiative offers multidisciplinary training on sustainability and digitalization in the Blue Economy, with a focus on port systems, shipbuilding, maritime transport, and marine resource management.

The program includes lectures, workshops, group activities, and technical visits to the Port of Trieste, the Groupe Beneteau Italia shipyard, the Fincantieri SpA shipyard in Monfalcone, the San Giovanni di Duino water system, and the wastewater treatment plant managed by AcegasApsAmga.

These visits give participants the opportunity to explore technologies, processes, and sustainable strategies adopted by leading industrial and infrastructure centers in the Blue Economy.

Lectures are delivered by professors and experts from the University of Trieste and OGS on topics such as digital innovation in ship design, port intermodality, decarbonization in maritime transport, marine Digital Twins, and artificial intelligence applied to the Blue Economy. The week will conclude with a project workshop, where participants will present innovative ideas inspired by the topics addressed.

This initiative is a tangible example of international cooperation, networking, multidisciplinarity, and the connection between academia, industry, and institutions, which are at the core of the iNEST project.

The INEST Summer School is funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.5 – Creation and strengthening of “Innovation Ecosystems for Sustainability,” project iNEST – Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem, Cross-Cutting Activity CC4 “Education & Lifelong Learning” – CUP J43C22000320006 – Funded by the European Union, NextGenerationEU.

The University of Trieste has signed a four-year Framework Agreement with the ‘Mattador’ Association to acquire, preserve and promote the cultural works created over its first 15 years of activity in the audiovisual and creative fields.

The association is the creator of the International Mattador Screenwriting Award dedicated to Matteo Caenazzo, aimed at young screenwriters, directors and concept designers aged between 16 and 30, both Italian and international. Over the years, this Trieste-based initiative has gained international recognition and prestige.

Through UniTS Museum Services (smaTs), the University of Trieste will gradually acquire the screenplays, short films, backstage videos and published books, overseeing their restoration, preservation, digitisation and promotion. A dedicated multimedia archive will be established – the Matteo Caenazzo fund and Mattador Award – which will serve as the foundation for cultural activities, public and social engagement initiatives designed to involve young people and the university community in the audiovisual and creative sectors.

The ‘Mattador’ cultural association has, over the course of its work, awarded more than 130 young authors, 80% of whom have found employment in the film industry. It has also granted over 80 scholarships and organised 15 Artist Prizes.

The initiative is dedicated to Matteo Caenazzo, a talented and eclectic young artist from Trieste, who graduated in decorative painting at the city’s art school and was awarded an honorary degree in film by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. He expressed himself through painting, photography, video and writing, eventually embracing screenwriting. His artistic and professional dream was tragically cut short by his premature death at just 23 years old. By fostering creativity, research and outreach in the audiovisual sector, the University of Trieste will contribute to enabling new young talents to flourish in the spirit of Matteo’s poetic vision and passions.

A five-year agreement was signed today between the University of Trieste and the Trieste Court to allow two individuals on ‘probation’ (a legal measure offering an alternative to criminal prosecution) to carry out community service activities within the University.

The probation measure allows defendants, under certain conditions, to avoid criminal proceedings by completing a period of supervised rehabilitation, the length of which is determined by a judge. This involves making amends for the harm caused by the offence, including offering one’s time and skills free of charge in service to the community through socially useful work.

Probation is one of several ‘community-based’ measures which, in Italy and across Europe, have been shown to reduce reoffending. These measures create alternative paths to justice for defendants and convicted individuals, encouraging lawful reintegration and fostering a sense of accountability towards victims and society.

The activities agreed with UniTS will be carried out free of charge at one of the university’s sites and include reception services, support for staff and administrative work, maintenance of green spaces and cleaning of outdoor areas, minor maintenance tasks, safeguarding of libraries and internal spaces, and assistance in ensuring the accessibility and protection of the university’s cultural and archival heritage. The role may also include welcoming and assisting university users and supporting event preparation. In addition to these, participants may propose other tasks aligned with their specific skills.

The agreement was signed by the Rector of the University of Trieste, Roberto Di Lenarda, and the President of the Court of Trieste, Igor Maria Rifiorati.

The European MammoWave trial has begun at Cattinara Hospital. It involves the use of an innovative breast imaging technology based on non-ionising microwaves. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of this new system for breast cancer screening.

The study is open to asymptomatic women in the screening age group (45–74 years) who have had a mammogram within the last 30 days or have one scheduled.

Participation is free and voluntary.

The examination is carried out at the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at Cattinara Hospital, directed by Professor Maria Assunta Cova, in the clinic dedicated to the MammoWave study.

The centre is one of ten selected across Europe to take part in this international clinical trial, which will involve over 10,000 women in five countries.

What is MammoWave?

MammoWave is a medical device that uses very low-power microwaves to create a map of breast tissue, with no need for compression or contrast agents.

The examination is quick, safe and non-invasive.

Thanks to advanced software and artificial intelligence algorithms, the system can detect any abnormalities in the tissue, classifying them as either “suspicious” or “non-suspicious”.

A step forward in prevention

Taking part in this study means actively contributing to the development of new methods for early breast cancer detection – methods that are more accessible, safer and suitable for repeat use over time.

Where and how to take part

Participation includes:

• a brief eligibility interview
• the examination (approximately 15 minutes)
• no use of ionising radiation or breast compression.

Info:

Tel. 0403994862; mammowavetrieste@gmail.com