University of Urbino

The University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" (Italian: Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo", UNIURB) is an Italian university located in Urbino, a walled hill-town in the region of Marche, located in the north-eastern part of central Italy.

During the 1960s/70s, the University succeeded in buying up numerous derelict buildings in the old town centre, which have since been restored and used as faculty and department buildings. While the student body and faculties gradually increased and developed over time, it was under the long-lasting rectorship of Senator for Life Carlo Bo that the University enjoyed unprecedented growth in size and prestige, prompting the former president of the European Commission, Roy Jenkins, to state that "the University of Urbino is an incisive presence in contemporary thought, contributing in original ways to the cultural and intellectual life of Europe". This was also the period in which architect Giancarlo De Carlo designed and built the University Halls of Residence and redesigned and modernised several of the university's other buildings.

Since 2012 the University of Urbino has been a state-run University. It currently has six departments and two institutes, about 14,000 students, many of whom are from overseas, about 800 teachers and 400 administrative staff members. The university has no central campus as such, and instead occupies numerous buildings throughout the town and in the surrounding countryside. The main accommodation blocks are situated a short distance from the town.

Traditionally a centre of studies in law since its foundation in 1506, nowadays the University of Urbino is renowned mostly for teaching and research in humanities, in particular literature and language studies, and sociology, and for the good reputation of its Italian language courses.

Departments

Until 2013 the university was divided into 11 faculties:

Faculty of Economics

Faculty of Education

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Literature and philosophy

Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences

Faculty of Modern Languages and Literature

Faculty of Pharmacy

Faculty of Political Science

Faculty of Sociology

Faculty of Sport Sciences

Following the approval of the so-called Gelmini reform in 2009, and starting from the 2013/2014 academic year, the faculty-based organisation was replaced by a department-based structure. It is currently composed of the following departments and institutes:

Department of Pure and Applied Sciences (DISPeA)

Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies. Cultures, Languages, Literatures, Arts, Media (DISCUI)

Department of Economics, Society, Politics (DESP)

Department of Humanities (DISTUM)

Department of Law (DIGIUR)

Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DISB)

Superior Institute of Religious Sciences 'Italo Mancini' (ISSR)

Institute of Journalism

Libraries

The University offers to students and staff a number of libraries making up the University Library System, along with the Foundation 'Carlo and Marise Bo' for Modern and Contemporary European Literature library.

Colleges

The University does not have its own residence halls. However, a number of colleges and dormitories for University of Urbino students are owned and managed by the regional office for the right to academic education. They include four colleges (Vela, Tridente, Aquilone and Serpentine) and one female dormitory (Casa Studentessa) in Urbino, one college located in the scientific campus between Urbino and Fermignano, and a number of rented private accommodation blocks in Pesaro and Fano, paid for by the regional government.

Notable people

Alumni

Majlinda Bregu, politician, minister of European Integration of Albania (2009–2013)

Duccia Camiciotti, poet and writer

Lorella Cedroni, political philosopher

Valeria Ciavatta, politician, captain regent of San Marino in 2003–2004 and in 2014

Ivo Mattozzi, historian

Alessia Morani, politician, MP since 2013

Alessandra Moretti, politician, MP (2013–2014) and MEP (2014–2015)

Giuseppe Novelli, biologist

Mario Pappagallo, journalist

Giovanna Trillini, foil fencer, multiple medalist at Olympics and World Championships

Faculty and staff

19th century

Giovanni de' Brignoli di Brünnhoff, botanist, founder of the Orto Botanico "Pierina Scaramella"

Alessandro Serpieri, astronomer and seismologist

20th century

Anna Maria Bisi, archaeologist

Carlo Bo, literary critic, senator for life (1984–2001), rector of the university (1947–2001)

Sabino Cassese, constitutional lawyer, minister of Public Administration (1993–1994), member of the Constitutional Court of Italy (2005–2014)

Umberto Piersanti, poet and sociologist of literature

Cesare Questa, classicist

Paolo Virno, philosopher and semiologist

Bruno Visentini, politician and business lawyer, minister of Finance (1974–1976 and 1983–1987), minister for Budget (1979) and several times MP

21st century

Khaled Fouad Allam, sociologist and MP (2006–2008)

Stefano Arduini, linguist

Ilvo Diamanti, political scientist and sociologist

Alessandro Jacchia, television producer

Domenico Losurdo, political theorist and philosopher

Massimo Negrotti, AI sociologist

Mario Vella, philosopher and social theorist