Federico Rosei, professor of Industrial Chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Trieste, recently elected Member of the Italian Academy of Engineering and Technology, has been elected Foreign Member of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering - ATSE.

The election of prof. Rosei recognises his pioneering contribution in the field of nanomaterials and his international leadership in research, innovation and training of young people. The ATSE Class of 2025 brings together 35 leading scientists and engineers who represent the cutting edge of technological progress and applied sciences worldwide. Among them, Federico Rosei is the only Foreign Member.

This recognition by the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering further highlights prof. Rosei's achievements as a world-renowned scientist.

The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is an independent academy founded in Melbourne that brings together over 900 of Australia's leading engineers, technologists and scientists.

On the night of 22nd September, UniTS will turn off the lights on its façade to firmly condemn all ongoing wars.

At a time when the role of universities as builders of peace and bridges of collaboration between peoples is under threat, the University wishes to reaffirm the strategic importance of the free sharing of knowledge in improving international relations and addressing global challenges.

The statue of Minerva beside the grand staircase in Piazzale Europa – a symbol of knowledge – will remain in darkness tonight, not only to highlight this concern but also to express mourning for the victims of the conflicts underway.

On 21st September, the 32nd World Alzheimer’s Day will be observed. In Italy, more than 600,000 people live with the disease, a number that ISTAT estimates will exceed two million by 2030.

The University of Trieste is taking part in the 2025 campaign promoted by Alzheimer’s Disease International: ‘Ask About Dementia. Ask About Alzheimer’s.’ On Sunday 21st September 2025, the façade of Building A will be illuminated in purple, the colour of the forget-me-not, the flower symbol of the disease.

‘In the field of applied clinical research,’ recalls Paolo Manganotti, professor of Neurology at the University of Trieste and Director of the Neurology Clinic at the local healthcare provider ASUGI, ‘the frontier is represented by the forthcoming availability of monoclonal antibodies, which appear to slow the progression of the disease, and by new forms of brain neuromodulation. These minimally invasive approaches modify the activity of neurons and neural circuits with the aim of correcting abnormal signals and treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.’

To mark the occasion, the Italian Alzheimer’s Federation has presented the World Alzheimer Report 2025, drafted by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI). The document highlights rehabilitation as an effective and sustainable intervention, in line with new guidelines from the Italian National Institute of Health, and calls attention to two priorities: the provision of accessible telerehabilitation services throughout the country and the training of rehabilitation therapists, both of which are essential to improving the quality of life of people with dementia and their caregivers.

World Alzheimer’s Day offers an opportunity for the academic community to express solidarity and closeness to people with dementia, to their families and to

their caregivers, whose contribution remains invaluable and irreplaceable in ensuring continuity of care.

Across its institutional channels, UniTS will use the hashtags #AskAboutDementia and #AskAboutAlzheimers to connect with the international campaign and guide the public towards reliable information.

‘A university’s budget, and in particular its Social Report, is the starting point for defining a vision and a strategy for the future.’ With these words, Rector Donata Vianelli opened the Trieste stage of the national Oscar di Bilancio Roadshow, hosted in the Ceremony Hall of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Palace and dedicated to financial and sustainability reporting in the relationship between enterprises, organisations and stakeholders.

‘The university world has undergone profound changes in recent years and is becoming increasingly complex,’ Vianelli observed. ‘This complexity is reflected in teaching, which must begin with listening to the needs of the community and guide students to become who they aspire to be.’

‘Research, too, is complex,’ she continued. ‘Basic research is the engine that can generate applied research, bringing direct benefits to the community. Innovation creates value only if it is able to support local enterprises. The university,’ she concluded, ‘must be a hub for dialogue, where companies can share their needs, but where universities must also put forward new projects.’

Rector Vianelli emphasised the importance of the Social Report for the University of Trieste, which has published it consistently since 2020. She also underlined the central role of gender equality: thanks to an initiative launched by the former Rector, the proportion of full professors who are women at UniTS has risen from 20 to 28 per cent.

The event focused on the importance of engaging stakeholders and the wider community, both to generate value and to demonstrate the positive impact of organisational actions through reporting tools. Transparency and rigour in communicating results were highlighted as essential conditions for building trust and credibility.

Now in its 61st edition, the Oscar di Bilancio Roadshow is promoted by the Italian federation for public relations (FERPI) together with Bocconi University and Borsa Italiana, with Deloitte as technical supporter and Il Sole 24 Ore as media partner. FERPI, as organiser, reaffirmed its commitment to ethical communication, even in an era of rapid technological change, promoting a culture of transparency and rigour in relations with the wider public.

The Trieste event featured the participation of Regional Councillor Alessia Rosolen and representatives of some of the area’s leading businesses, including Fincantieri, Generali and illycaffè, confirming the role of the Social Report as a tool for dialogue between institutions, enterprises and civil society.

Sono 606 i candidati che concorrono quest’anno per l’accesso ai corsi di laurea triennali delle professioni sanitarie. Per l’anno accademico 2025/26 sono attivati dieci corsi di laurea in tre sedi (Trieste, Gorizia e Pordenone), con la novità del secondo corso di Igiene dentale a Pordenone, che si affianca a quello storico attivato nel capoluogo giuliano. 

POSTI PROGRAMMATI E NUOVE DISPOSIZIONI    
Nonostante la riforma dell’accesso a Medicina e Odontoiatria, con l’avvio del semestre aperto, l’attrattività delle professioni sanitarie si conferma con 660 iscrizioni alla prova di selezione (-79 rispetto al 2024, +74 in confronto al 2023, +30 rispetto al 2022), per 460 posti programmati (-40 rispetto allo scorso anno) così distribuiti: Infermieristica 200; Fisioterapia 40; Ostetricia (interateneo) 20; Igiene dentale – Trieste 25; Igiene dentale – Pordenone 25; Tecniche della prevenzione (sede Gorizia) 20; Tecnica della riabilitazione psichiatrica 30; Logopedia 30; Assistenza sanitaria (interateneo, sede Gorizia) 40; Dietistica (sede Pordenone) 30.

Le nuove norme, che regolano l’accesso ai corsi di laurea magistrale in Medicina e Odontoiatria e Veterinaria, prevedono anche riserve fino al 20% dei posti programmati nei corsi dichiarati affini delle professioni sanitarie, destinate a chi non risulterà in posizione utile nella graduatoria di merito al termine del semestre aperto. All'Università di Trieste saranno, quindi, disponibili fino a 40 ulteriori immatricolazioni in Infermieristica, 8 in Assistenza sanitaria e 4 in Tecniche della prevenzione nell’ambiente e nei luoghi di lavoro.

ATTRATTIVITÀ NEL COMPLESSO STABILE 
Il trend delle candidature, non sempre di facile lettura, è influenzato anche dalla variabilità dell’offerta dei corsi e dei posti disponibili, ma l’interesse sembra restare complessivamente stabile. Alcuni corsi di laurea interateneo con l’Università di Udine, ad esempio, si attivano ad anni alterni tra le due sedi: nel 2025 a Trieste è presente Ostetricia indicata come prima preferenza da 61 candidati, mentre non sono attivi Tecniche di Laboratorio Biomedico e Tecniche di Radiologia Medica per Immagini e Radioterapia, che nel 2024 avevano raccolto 111 prime opzioni. Considerata questa differenza, la diminuzione delle candidature rispetto allo scorso anno si riduce a 29 unità. Il confronto con il 2023, che aveva un’offerta molto simile all’attuale (escludendo Igiene dentale e Dietistica, allora non attivati), restituisce invece un saldo positivo di 8 iscritti alla prova di ammissione.

Inoltre, con 660 candidature, il 2025 segna il secondo miglior risultato di sempre a livello di interesse, dopo il record dello scorso anno, quando a iscriversi alla selezione furono in 739. 

Un altro aspetto molto positivo è rappresentato dalla distribuzione delle preferenze dei candidati. Ogni candidato infatti può indicare fino a tre corsi in ordine di preferenza che gli permetteranno di entrare nelle rispettive graduatorie e tutti i corsi di laurea raccolgono un numero complessivo di preferenze ampiamente superiore ai posti programmati: Infermieristica 331; Fisioterapia 343; Ostetricia (interateneo) 161; Igiene dentale – Trieste 111; Igiene dentale – Pordenone 72; Tecniche della prevenzione (sede Gorizia) 76; Tecnica della riabilitazione psichiatrica 134; Logopedia 218; Assistenza sanitaria (interateneo, sede Gorizia) 97; Dietistica (sede Pordenone) 210.

L’indicazione delle prime preferenze, invece, testimonia una sofferenza del corso di Infermieristica (118 opzioni rispetto alle 170 dello scorso), l’unico nel complesso a risentire della concorrenza del semestre aperto per l’accesso a Medicina. Contemporaneamente però quest’anno cresce l’interesse dei candidati nei confronti di Assistenza sanitaria (richieste quasi raddoppiate), Dietistica (+47% rispetto al 2024) e Logopedia (record storico con 86 prime scelte). 

PROVENIENZA E GENERE        
L’offerta formativa delle professioni sanitarie di UniTS si conferma attrattiva oltre i confini regionali: anche quest’anno, infatti, il 22% dei candidati non proviene dal Friuli Venezia Giulia. E se le candidature dei residenti a Trieste sono poco più di 1/3 del totale, il 44% è residente nelle altre province della Regione (Udine, 19%, Gorizia 13%, Pordenone 12%): un quadro che testimonia la validità della proposta didattica per la formazione dei professionisti sanitari. Si conferma anche il grande interesse femminile verso questi percorsi professionali: le candidate sono il 74%, ancora in crescita (+1%) rispetto alle prove di ammissione del 2024.

PROSPETTIVE OCCUPAZIONALI        
L’interesse verso i corsi delle professioni sanitarie è sostenuto da prospettive occupazionali molto positive: a un anno dal titolo, secondo Almalaurea, il 90% dei laureati UniTS nelle professioni sanitarie lavora, con tempi medi di inserimento di circa due mesi. Lo stipendio medio si attesta intorno ai 1.800 euro mensili.

LA PROVA   
La prova unica per tutti i corsi di laurea prevede 60 quesiti a risposta multipla: 23 di biologia, 15 di chimica, 13 di fisica e matematica, 5 di ragionamento logico e 4 di competenze di lettura e conoscenze acquisite negli studi. L’esito sarà pubblicato all’Albo ufficiale dell’Università di Trieste (www.units.it/ateneo/albo) entro 15 giorni dallo svolgimento.

Presidente della Repubblica, economista, docente, giornalista e Governatore della Banca d'Italia: il ricordo della poliedrica figura di Luigi Einaudi è stata al centro dell’evento “Il presidente del miracolo”, organizzato dall’Università di Trieste e dalla Fondazione Luigi Einaudi. 

Il convegno è nato con l'obiettivo di rievocare un episodio particolarmente significativo della parabola storica della presidenza Einaudi, durante la quale si intrecciarono la storia d’Italia, la storia cittadina e quella dell’Università di Trieste. 

L'iniziativa, infatti, ha celebrato il 150° anniversario della nascita di Luigi Einaudi (1874-1961) e avviato alla conclusione il programma di eventi ufficiali del Centenario UniTS, ricordando i 70 anni dalla laurea ad honorem che l’Ateneo giuliano conferì all’allora Presidente della Repubblica, in occasione del ritorno di Trieste alla sovranità italiana.

Nel corso del convegno è stato proiettato il documentario “Il Presidente del miracolo”, curato dal regista Pupi Avati e prodotto dalla Fondazione Luigi Einaudi. 

Il filmato, che ripercorre la biografia del primo Presidente della Repubblica eletto dal Parlamento, attraverso materiale d’archivio, frammenti di interviste e dichiarazioni, ha fatto rivivere il pensiero di Luigi Einaudi: rigore della finanza pubblica, concorrenza, rigida separazione fra politica ed economia. Principi all’origine del boom economico che creò ricchezza per quella generazione e le successive.

Al termine della proiezione è seguita una tavola rotonda sul contributo, l'eredità e l'attualità del pensiero einaudiano moderata da Fabrizio Brancoli, Vicedirettore del Gruppo Nem con delega al quotidiano Il Piccolo. 

Alla tavola rotonda sono intervenuti Andrea Cangini, Segretario generale della Fondazione Luigi Einaudi, Emma Galli, Direttrice del comitato scientifico della Fondazione Luigi Einaudi e Docente di Scienza delle Finanze all’Università degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza”, Francesco Magris, Docente Politica Economica all’Università degli Studi di Trieste e Giacinto Micucci, Vicedirettore della sede di Trieste di Banca d’Italia.

"Era doveroso, all’interno delle celebrazioni del Centenario dell'Università di Trieste, dedicare un evento al ricordo di Luigi Einaudi, un uomo di stato e di scienza, legato a un episodio molto importante per il nostro Ateneo e per la nostra città”, ha spiegato il Rettore Roberto Di Lenarda, durante l’apertura dei lavori.

"Nel corso di quest'anno di celebrazioni abbiamo raccontato la storia di UniTS come un percorso che ricorda il passato, ma guarda soprattutto con determinazione e fiducia al futuro. Abbiamo incontrato e consolidato i rapporti con le istituzioni, il mondo della scienza e della cultura e i cittadini, con l'obiettivo di essere sempre di più un punto di riferimento imprescindibile del nostro territorio e del mondo scientifico, per costruire in sinergia il futuro della conoscenza", ha concluso il Magnifico Rettore.

100 eventi per i 100 anni di UniTS
Quello dedicato a Luigi Einaudi è stato l'appuntamento ufficiale numero 99 delle celebrazioni legate al Centenario dell'Università di Trieste. Il 100° evento, che concluderà il programma, sarà Homecoming 2024 - Storie di successo UniTS, che si svolgerà mercoledì 11 dicembre.

Mattia Zulianello, Associate Professor in the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Trieste, has won the 2025 Santoro Prize, awarded during the conference of the Italian Political Science Association held in recent days at the University of Naples Federico II.

The prize recognises the most interesting unpublished paper among those presented at the previous year’s conference, which brought together more than 700 Italian and international scholars. The award, which Zulianello shares with his co-author Mirko Crulli (LUISS Guido Carli, Rome), concerns the article The populist radical right and climate change: a demand-side perspective, published in the journal Environmental Politics.

The paper analyses the relationship between populist radical right parties and climate change from a perspective that has so far received little attention: voter demand. The investigation is based on the most recent data from the European Social Survey (2020–2022) covering 22 EU and OECD member states.

The results show that voters of the populist radical right are, on average, less concerned about climate change than other voters, even when socio-demographic variables are taken into account. Moreover, the political context emerges as a key factor: climate scepticism is stronger in countries where green parties are more influential, where environmental issues are more prominent in the political system, and where PRR parties take more openly anti-environmental positions. By contrast, in the absence of these conditions, hostility towards environmental policies tends to diminish.

The research also stands out for its attention to possible alternative directions of influence between voting behaviour and climate attitudes, and for the adoption of innovative methodological strategies already tested in international comparative studies. The prize jury highlighted the scientific robustness and originality of the work, which opens up new perspectives in the study of the relationship between the populist radical right and climate change.

Roberto Di Lenarda, Rector Emeritus of the University of Trieste, has been elected President of the Italian permanent conference of university medicine departments, the body that brings together the heads of all medical disciplines in Italian universities.

The unanimous election represents recognition of Professor Di Lenarda’s longstanding commitment to promoting the quality of medical education, research, teaching innovation and the role of universities within the healthcare system.

This interuniversity conference represents almost one third of Italian academic staff: around 15,000 lecturers affiliated with the 52 academic disciplines (SSD) in the medical and sports areas (CUN Area 06), as well as related disciplines in biology, veterinary, agriculture and psychology involved in teaching medicine, dentistry, healthcare professions and the life sciences.

In his new role, Professor Di Lenarda, succeeding Professor Andrea Lenzi, who was appointed President of the National Research Council on 26 July 2025, will coordinate the activities of the interuniversity conference, fostering dialogue between institutions and disciplines and promoting shared policies to improve research, education and healthcare.

‘The permanent conference of university medicine departments is a strategic platform for addressing the future challenges of medicine and academic healthcare professions, from the sustainability of courses to the quality of care. I accept this election with satisfaction and a strong sense of responsibility: I thank Professor Lenzi and the entire community for their trust,’ said Professor Di Lenarda.

Roberto Di Lenarda has headed the Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery Clinic of the local health authority (ASUGI) for 25 years and is Head of the Integrated Department of Specialist Surgery. He served as Rector of the University of Trieste (2019–2025) and, previously, as Head of the University Clinical Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences (2012–2018). Between 2018 and 2024 he was president of the conference of university professors of oral medicine disciplines and a member of the Executive Committee of the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI).

The academic and research community extends its warmest congratulations to Professor Di Lenarda and wishes him every success in his new role.

Starting from 1st September 2025, the former Military Hospital complex in Via Fabio Severo has become a new student residence, stemming from an agreement between the University of Trieste and ARDiS, the Regional agency for the right to education.

The facility is state-owned and has been granted to UniTS for indefinite use. It will be managed by Ardis for five years, extendable upon renewal. The initiative is the result of a collaboration between the University of Trieste and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, which aims to expand the range of student accommodation available in response to the growing demand for housing, made more urgent by the increase in University enrolments in recent years. It also aims to make the regional university system more attractive to prospective students.

The complex will accommodate up to 239 students in 163 rooms of various types: 24 single rooms measuring 16 square metres; 63 single rooms measuring 18 square metres; 64 double rooms; and 12 double rooms adapted to accommodate students with disabilities. A portion of the places, no less than 63, will be reserved for students of the Collegio di merito ‘Luciano Fonda’, who will be able to use the facilities and equipment dedicated to educational, cultural and recreational activities.

The University will retain access to the former Commander’s House, including the Chapel Room on the third floor (excluding the concierge area, which will be managed by Ardis). This area will house the Innovators Community Lab, the training programme that the University of Trieste dedicates to innovation and entrepreneurship, administrative offices and job placement and guidance activities.

Accommodation will be allocated through public calls for applications and priority will be given to capable and deserving students who have limited financial means and who meet the requirements set out in the regional guidelines.

‘For the University of Trieste,’ says Rector Donata Vianelli, ‘the redevelopment of the former Military Hospital as a student residence is of key importance in terms of policies for the right to education and services for students. In a period of increasing housing pressure, the availability of student accommodation is essential to ensure equal access to university education and to further enhance the appeal of our University.’

A new composite material, based on the interaction between cerium oxide and carbon nanostructures, has been developed in a study coordinated by the University of Trieste and the University of Bologna and published in Advanced Functional Materials. The material has demonstrated the ability to convert CO₂ electrochemically with high energy efficiency, while using a significantly reduced amount of catalytically active components.

Carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas and a direct driver of global warming, is at the centre of international research efforts towards a net-zero economy. Electrocatalysis is one of the most promising strategies for transforming CO₂ into products useful to industry, while also contributing to the decarbonisation of production processes.

As Michele Melchionna, Professor of General and Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Trieste, who co-authored the study with Giovanni Valenti of the University of Bologna, explains ‘The catalytic conversion of CO₂ is one of the most interesting and relevant challenges in the current scientific landscape and must be integrated into sustainable processes such as photocatalysis or electrocatalysis. This requires the development of rather complex catalytic materials, since the efficiency of CO₂ chemical conversion critically depends on a precise balance of the catalyst’s properties. For this reason, a highly effective strategy is to exploit the appropriate interfacing of multiple phases, as in our project.’

Paolo Fornasiero, Professor of General and Inorganic Chemistry at UniTS and co-author of the study together with UniTS researcher Miriam Marchi, highlights another key aspect of the work: ‘In a politically unstable context, where the extraction and distribution of strategic chemical elements are heavily dependent on geopolitics, it becomes increasingly important to maximise catalytic efficiency and material stability, thereby reducing the quantities needed to achieve performance that is industrially acceptable.’

The study also involved research groups from the University of Padua and the San Sebastián CIC biomaGUNE research centre and was carried out with the support of several projects, including the European H2020 Decade project and the Italian PRIN-PNRR ECHO-EF and PRIDE projects. 

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