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.

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

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.

Si è spento in questi giorni Romano Isler, stimato docente dell’Università di Trieste, autore di numerosi lavori scientifici, per molti anni alla guida del CUS Trieste in qualità di Presidente e figura centrale dello sport universitario nazionale dove ha ricoperto anche il ruolo di vicepresidente del CUSI.

Nato a Trieste nel 1941, Isler si è formato presso il Ginnasio Dante Alighieri e ha conseguito la laurea in Matematica nel 1965 con il massimo dei voti. Entrato in ruolo nel 1967 come assistente di Analisi matematica, ha svolto un’intensa attività didattica nei corsi di laurea di Ingegneria, Chimica ed Economia, contribuendo alla crescita di generazioni di studenti.

Dopo aver vinto i concorsi a professore associato e straordinario, è divenuto professore ordinario nel 1993, ricoprendo stabilmente la cattedra di Matematica generale. Accanto all’impegno didattico, ha svolto un’attività di ricerca di respiro internazionale: dapprima in topologia generale, poi nell’ambito della teoria delle decisioni e delle funzioni di utilità, in collaborazione con studiosi italiani e stranieri.

Isler ha inoltre dedicato energie e competenze alla vita istituzionale dell’Ateneo, ricoprendo ruoli di grande responsabilità: è stato Presidente dell’Opera Universitaria di Trieste (1979–1988) nonché componente del Comitato per lo Sport Universitario dell'ateneo, distinguendosi per l’attenzione costante al diritto allo studio e al benessere degli studenti.

La comunità universitaria ricorda in lui un docente rigoroso e appassionato, un ricercatore curioso e generoso, un collega stimato per equilibrio e disponibilità. Alla famiglia e a tutti coloro che gli sono stati vicini giungano le più sentite condoglianze dell’Ateneo.

È stato firmato nella Sala Cammarata del Rettorato il protocollo d’intesa tra l’Università di Trieste e la Croce Rossa Italiana – Comitato Regionale del Friuli Venezia Giulia ODV, alla presenza della Magnifica Rettrice, Donata Vianelli, e della Presidente regionale CRI, Ariella Testa. 

L’accordo, di durata triennale, avvia una collaborazione strutturata che mette a sistema competenze, esperienze e reti delle due istituzioni per sviluppare iniziative comuni su formazione, disseminazione, ricerca e progettualità innovative, con un’attenzione specifica al coinvolgimento della comunità studentesca e del volontariato. 

L’intesa definisce un quadro condiviso di lavoro orientato allo scambio di know-how e alla costruzione di attività di interesse comune: le parti intendono collaborare nella realizzazione di momenti formativi e di disseminazione, anche attraverso la partecipazione di docenti ed esperti alle iniziative promosse dall’Ateneo o dalla CRI, e nell’organizzazione di convegni, incontri e dibattiti accompagnati da azioni di comunicazione concordate per la promozione e la diffusione dei contenuti. 

Il protocollo prevede inoltre la promozione di studi, ricerche e pubblicazioni su temi condivisi e la creazione di partnership per la partecipazione a progetti europei e nazionali. 

Un elemento qualificante riguarda la possibilità di coinvolgere studenti e studentesse UniTS nelle attività di volontariato della Croce Rossa Italiana, con l’eventuale riconoscimento di crediti formativi extracurriculari fino a un massimo di 3, oltre alla facilitazione di percorsi di tirocinio curriculare o extracurriculare collegati alle iniziative sviluppate nell’ambito della collaborazione. 

«La collaborazione tra l’Ateneo e la Croce Rossa Italiana - spiega la prof.ssa Vanessa Nicolin, delegata al Benessere studentesco e inclusione di UniTS - rappresenta un elemento di rilevanza strategica nel rafforzamento dei rapporti con il territorio e nella promozione della tutela della salute pubblica. Tale sinergia consente di integrare il patrimonio scientifico, formativo e metodologico dell’Ateneo con l’esperienza operativa e la capillarità territoriale della Croce Rossa, generando un modello di collaborazione che si configura come uno strumento di governance territoriale integrata».

«Questa iniziativa nasce anche dall’entusiasmo e dalla capacità propositiva di alcuni nostri giovani volontari, che sono anche studenti universitari – sottolinea Ariella Testa, Presidente regionale della Croce Rossa Italiana FVG –. Sono stati loro a portare all’attenzione della Croce Rossa e dell’Ateneo idee concrete, poi sviluppate insieme fino a tradursi in un accordo operativo. Ora siamo pronti a lavorare fianco a fianco per far conoscere sempre di più, dentro e fuori l’Università, i principi e le attività della Croce Rossa. I giovani, in questo percorso, hanno un ruolo decisivo: sono parte attiva del presente e una risorsa fondamentale per il futuro».

In occasione della Giornata internazionale delle malattie rare 2026, che si celebra il 28 febbraio, l’Università di Trieste, rinnova l’attenzione verso un ambito di ricerca in cui la dimensione scientifica si intreccia in modo diretto con i bisogni delle persone e delle famiglie. Le patologie rare – spesso complesse da riconoscere e da trattare – richiedono percorsi diagnostici più rapidi, terapie mirate e una presa in carico sempre più personalizzata: obiettivi che richiedono competenze diverse, dal laboratorio alla clinica, dalla genetica ai dati, fino allo sviluppo di nuovi modelli sperimentali.

In questo contesto, UniTS contribuisce con gruppi e progetti che lavorano per migliorare la comprensione dei meccanismi di malattia, affinare gli strumenti diagnostici e costruire soluzioni con un impatto concreto sulla qualità della vita. Un esempio arriva dall’area delle malattie epatiche rare, dove la ricerca si concentra in particolare sulle patologie colestatiche. L’Ateneo partecipa allo studio multicentrico nazionale dedicato alla ricerca di mutazioni associate alla Colestasi Intraepatica Familiare Progressiva (PFIC) in pazienti adulti con colangite sclerosante dei piccoli dotti, integrando dati clinici, biochimici, radiologici e istologici con analisi genetiche dell’esoma (con attenzione a geni come ABCB4). L’obiettivo è duplice: riconoscere forme genetiche dell’adulto che possono rimanere a lungo non identificate e contribuire a ridefinire l’inquadramento diagnostico delle colestasi criptogenetiche attraverso correlazioni genotipo–fenotipo.

Accanto a questo filone, è attiva la collaborazione con la Struttura Complessa di Genetica Medica dell’IRCCS Burlo Garofolo per identificare nuove varianti patogenetiche nelle colestasi geneticamente determinate in età adulta. La ricerca include anche lo sviluppo di modelli cellulari utili a studiare la funzione delle varianti individuate e, più in generale, l’identificazione di nuovi geni responsabili delle PFIC, un gruppo di malattie rare prevalentemente pediatriche su cui UniTS e Burlo lavorano in stretta sinergia.

Contributi scientifici: prof.ssa Lory Crocè (Gastroenterologia, Università di Trieste); dott. Adamo Pio D’Adamo (Genetica medica, Università di Trieste e IRCCS Burlo Garofolo).

Davide Rossi, docente del Dipartimento di Scienze Giuridiche, del Linguaggio, dell’Interpretazione e della Traduzione (IUSLIT) dell’Università di Trieste, ha accompagnato il Presidente della Repubblica Sergio Mattarella in visita privata alla MEDIF – Mostra degli Esuli Fiumani, Dalmati e Istriani, allestita al Vittoriano, a Roma, nella Sala del Grottone. La visita si è svolta il 10 febbraio, in concomitanza con il Giorno del Ricordo, e ha visto il Capo dello Stato dedicare un’attenzione non formale al percorso espositivo, soffermandosi anche oltre i tempi protocollari per approfondire contenuti, fonti e scelte narrative.

Rossi coordina il Comitato tecnico-scientifico che ha curato l’allestimento della mostra dopo la scomparsa del prof. Giuseppe Parlato. In questa veste, ha accompagnato il Presidente lungo un itinerario costruito per raccontare le vicende degli esuli fiumani, dalmati e istriani e, più in generale, la complessa vicenda del confine adriatico nel secondo dopoguerra. Il progetto si fonda su un lavoro di selezione e organizzazione di documenti, fotografie, oggetti e testimonianze dirette, frutto di un comitato multidisciplinare, e nasce da un’iniziativa della Federazione delle Associazioni degli Esuli Istriani, Fiumani e Dalmati con il sostegno dei Ministeri competenti e del Museo Vittoriano e Palazzo Venezia (VIVE).

La MEDIF è pensata come luogo vivo, aperto e accogliente, rivolto in particolare a giovani e studenti, e invita a dialogare con il passato per costruire una coscienza storica condivisa dentro un orizzonte europeo. Anche l’allestimento concorre a questo obiettivo attraverso un impianto narrativo dinamico, giocato su variazioni di geometrie e prospettive, guidato da due elementi simbolici — un involucro scuro e materico, che richiama la densità della storia, e un nastro in acciaio corten, continuo e sospeso, come viaggio nel tempo. Ricco il percorso multimediale, con installazioni interattive che raccolgono eventi, testimonianze, nomi e volti; di forte impatto emotivo, l’installazione simbolica dedicata alla memoria degli infoibati e di Norma Cossetto. 

La presenza del Presidente Mattarella al Vittoriano si lega a un filo già intrecciato con l’Università di Trieste. Due anni fa, infatti, l’Ateneo giuliano ha conferito al Capo dello Stato - insieme all’ex Presidente della Repubblica di Slovenia Borut Pahor - la laurea honoris causa in Giurisprudenza, riconoscendo il valore di una sensibilità istituzionale volta a "perseguire una politica di riconciliazione, retta sulla creazione e sul consolidamento di spazi e di simboli dedicati alla memoria collettiva, quale fondamento di autentica pace tra i popoli", come recita la motivazione del conferimento. In quell'occasione, tra l'altro, proprio Rossi ebbe l'onore di leggere la laudatio. La visita alla MEDIF, nel Giorno del Ricordo, diventa così anche un segno concreto di continuità: la memoria non come gesto rituale, ma come esercizio civile di riflessione sul presente e di impegno al dialogo.

Federico Donelli and Federico Battera, faculty members at the Department of Political and Social Sciences (DiSPeS) of the University of Trieste, have recently returned from Mogadishu, where they took part as speakers in the course “Training and Capacity Building for Peace and Security in Somalia”. 

Structured around seven thematic modules, the programme involved 40 young Somalis aged 18 to 24—political science students and members of civil-society organisations—selected for their commitment to dialogue, development and peacebuilding processes. The project was funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and promoted by ANOLF Regional FVG APS in partnership with Associazione SAGAL APS, with the collaboration of the local partner Rawdah Youth Organization. 

Hosted at the Rawdah Youth Centre, led by Ahmed Faghi Elmi, Donelli and Battera guided participants through a capacity-building pathway focusing on security, conflict dynamics and electoral processes, combining an international relations perspective with an in-depth reading of the regional context of the Horn of Africa. Designed as an interactive programme, the sessions alternated theoretical framing and analytical tools to interpret transformations in the international order with open discussions and dialogue, supporting the development of critical and analytical skills relevant to the Somali context. 

What made the initiative particularly meaningful was the quality of the exchange with the young participants: questions, reflections and debate turned the training into a process capable of offering depth and nuance that no external reading or desk analysis can fully provide. During the week, Federico Donelli also joined a live connection with BBC News Africa to discuss emerging regional dynamics in the Horn of Africa. 

The course is part of a broader framework of cooperation and academic dialogue involving Italian and Somali stakeholders, including the Somali National University, relevant Somali ministries, the Embassy of Italy in Mogadishu and the Embassy of Somalia in Rome, as well as the National Association Oltre Le Frontiere ETS – ANOLF and the International Observatory on Legality in Trieste. 

A second week of activities is planned in the coming months to ensure continuity and further strengthen dialogue between academic expertise, local perspectives and the engagement of younger generations in peace, security and governance processes in Somalia. 

The fifteenth edition of the science communication talent show will take place at the Teatro Miela on April 23rd

FameLab, the international science communication talent show for young researchers, as well as university students, is back in Trieste. The local selection will be held on April 23rd at 6:00 PM at the Teatro Miela. As always, the challenge will be to explain a scientific topic clearly and engagingly in just three minutes, even to a non-expert audience, without the aid of projections, graphics, or videos. Registration is due by Thursday, April 16th via the form online 

Researchers or research fellows, people working in the research and development sector with a master's or single-cycle degree, and students in a doctoral school, specialization school, or postgraduate master's degree will be admitted, provided they were born after January 1, 1991. Applicants may come from both STEM fields and medicine or study humanities (anthropology, archaeology, economics, philosophy, geography, law, linguistics, literature, psychology, political science, sociology, history, and art history).

Among other requirements, candidates must never have qualified for the national final or masterclass in previous editions of FameLab, in Italy or abroad, and must not be engaged in professional activities in the field of communication or science communication (except marginally).

The top two in the local selection process will receive a cash prize, attend an international masterclass on science communication to be held in Perugia in June, and then progress to the national final scheduled for this fall. The winner of FameLab Italia 2026 will advance to the FameLab International final, scheduled for November, where they will compete against other competitors from around the world.

All competitors in the Trieste selection process will receive a free training session to better approach the challenge and hone the theatrical component of their performances. This short, free training session has proven crucial for FameLab competitors in the past: those who have attended have often won regional and sometimes even national selections.

The training session will take place at Polo Giovani Toti (Via del Castello, 1, Trieste) on Monday, April 13, 2026 (5:30–8:30 PM).

Donato Ramani, a science communicator at SISSA, will explain how to construct an effective narrative structure, while actress Daniela Gattorno will highlight various aspects related to stage presence and voice.

The local selection is organized by Immaginario Scientifico, the University of Trieste, the University of Udine, SISSA – International School for Advanced Studies, and the Municipality of Trieste, within the framework of the Trieste City of Knowledge Memorandum of Understanding.

Information: info@immaginarioscientifico.it 

On 11 February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated worldwide, promoted by the United Nations to draw attention to a gender gap that still affects all levels of scientific and technological disciplines.

The 2026 theme, “Synergizing AI, Social Science, STEM and Finance,” invites us to look beyond technical skills alone and to consider scientific development as the result of four interconnected dimensions: artificial intelligence, social sciences, STEM disciplines and financial mechanisms capable of supporting research and innovation over the long term.

Artificial intelligence, in particular, now represents a powerful driver of change: from medical diagnostics to climate modelling, from data management to the transformation of production processes. Yet without targeted interventions, the benefits of AI risk becoming unevenly distributed, widening existing disparities — including the gender gap.

According to Interface, a European think tank specialising in information technology and public policy, women account for only 22% of global AI talent, with an even lower presence in leadership positions: less than 14% hold senior executive roles in the AI sector. Despite growing initiatives aimed at encouraging girls to pursue STEM disciplines, the path toward balanced participation remains incomplete.

Within this context comes the reflection of Prof. Teresa Scantamburlo, a faculty member at the University of Trieste working in computer science and artificial intelligence, who highlights the connection between ethics and technological development.

“I approached computer science,” she explains, “thanks to an intuition that continues to inspire and motivate my research: the deep link between the computational approach to problem-solving and its philosophical and social implications.” This connection is particularly evident today in the development of AI, whose impact extends concretely to education, work, social organisation and the environment.

“To govern these transformations,” Scantamburlo states, “it is necessary to promote a more sustainable and human-centred model of development. In this process, greater female presence and participation can significantly contribute to strengthening a more equitable and responsible vision of technological progress.”