An official delegation from the University of Trieste took part in Mbeya, Tanzania, in the launch event of the international development cooperation project Towards the next generation of sustainable quality coffee producers in South Tanzania (TNG), funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and coordinated by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

The mission, which took place in the Mbeya region, in the Southern Highlands, marked an important step in the operational launch of the 36-month project and in the strengthening of institutional, scientific and educational relations between the University of Trieste and local partners. UniTS is involved in the project through three of its Departments – IUSLIT, DEAMS and DSV – confirming the interdisciplinary nature of the University’s contribution. The official delegation in Tanzania was composed of Prof. Ilaria Micheli, from the Department of Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies, coordinator of the project activities planned by the University, and Dr Matteo Carzedda, from the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics.

The TNG project is based on a broad partnership that brings together, alongside the University of Trieste, Illycaffè, the Ernesto Illy Foundation, the Bari branch of CIHEAM – Mediterranean Agronomic Institute, the Regions of Mbeya, Songwe and Ruvuma, and the civil society organisation Café Africa – Tanzanian Branch.

The project aims to reach at least 12,000 local coffee producers in Southern Tanzania, contributing to the improvement of the production chain and to the development of a more sustainable, informed and resilient model. Within this framework, the role of UniTS is twofold, combining applied scientific research and knowledge transfer.

The research activities will focus on understanding the effects of climate change on the territory and identifying possible mitigation strategies, with the contribution of Giovanni Bacaro and Alberto Pallavicini from DSV; enhancing local practices and facilitating communication between farmers and trainers through the creation of multilingual technical-cultural vocabularies and manuals, under the coordination of Ilaria Micheli; and identifying economic and agricultural strategies suited to the local context, with the aim of strengthening farmers and improving the value of the raw material in the early stages of the value chain, with the contribution of Matteo Carzedda, Gianluigi Gallenti, Giuseppe Borruso and Barbara Campisi. Based on the evidence emerging from the research activities, the most appropriate content and methods will be defined for the training of local stakeholders and beneficiaries.

The official launch of the project took place in the conference hall of the Eden Highlands Hotel in Mbeya, in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Tanzania, Giuseppe Sean Coppola, a UniTS alumnus; Paolo Razzini, AICS representative in Tanzania; Stefano Zannier, Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Councillor for Agri-food, Forestry, Fishery and Mountain Resources; the highest authorities of the governments of the three Southern Tanzanian Regions involved in the project; and representatives of the Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the Catholic University of Mbeya (CUoM), which will support the University of Trieste in its activities on site.

During the meeting, Ambassador Giuseppe Sean Coppola and Paolo Razzini highlighted the value of a particularly broad and diversified partnership, in which public bodies, universities, research institutions, companies and civil society organisations work together to pursue common goals. Research, technology transfer and training are the three pillars on which to build a shared development pathway, capable of generating concrete benefits for local communities and for the coffee supply chain as a whole.

The presence of the UniTS delegation in Tanzania also made it possible to strengthen cooperation with local academic institutions. The University’s representatives met with colleagues from MUST and CUoM to define how the two universities will support the project and to lay the foundations for future joint initiatives in the fields of development cooperation, research and international exchange of academic staff, technical and administrative staff, and students.

These collaborations will be developed within the framework of Memoranda of Understanding involving the University as a whole. The first agreement, with the Catholic University of Mbeya, was signed during the project launch, in the presence of the Italian Ambassador, the Regional Councillor and the Bishop of Mbeya, Wolfgang Pisa. The process for signing the agreement with the Mbeya University of Science and Technology is also nearing completion.

The mission also allowed the UniTS delegation to learn more about other international cooperation projects funded by AICS in the Mbeya region and carried out by civil society organisations and Italian volunteers, with particular attention to initiatives dedicated to children with disabilities. In this context, the delegation also visited the Utengule Coffee Plantation, one of the most advanced local organisations in coffee cultivation and selection, with which promising synergies were identified for the next phases of the project.

A significant part of the mission was also devoted to observing field training activities for operators of central coffee pulping units and for representatives of local AMCOS cooperatives in the Mbeya and Songwe regions. The training, led by Francesca Pellis and Gianluca Malvicini from Illycaffè, provided an initial opportunity for operational discussion on the needs of the supply chain and on the most effective ways to support local producers in improving the quality and sustainability of the production process.

The next step for the University of Trieste will be the selection of three research fellows who will support the academic staff in the field activities. The fellows will acquire specific skills and work closely with local networks, contributing to the continuity of the project activities and to their long-term integration within the territory.

MiGE hosted the international conference “STACK in Trieste 2026”, dedicated to the use of open-source digital tools to improve teaching in STEM courses and support scientific cooperation with African universities.

The initiative is part of a pathway launched in 2022, when the University of Trieste became the first university in Italy to install STACK, a software for teaching and automatic assessment in scientific disciplines. Since then, UniTS has developed its own question bank for foundation courses, which is now used by around 1,000 students every year.

STACK — System for Teaching and Assessment using a Computer algebra Kernel — allows students to practise independently through interactive exercises that are parametrically generated and automatically assessed. The system provides targeted feedback and guided solutions, enabling lecturers to introduce forms of continuous assessment even in large classes.

This aspect is particularly relevant in foundation STEM courses and in rapidly growing university contexts. In some African universities, for example, the increase in the student population has led to very large classes, with student-to-lecturer ratios that are difficult to manage using traditional tools.

“Demographic growth in Africa, together with other factors, has led to extremely large university STEM classes, in some cases with more than 1,000 students per lecturer. University resources have not grown proportionally, despite the fact that STEM education is increasingly central to the world of work and to development. At the same time, in the Italian context, continuous assessment in STEM is almost absent, as it requires considerable resources from lecturers. The open-source software STACK helps address both of these challenges, simultaneously and through a joint effort,” said Professor Lewanski of MiGE.

The conference brought together 46 participants from 12 countries. Delegations from Kenya, Rwanda and Somalia took part in the event, with 12 African lecturers representing Masinde Muliro University for Science and Technology, Maseno University, INES Ruhengeri and Somali National University.

The opening session featured contributions from Roberta Altin, Rector’s Delegate for Cooperation and Development; Silvia Pallaver, representing the UniTS Teaching and Learning Center and the DEH Alma project; and Federica Gori, from the International Project Design and Recruitment Office. Guests also included Marcelo Knobel, Director of UNESCO – The World Academy of Science; Christopher Sangwin, Professor at the University of Edinburgh and creator of STACK; and David Stern, Director of IDEMS International.

The development of STACK at UniTS, research into its impact on teaching, and support for the African STACK Community have been funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, Erasmus+ KA171 projects, PNRR doctoral scholarships for public administration, UniTS development cooperation projects, and the DEH Alma project.

Il rafforzamento delle istituzioni democratiche, la resilienza civica e il rapporto tra cittadini e rappresentanza politica sono al centro del nuovo Centre for Democratic Resilience – CEDR, promosso alla Charles University (Università Carolina) di Praga e attualmente in fase di sviluppo istituzionale. Nell’Advisory Board del Centro entrerà anche Mattia Zulianello, docente di Scienza politica dell’Università di Trieste, invitato per il suo profilo scientifico internazionale negli studi su populismo, estremismo politico, partiti e rappresentanza democratica.

Il CEDR nasce come centro interdisciplinare dedicato alla resilienza democratica, alla partecipazione politica, alla polarizzazione, all’innovazione democratica e alla stabilità di lungo periodo delle società democratiche. La sua missione si inserisce nella cornice dell’Agenda 2030 delle Nazioni Unite, con particolare riferimento all’Obiettivo di Sviluppo Sostenibile 16, dedicato a società pacifiche, giuste e inclusive e a istituzioni solide.

Il Centro intende combinare ricerca d’avanguardia e innovazione democratica applicata, con un’attenzione specifica al public engagement e allo sviluppo di infrastrutture partecipative capaci di mettere in relazione cittadini, istituzioni, scuole, biblioteche e attori politici. Le prime linee di attività si concentreranno in particolare su resilienza democratica, polarizzazione, governance partecipativa, innovazioni democratiche e public engagement, anche a partire dall’esperienza maturata nei progetti europei SYRI, AUTHLIB e INSPIRE.

L’Advisory Board del CEDR sarà guidato da Petr Kopecký, docente della Leiden University, e avrà un ruolo strategico e intellettuale nell’orientare lo sviluppo di lungo periodo del Centro, le sue priorità, le collaborazioni e le attività. Il lancio ufficiale del CEDR è previsto per il 2027, compatibilmente con il percorso di fundraising e con la definizione degli accordi istituzionali.

L’invito rivolto a Zulianello valorizza in particolare il suo lavoro sui partiti populisti a livello internazionale, sull’estremismo politico, sulla rappresentanza democratica e sulle trasformazioni dei sistemi politici contemporanei. Temi che intercettano alcune delle principali linee di attività del CEDR, a partire dall’analisi della polarizzazione democratica, della resilienza istituzionale e del rapporto tra cittadini e istituzioni rappresentative.

La partecipazione di Zulianello al nuovo board consolida inoltre un rapporto accademico già avviato con la Charles University, sviluppato attraverso attività didattiche, collaborazioni di ricerca, mentoring dottorale e pubblicazioni congiunte. Una relazione che ha contribuito a rafforzare i collegamenti tra l’Università di Trieste, l’ateneo praghese e le reti europee di ricerca dedicate allo studio del populismo, dei partiti politici e della qualità della democrazia.

L’ingresso nell’Advisory Board rappresenta quindi un riconoscimento del profilo scientifico internazionale di Zulianello e, al tempo stesso, un’occasione per confermare la presenza dell’Università di Trieste in reti di ricerca europee impegnate nello studio delle trasformazioni della democrazia, della partecipazione politica e della resilienza delle istituzioni.

From classroom design to boats on the water: UniTS took part in the opening of the Venice Boat Show 2026 with a delegation from the Department of Engineering and Architecture, composed of its director Giorgio Sulligoi, Vittorio Bucci, recently appointed coordinator of the degree programme in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, and Serena Bertagna, together with PhD candidates and students from the Master’s degree programme in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

The University’s presence highlighted the connection between engineering education, yacht and naval design, and dialogue with the maritime industry. This is a field in which UniTS has deep historical roots and which continues to develop today through teaching, applied research and projects involving students directly.

One of the key moments of the day was the presentation of the new boat by the Audace Sailing Team, recently unveiled and ready to compete in the SuMoth Challenge 2026. The project demonstrates the value of the experience developed within the team, which offers students a true hands-on training laboratory: a pathway in which theoretical knowledge, design and experimentation come together across all stages of work, from hull design and structural verification to construction and participation in university competitions.

The day also included the award ceremony of the MUVE Yacht Projects 2026 – Academy Lab, an initiative promoted as part of the Venice Boat Show and dedicated to the relationship between universities, young designers, companies and maritime culture. Students from the UniTS degree programme in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering also took part in the project, developing design proposals for contemporary yacht and boat design.

During the award ceremony, Professor Vittorio Bucci spoke about the transformations affecting the nautical sector and the skills required of future naval engineers. Ships and yachts are complex systems that integrate physics, materials, shipowners’ requirements, comfort and advanced technologies. For this reason, university education starts from solid engineering foundations and guides students towards increasingly integrated design, also through dialogue with the productive sector.

As Professor Sulligoi pointed out: “Perhaps not everyone knows that our Faculty of Engineering was founded precisely with the degree programme in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Today, as then, and increasingly so, it is an engineering field that opens up to and embraces territories and stakeholders, and is honoured to present itself, and to see its students awarded, also in Venice, today described by authoritative speakers as ‘the oldest city of the future’.”

Participation in the Boat Show was also an opportunity for direct training for students and PhD candidates, who were able to explore topics related to technological innovation, yacht and naval design, and the development of the maritime sector through direct contact with industrial, design and institutional stakeholders in the field.

Accessible tourism does not begin when people reach their destination, but much earlier: when someone looks for information, checks whether a facility truly meets their needs and tries to understand whether they will be able to enjoy an experience independently and safely.

This is one of the main messages that emerged from the final event of DATIS – Digital Pioneers of Accessible Tourism, a project funded by the Interreg VI-A Italy-Slovenia 2021-2027 Programme, held on Tuesday 19 May 2026 at the Grand Hotel Entourage in Gorizia. The event, entitled Accessible tourism starts with accessible information, provided an opportunity to present the results to tourism and social-sector operators, institutions, organisations representing people with disabilities, researchers and accessibility experts from Italy and Slovenia.

In this process, the University of Trieste played a central role through its Department of Political and Social Sciences, contributing to the development of the project’s scientific basis and to the analysis of the real needs of the people involved. The research coordinated by UniTS collected more than 400 questionnaires from people with disabilities, interviewed online and in person, and explored the topic further through interviews and focus groups with around 50 people with visual, cognitive and mental disabilities, as well as operators, caregivers and family members.

The work was led for UniTS by Moreno Zago, Professor of Responsible Tourism Practices, with the support of the Quolity team, composed of Luca Bianchi, Marta Candussi and Francesca Samogizio. The University’s contribution made it possible to translate data, experiences and testimonies into useful guidance for tourism operators, institutions and local communities, with the aim of designing more accessible services, more reliable information and genuinely inclusive pathways.

Through a cross-border sample survey, in-depth interviews with people with disabilities, and analyses of accommodation facilities and tourism websites, DATIS connected physical, digital and communication accessibility, highlighting how decisive the quality of information is in making travel a truly possible and inclusive experience.

One figure shows the relevance of the issue particularly clearly: for more than 90 per cent of people with motor, sensory, cognitive or age-related disabilities, travelling is considered quite or very important. Travel is not only a leisure activity, but an experience that contributes to physical and mental well-being, strengthens autonomy and self-confidence, and helps counter social isolation.

At the same time, barriers continue to limit the right to travel for all. These are not only physical obstacles, but also incomplete, poorly readable or unreliable information, which can generate “false accessibility”: facilities or services presented as accessible, but not actually suited to people’s needs. Although respondents generally reported being treated respectfully, only 17 per cent of the people involved considered staff adequately prepared to respond to the needs and expectations of people with disabilities.

Digital tools are now one of the main gateways to travel: almost 60 per cent of the people involved use online tools to organise their tourism experiences. However, one third of the sample avoided choosing a destination precisely because of the lack of accessible information online. Complex navigation, poorly readable texts, lack of inclusive support tools and inaccessible content can become barriers as concrete as an architectural obstacle.

The analysis carried out as part of DATIS on 100 tourism websites in the cross-border area confirmed this critical issue: many portals are visually modern and technically structured, but still not fully usable by everyone. The average level of digital accessibility detected was 37 per cent for Slovenian tourism operators and 40 per cent for Italian operators.

The project’s results also include the DATIS web database, designed to make information on the digital accessibility of tourism operators in the cross-border area more visible and verifiable, together with guidelines and a strategy for more accessible tourism communication. These are useful tools both for people planning their journey and for operators seeking to improve the quality and clarity of the information they provide.

Specific attention was also given to pilot activities carried out at the Museums of Monte San Michele in Sagrado and the Museum of Industrial Heritage in Ajdovščina, involving people with visual, cognitive and mental disabilities. The pilot activities showed how immersive technologies, digital accessibility and multisensory content can transform cultural heritage into a more inclusive experience, provided that the solutions are simple, accessible and accompanied by adequate human support.

The direct involvement of people with disabilities is one of the central elements to emerge from the project. Accessible solutions cannot be designed solely on the basis of formal standards or technical checks, but must be built through listening to users, co-design and the concrete evaluation of experiences.

The University of Trieste hosted the institutional visit of a Québec delegation as part of cooperation initiatives between Italy and Canada in the fields of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technologies. The delegation included Laurence Fouquette-L’Anglais, Québec Delegate in Rome, Vanessa Antoniali, Senior Attachée for Public and Institutional Affairs, and Alexane Thibodeau, Ph.D., Scientist in Residence.

The visit, which began at the headquarters of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and was also attended by Pro-Rector Mauro Tretiach, forms part of the ongoing effort to strengthen bilateral relations between Italy and Canada, launched with the 2024 agreement between the two countries to promote strategic cooperation in high-technology sectors. This commitment was reaffirmed by the Joint Statement signed on the margins of the Canadian-led G7 in 2025.

After visiting the UniTS laboratories hosted at Area Science Park’s Basovizza campus, ArQuS and QCI, the delegation visited the new SIQURO Laboratory on the Piazzale Europa Campus.

SIQURO is a joint laboratory of the Universities of Trieste and Udine, established as part of the Quantum FVG project funded by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The laboratory develops technologies for secure quantum communications through a fibre-optic infrastructure connecting the two universities, enabling the exchange of cryptographic keys through QKD — Quantum Key Distribution — technology.

Research activities are structured around two complementary areas. In Trieste, the work focuses on the physical and experimental aspects of quantum transmission and on stabilising the fibre-optic connection. In Udine, the focus is on integrating quantum keys into secure communication systems and cybersecurity applications.

The visit of the Canadian delegation represented an important opportunity for international dialogue on cybersecurity and quantum technologies, confirming UniTS’ strategic role in emerging fields of innovation.

Climate change can significantly affect wine quality, but its effects are not the same across all varieties. This is the focus of the study Climate and the quality of wine: Whites vs. reds, published in Open Access in the Journal of Cleaner Production and conducted by a UniTS research group.

The study is authored by Giovanni Millo, Paolo Bogoni, Barbara Campisi, Matteo Carzedda, Gianluigi Gallenti, Valentino Riva and Gaetano Carmeci. The work is part of the project “Climate change and sustainability of viticulture in the Collio Goriziano area”, launched within the Department of Economics, Business, Mathematics and Statistics “Bruno de Finetti” (DEAMS) and funded by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Gorizia.

The study focuses on Collio, a wine-growing area in Friuli Venezia Giulia where both white and red wines are produced, offering a suitable context for a comparative analysis of the effects of weather conditions on wine quality. The aim of the research is to understand how climate variables, such as temperatures and seasonal patterns, may influence the final quality of the product.

Wine quality depends on many factors. Some are relatively stable or controllable, such as soil, winemaking techniques and the characteristics of the territory. Others, however, are beyond the producers’ control, such as climate, weather variability and extreme events.

The results show that white wines respond to weather conditions differently from red wines. In particular, the study highlights a delicate balance between spring and summer temperatures, with effects that may vary significantly even between individual varieties. Climate change, therefore, does not produce uniform consequences, but requires specific analyses by territory, grape variety and type of wine.

The study provides useful insights not only from a scientific perspective, but also for producers and policymakers. Understanding which varieties are more or less sensitive to climate conditions can help define adaptation strategies, including targeted choices in vineyard management and in the selection of the varieties best suited to new climate scenarios.

The research project also had an educational impact: the funding made it possible to support a two-year research fellowship, which later developed into a doctoral path within the University’s PhD Programme in Circular Economy.

In pursuit of another remarkable achievement. After the unexpected silver medal won in the 2025 edition, the CUS Trieste men’s basketball team returns to the Spring National University Championships (CNU) determined to make its mark and go as far as possible.

The Trieste team, which qualified automatically for the 2026 edition thanks to last year’s second-place finish, will begin its CNU campaign on Tuesday, 26 May at 9:00 a.m. against CUS Basilicata. The Championships are organised by CUS Piemonte Orientale (CUSPO), with the basketball tournament taking place in Novara from 26 to 30 May.

In Group A, alongside CUS Trieste, which this year will field the team that finished third in the Divisione Regionale 2 championship, and CUS Basilicata, there will also be CUS Verona and CUS Firenze.

CUS Trieste will be coached by Alessandro Meden, assisted by Matteo Drioli. The 11 players selected are: Alessandro Ermacora, Umberto Franceschetto, Nicolò Giurgevich, Sebastiano Glerean, Giacomo Icardi, Luca Ladoni, Giacomo Martin, Vittorio Quariglio, Biniam Santucci, Alessandro Tonasso and Luca Trentin.

“This year,” said coach Alessandro Meden, “we are taking part with the same group that represented CUS Trieste throughout the season, without adding any external players. I don’t know whether we will be able to match last year’s great result, but I am sure that these players, who are constantly improving, will make life difficult for every opponent. This is a very close-knit group, made up of friends and teammates. For many of them, it will be their first CNU and, regardless of the final result, I am certain they will make the most of this valuable experience, both from a competitive and personal growth perspective.”

“After last year’s excellent result and an intense winter preparation,” underlined CUS Trieste President Michele Pipan, “we approach the Championships with the desire to give our best and continue to grow. In Novara, the team that has worn the CUS Trieste colours throughout the season will take to the court, having earned the opportunity to enjoy a high-level sporting and human experience. I wish the players and coach Meden, who has always stood out for his professionalism and commitment to the team, the very best for this adventure.”

The men’s basketball tournament will feature the group stage from Tuesday 26 to Thursday 28 May. The semi-finals will take place on Friday 29 May, while the finals will be played on Saturday 30 May.

The other groups are listed below:
Group B: CUS Milano, CUS Bari, CUS Caserta, CUS Camerino
Group C: CUS Lecce, CUS Sassari, CUS Napoli, CUS Palermo
Group D: CUS Genova, CUS Macerata, CUS Cagliari, CUS Piemonte Orientale

The University of Trieste, thanks to the cultural preservation and outreach work of the University Museum System (SmaTS), is opening the Ducaton Gallery, a new permanent space on the first floor of the right wing of the Gorizia campus, at Via Alviano 18. The gallery is dedicated to the pictorial cycle The Lady from the Sea by Annamaria Ducaton (1936–2026).

The cycle consists of 28 canvases donated by the Trieste painter to the University in 2024, on the occasion of the centenary of its foundation.

Created between 1984 and 1985, the cycle is inspired by Henrik Ibsen’s 1889 drama of the same name. The work represents an emotional and artistic journey in which Ducaton enters into dialogue with her mother, the actress Giannina Herman Macknig, and with Ellida, the protagonist of Ibsen’s play.

The new permanent gallery was created as a tribute and a gesture of gratitude to the recently deceased artist, and enhances the connection between art, personal memory, theatre and UniTS’ cultural heritage.

The gallery will soon be open to external visitors by reservation.

Annamaria Ducaton (1936–2026)
Annamaria Ducaton grew up immersed in the artistic atmosphere of her family. As a child, she began studying piano, but after five years she gave it up to devote herself to painting. An “imaginary” artist, she held around eighty solo exhibitions in Trieste, Duino, Lignano, Udine, Gorizia, Maniago, Brunico, Dobbiaco, Steinhaus, San Bonifacio di Verona, Trento, Rome, Turin, Milan, Izola, Ljubljana, Dobrovo, Salzburg, Graz, Helsinki, Basel, Terezín in the Czech Republic, Venezuela and California. She also took part in more than one hundred group exhibitions in Italy and abroad. Her work developed through a range of themes that allowed her to explore her chosen subjects in depth and in detail, generating a significant cultural contribution that went beyond the personal sphere. Music and literature always accompanied her pictorial work.

The pictorial cycle The Lady from the Sea (1984–1985)
This series of mixed-media works by Annamaria Ducaton draws inspiration from Ibsen’s drama The Lady from the Sea, poetically intertwining personal images and universal symbols. Ducaton uses photographs of herself and of her mother, placing them within an abstract visual context characterised by fluid forms and evocative colours. Each work thus becomes a visual and textual reflection on identity, bonds and the need for freedom.

Twenty-eight of the original twenty-nine works survive and are intended to be read in an order established by the artist herself. The tension between belonging and the desire for escape lies at the heart of these works, in which the sea, evoked through undulating forms and shifting colours, represents the inner world and the hidden forces that accompany the journey of self-discovery.

Ducaton overlays symbols and images. This visual layering expresses the complexity of memory, in which past and present merge, while the face of the mother alternates with that of the artist in a dialogue that evokes both the generational bond and the conflict between what is inherited and what one seeks to overcome. Quotations from The Lady from the Sea accompany the images and intensify the sense of introspection and invisible threat.

The outlines of the figures dissolve into a surreal background, where marine forms and imaginary creatures seem to envelop and observe the characters, embodying inner fears and unspoken desires. The presence of the sea, with its call to freedom and danger, becomes a metaphor for the psychic depth in which the protagonists move.

At the heart of these works is also a reflection on female identity and autonomy. Ellida’s words express the desire to break free from constraints and affirm one’s authenticity. Visually, too, the female figures appear isolated, immersed in abstract landscapes that make them both part of and estranged from the environment around them, suggesting the duality of those seeking to discover and affirm themselves beyond imposed roles.

In summary, Ducaton’s series is an intimate and complex exploration of family relationships and identity, rooted in the poetics of Ibsen’s symbolic sea. The fusion of photography and abstraction produces a layered and vibrant image, inviting reflection on how bonds, whether familial or existential, can be both a refuge and a limit to be overcome.

22 May marks the International Day for Biological Diversity, established by the United Nations to draw attention to the value of life in its many forms and to our responsibility to protect it, including in the places we inhabit every day. For UniTS, this means recognising that biodiversity is not a silent backdrop, but a living presence that accompanies study, work and relationships: trees, wild plants, pollinating insects, birds, reptiles, fungi and many other organisms are part of the ecological quality of the university environment.

This is the context for Biodiversity @University of Trieste, the project active on iNaturalist that collects naturalistic observations made across the University’s spaces and surrounding areas. iNaturalist is an international citizen science platform that allows users to upload georeferenced observations of living organisms, support their identification through a broad scientific community, and gradually build an open and shared archive. Observations can also feed into GBIF – Global Biodiversity Information Facility, one of the main international infrastructures for open biodiversity data.

The project is open to the entire community. To take part, users simply need to register for free on iNaturalist, access the Biodiversity @University of Trieste page – available at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-university-of-trieste or searchable in the platform’s Projects section – and select “Join”.

The results collected so far already offer a significant picture. In just a few months of activity, thanks to the contribution of 59 students and academic staff from the University, 421 observations relating to 300 different species have been recorded: plants, insects, birds, reptiles, fungi, arachnids and molluscs. Almost 60% of the observations have already reached “research grade” level, confirming the quality of the data produced and their potential use in scientific, educational and environmental monitoring contexts.

On the occasion of 22 May, the invitation is therefore simple: to pause, look around, observe more carefully what lives alongside us and contribute to the project. Every wild plant along the edge of a path, every pollinating insect, every bird among the trees of the campus, every organism recognised and shared helps make the biodiversity of the University of Trieste more visible and strengthens the idea of an open, sustainable University.