The project ‘Dutch as a key to collaboration between businesses and universities’, funded by the Dutch Language Union (Nederlandse Taalunie) and launched in 2024 within the Dutch section of SSLMIT (departmental division of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators) has come to an end.

The project was created with the aim of enhancing the strategic role of the Dutch language as a bridge between academic education and the world of work, strengthening dialogue between universities and the productive system from an international perspective.

In a European context characterised by growing economic, logistical and cultural interconnections, particularly with the Netherlands and Flanders, specialist language skills remain an important factor in employability and professional development.

The project culminated in January 2026 in an event that brought together representatives from the business world, institutions and students for a day of conferences, round tables and job fairs. The meeting provided a concrete space for dialogue between skills supply and deman, demonstrating how even a less widely spoken language can play a strategic role in building qualified career paths and promoting lasting collaborations between universities and businesses.

Representatives from the academic, institutional and business worlds were present, including Vice-Rector Mauro Tretiach, Vice-Rector for Industrial and Community Relations Guido Bortoluzzi, Taalunie, Flanders Investment and Trade, the Port Authority of Trieste, Alpe Adria S.p.A., together with companies from the region and abroad.

Also present were Cristina Sbaizero, CEO of the World Trade Centre Trieste, and Stefano Musilli, representing the Consulate of the Netherlands.

Finally, Caffè Eppinger hosted a job fair where Dutch language students met directly with companies interested in hiring people with this type of language skill, both for internships and future employment.

From regenerating the heart to designing more efficient solar cells: FIS (Fondo Italiano per la Scienza) has allocated a further €3 million to two cutting-edge research projects at the University of Trieste. Funding has been awarded to SOFTEN, focused on new approaches to reversing fibrosis and promoting cardiac tissue regeneration, and to A DIGITal twin for efficient solar CELLs, set to develop a ‘digital twin’ capable of simulating a solar cell in all its complexity and of accelerating, in a predictive way, the discovery of new photovoltaic materials.

FIS is an initiative of the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR) which supports excellent research modelled on the European ERC programmes, with competitive schemes designed to accompany researchers through different stages of their careers. The two grants obtained confirm UniTS’s ability to produce cutting-edge research while also acting as an attractive hub for projects that are highly competitive at the international level.

The project SOFTEN – Reversal of cardiac fibrosis and promotion of tissue regeneration through controlled SOFTENing of the extracellular matrix milieu, coordinated by Pasquale Sacco of the Department of Life Sciences, has been awarded around €1.65 million and addresses one of the most complex challenges in contemporary medicine: after an injury, the adult human heart is unable to regenerate effectively and tends to develop fibrosis, compromising its function.

The idea stems from observations in species such as the zebrafish, which can regenerate the heart thanks to a temporary ‘softening’ of the extracellular matrix. SOFTEN aims to reproduce and control this behaviour using specifically designed biomaterials, combining polymer chemistry, materials design and cellular and molecular biology methods to understand and steer the mechanisms of cardiac tissue repair.

The project A DIGITal twin for efficient solar CELLs, funded with around €1.33 million, is led by Virginia Carnevali, who will move from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) to the Department of Physics at the University of Trieste to carry out the study.

The research aims to develop a digital twin of a solar cell capable of simulating the device in its full physical and structural complexity and of providing predictive insight both into conversion efficiency and into the discovery of new photovoltaic materials. The approach combines quantum simulations, molecular dynamics, statistical methods and experimental data, with the goal of bringing fundamental research and device engineering closer together in a key field for renewable energy.

As the researcher explains, Trieste and the Department of Physics were chosen for their internationally recognised expertise in developing codes and simulation techniques to study the structural and electronic properties of materials. The city also offers outstanding experimental facilities and a consolidated network of scientific partnerships built up since her PhD, which she completed in Trieste.

The FIS grants awarded to the projects led by Sacco and Carnevali add to the three already announced on 1st December 2025, attributed to Paolo Fornasiero (€2.3 million) and Federico Rosei (€1.9 million) of the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and to Matteo Marinelli (€1.1 million) of the Department of Physics. Five UniTS projects have been awarded funding by FIS in this round, amounting to €8.2 million overall.

‘We are very satisfied with these results,’ commented Rector Donata Vianelli. ‘FIS applies particularly rigorous criteria in evaluating projects, and the outcome confirms the University of Trieste’s ability to develop research that attracts funding and, in this case, human capital as well. The selected programmes reflect our commitment to key research areas: from biomedical research and biomaterials to tackle major health challenges, to advanced modelling of materials and devices for renewable energy.’

On 26th January 2026, Paolo Cendon, former full professor of Foundations of Private Law and long-time Head of the Institute of Law of the Faculty of Economics, passed away.

The ‘Bruno de Finetti’ Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics (DEAMS) and the Department of Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies (IUSLIT) remember his academic work, carried out with great passion and dedication.

He joined the University of Trieste in 1971, after graduating in Law at the University of Pavia with a thesis supervised by Rodolfo Sacco. His research results – consisting of monographs, essays, commentaries, editorial series and online journals, including Persona & Danno – enjoyed wide international renown. He had a profound and lasting impact on fundamental aspects of civil law, opening up new and highly significant interpretative perspectives, not only for the Italian legal system. His reflections spanned various crucial areas: from civil liability to the protection of mental illness, from the elaboration of existential damage to the search for less authoritarian and more respectful forms of protection of vulnerable people. A prime example of this is the creation of the measure of supportive administration, whose legislative framework owes much to his thinking and his scientific and cultural commitment.

His lectures and lessons remain unforgettable for their intensity, clarity and originality: the rigour of law was accompanied by examples taken from everyday life, made particularly effective by his sparkling narrative skills, which he also expressed in highly acclaimed works of fiction.

Dialogue, listening and intellectual curiosity characterised his method of teaching and scientific debate, making him an essential point of reference for colleagues and students.

Finally, we cannot forget the happy intuition that, in the 1980s, led him to involve friends and like-minded scholars in the meetings of the Circolo di Venezia (Venice circle), thus planting the seed from which numerous projects and initiatives have sprouted.

Paolo Cendon leaves a legacy that goes beyond books and articles: a way of understanding law as a space for attention to others and as an ethical practice, even before a technical one. His lesson will continue to guide the work of those who believe in a deeply human way of studying law.

In occasione del Giorno della Memoria, l’Università di Trieste promuove, in collaborazione con Stazione Rogers, il 12° Convegno multidisciplinare “Convivere con Auschwitz”, in programma oggi alle 17 al Teatro Miela, .

Nato per mettere in dialogo saperi diversi e tenere viva una riflessione scientifica e civile sulle memorie della Shoah e della deportazione, il convegno propone, nella giornata che celebra le vittime dell’Olocausto, un percorso di approfondimento che unisce ricerca, testimonianze e linguaggi culturali.

L’edizione 2026 di Convivere con Auschwitz, caratterizzata dal sottotitolo “e l’umana barbarie”, delinea una lettura tra memoria storica e attualità: l’esperienza di Auschwitz non è solo un capitolo del passato, ma un criterio per riconoscere i segnali della disumanizzazione quando riemergono linguaggi d’odio, pregiudizi e forme di intolleranza, fino alla violenza contro i civili.

In questa prospettiva si colloca la presenza di ospiti che, da contesti diversi, riportano l’attenzione sul valore della testimonianza e della responsabilità individuale. Dal Giappone, Terumi Tanaka, Premio Nobel per la Pace 2024 e rappresentante di Nihon Hidankyo (l’associazione dei sopravvissuti alle bombe atomiche di Hiroshima e Nagasaki), porta al convegno uno sguardo che connette tra loro le memorie dei grandi traumi del Novecento e il loro insegnamento per il nostro tempo.

Accanto alla riflessione, trovano spazio anche i linguaggi della cultura e del teatro: Giorgio Cantarini torna al convegno con un monologo dedicato a Giorgio Perlasca, per ricordare come, anche nelle fasi più buie, possano emergere scelte capaci di salvare vite. E l’intervento di Bruno Bozzetto – con la presentazione di un episodio di Allegro non troppo – contribuisce a ravvivare la memoria con la forza evocativa delle immagini, come strumento di consapevolezza e di educazione.

Il programma prevede, inoltre, la relazione del decano di Ateneo Mauro Barberis (“Inizio della barbarie e fine della scrittura”), l’approfondimento di Sabina Passamonti (Università di Trieste, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita) su “I novecento giorni di Leningrado. La fame come moderno strumento di guerra”, e la testimonianza di Giuseppe Cantarini (neuropsichiatra) su “La Memoria di Giosuè. Famiglia, Benigni, Perlasca”. In chiusura, spazio alla riflessione sulle immagini della guerra con Mauro Rossi su Henry Tonks e alla presentazione, a cura di Elena Tonzar (EUT – Edizioni Università di Trieste), dei volumi 10 e 11 del convegno disponibili su OpenStarTs; la conclusione è affidata a Gianni Peteani, con un intervento dedicato ad Anna Frank.

In apertura sono previsti i saluti istituzionali della rettrice Donata Vianelli, seguiti dagli interventi di Giuseppina Scavuzzo (presidente Stazione Rogers Trieste) e Enzo D’Antona (presidente Teatro Miela). Modera Pierluigi Sabatti, presidente del Circolo della Stampa di Trieste.

La direzione scientifica del Convegno è di Mauro Barberis, decano di Ateneo e docente di Filosofia del Diritto; l’organizzazione è curata da Gianni Peteani, presidente del Comitato permanente Ondina Peteani. 

L'evento è ad ingresso libero e sarà trasmesso anche in diretta streaming sui canali YouTube di Stazione Rogers e del Teatro Miela.

L'Università di Trieste, in occasione della Giorno della Memoria, illuminerà la facciata di rosso.

Teaching has begun for UniTS’s first‑level master degree courses in paediatric nursing for the 2025/2026 academic year. These two vocational masters are now widely recognised across Italy: Neonatal and Paediatric Nursing (now in its 11th edition) and Emergency Neonatal and Paediatric Nursing (now in its 6th edition).

Teaching combines lectures, practical workshops and advanced simulations, delivered by a high‑level faculty comprising UniTS academics, experts from the Burlo Garofolo paediatric research hospital and professionals from national and international healthcare institutions. Clinical placements, an integral part of the curriculum, take place in top-tier facilities.

Attending the inauguration were Regional Councillor for Health Riccardo Riccardi, the Rector of the University of Trieste Donata Vianelli, UniTS Director General Marco Porzionato, Burlo Garofolo Director General Francesca Tosolini, heads of programme professors Egidio Barbi and Andrea Taddio, President of the Trieste Nursing Association Michael Valentini, and President of the Italian Society of Neonatal Nursing (SIN-INF) Barbara Bernabei.

‘The University of Trieste’s medical programmes respond to the regional healthcare system’s need for highly trained personnel, in this case in nursing,’ stressed Rector Vianelli. ‘These two vocational masters confirm our commitment to offering courses aligned with the needs of the region and of our students. I would also underline the excellent collaboration in research and teaching with the Burlo Garofolo paediatric research hospital, a leading specialist centre operating at the highest level.’

‘These vocational masters’, stated the executive management of Burlo, ‘represent an opportunity for the Institute, long distinguished for its excellence in clinical care and advanced training. Being a scientific institute for clinical research means not only ensuring the highest quality of care, but also investing in the professional development of healthcare workers, training competent and highly-skilled professionals able to meet complex challenges, always prioritising the human side of care. This commitment is further strengthened thanks to the fruitful collaboration with the University of Trieste.’

During his talk, Councillor Riccardi highlighted the importance of integrating high‑level expertise within a complex and articulated healthcare system that must evolve radically to meet current health needs. ‘Those who choose to dedicate their time and energy to caring for people’s health should find environments that offer opportunities for professional growth,’ he concluded. ‘These vocational masters play a strategic role in this respect. They demonstrate that attracting qualified professionals to the region is possible when investment focuses not merely on financial measures, but on healthcare service models suited to our time.’

25 January 2026 marks ten years since the disappearance in Egypt of Giulio Regeni, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge who was kidnapped and tortured in Cairo while conducting research on independent trade unions. The UniTS community wishes to remember him as a symbol of freedom of research, continuing to demand truth and justice for his death. 

Over the years, Regeni's tragic story has triggered a virtuous process that has led the University of Trieste to equip itself with tools to improve the safety of those travelling abroad to areas at risk, a crucial issue not only for the University but also for other institutions and research bodies. This has contributed to the drafting of the “Guidelines for the safety of university staff in areas at geopolitical and socio-health risk”, adopted at national level by all public universities.

The University of Trieste expresses its deep sympathy and support for the Iranian community of students, research assistants and post-docs who live and study at UniTS at this critical time.

As a sign of solidarity and to reiterate the University's strong condemnation of all forms of violence, contempt for human life and violation of fundamental human rights, the University façade will go dark during the commemoration organised by Iranian students at UniTS, to be held in Piazzale Europa at 17:30.

An agreement has been signed between UniTS, ISPRA (Italian Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region for the creation of the ‘Cividale’ CARG sheet, as part of the national programme for creating a Geological Map of Italy. 

A CARG sheet refers to a portion of the national territory, corresponding to a defined cartographic area, for which an official geological map of Italy is produced at a 1:50,000 scale, accompanied by a database and an explanatory report.

The CARG Project is a national programme coordinated by ISPRA aimed at creating and updating the official Geological Map of Italy. Activities include detailed geological surveys, stratigraphic and structural analyses, and the organisation of data in a national geological database.

The products of the CARG Project constitute a fundamental knowledge for spatial planning, for supporting sustainable development policies and for preventing and mitigating natural risks, especially hydrogeological and seismic risks. The maps are used by public bodies, local administrations and professionals as a technical reference for land management, infrastructure design and environmental protection.

The agreement is part of a broader framework of activities carried out by UniTS over the last four years as part of the CARG Project. During this period, two other CARG sheets have been completed or are currently in progress: ‘Trieste–Caresana’ and ‘Gorizia’. The total funding for the three sheets coordinated by the University is around €1,700,000, coming largely from ISPRA and partly from the FVG Region.

The scientific director of the projects coordinated by the University of Trieste is Lorenzo Bonini, associate professor of Geology at the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Geosciences (MIGe).

‘Architecture and city. Learning from European Capitals of Culture’ can be downloaded free of charge from the Trieste University Press (EUT) catalogue https://eut.units.it/en/catalogo/architecture-and-city-learning-from-european-capitals-of-culture/10053

The volume explores forty years of the European Capital of Culture Programme as a tool for urban transformation and regeneration: this is the first organic attempt to ‘line up’ the European Capitals of Culture from Athens in 1985 to Nova Gorica/Gorizia in 2025 by systematically comparing them and highlighting the relationship between the Programme, related event, outcomes and, above all, legacy, i.e. their urban and architectural heritage. 

Between case studies, essays and mappings, the UniTS authors Thomas Bisiani, Sonia Prestamburgo and Adriano Venudo tell how architecture, temporary events, art, cultural events and strategies can generate new urban futures.

A collective and interdisciplinary journey that explores the image of the city and designs its evolving reality.

‘Architecture and city. Learning from European Capitals of Culture’ is the result of the teaching and research activities developed in the RRR Lab (2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years), with the contribution of the COLGO! and VAGO student associations.

The University of Trieste welcomed the visit of the Rector of Alpen-Adria Universität in Klagenfurt, prof. Ada Pellert, to consolidate the close relationship between the two universities in education and research and to open up new opportunities for cooperation on sustainability and public engagement issues. Particular attention was paid to relations with the economic and productive world.

During the meeting, Rector Vianelli recalled the key points of the collaboration with the Austrian university: the exchange agreements in various academic disciplines and departments within the Erasmus+ mobility programme, the joint commitment to the Summer School in Bovec and the joint participation in the activities of the Alps-Adriatic Rectors’ Conference.

There was great mutual interest in working on the future opening of joint courses in entrepreneurship training and in the area of Artificial Intelligence, as well as on the development of greater connections between research and local industries. The commitment to strengthen existing collaborations in the areas of Political Science and International Science, Engineering and Humanities was also confirmed.