VERCELLI UNIVERSITY

Vercelli University has been selected by Roberto Amati in relation to the real history of european integration, then enlisted in the UNIVERSITAS category, accompanied by own fact SHEET useful to the comprehension, completed of historical MAPS AND IMAGES or with a direct linking to the related Blog contents dedicated to the aeternitas and the future of Europe.

	FOUNDATION
Year	1228 A.D.
City	Vercelli
Founder	Students
Where	bishopric Vercelli (Reich Empire)
Originary subjects	law

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	NOWADAYS
State	Italy
Name	University of Eastern Piedmont 'Amedeo Avogadro' (Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro - Vercelli)
Seates	Vercelli , Alessandria , Novara
Degree programs	Economics , Law , Letters and Philosophy , Mathematics , Physics , Natural Sciences , Medicine , Surgery Pharmacy , Political Sciences
Library	YES internal
Collegium	NO
Alumni	UPO Alumni
Famous teachers
Famous scholars
Awards

Vercelli University is among the oldest of Europe as the first Studium Generale in Vercelli dates back to 1228 A.D., even if closed since late Middle Age to be reopened only in 1961 A.D. by a joint initiative of the Hospital of Vercelli and the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in the University of Turin (see below). The inspiration derived from a group of students in Bologna and Padua, who undersigned the Charta Studii in a house in the Venetian city which led to the founding of the Studium in Vercelli as new temporary seat for the University of Pavia, where only a university school of law has been maintained. The experience was short-lived: lasting only to 1341 A.D. with various interruptions and relaunches, it was not until 1961 A.D. that university life returned to Vercelli, when a joint initiative of the Hospital of Vercelli and the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in the University of Turin allowed the activation of parallel courses to keep initially in Vercelli and, after a few years, also in Novara as Piedmont international university​.

The idea of a new University in Piedmont emerged in the Eighties: courses were set up in Business and Economics in Novara, while in Alessandria was launched the courses of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences, Law, and Physical Sciences, after what came courses in Literature and Philosophy were introduced in Vercelli. In the academic period of 1986-90 A.D. at the University of Turin, the development project of faculties in Alessandria, Novara and Vercelli was introduced under the name of 'Piemonte Orientale': from that moment onward, the project was truly underway to creating an independent university, in fairly quick stages. In 1992 A.D. second faculties of Literature and Philosophy in Vercelli, of Medicine and Surgery in Novara and Maths/Physics/Natural Sciences and Political Sciences in Alessandria were created: these changed their names and structures in the move from Turin, while in the next academic year the faculty of Law of Alessandria and the faculty of Economics of Novara were also added to the family. At the same time, the region welcomed the creation of consortiums and committees for the development of university education in the 3 cities.

The Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale 'Amedeo Avogadro' (alias Vercelli University) was officially born in 1998 A.D., when the Minister of Universities and Scientific Research and Technology signed its Charter: the choice of the illustrious Piedmont scientist Amedeo Avogadro, who taught in Vercelli for a number of years, for the university’s name was due to his worldwide fame following his formulation of the Number of particles in a mole. 7 faculties were set up: Economics, Pharmacy, and Medicine and Surgery in Novara; Literature and Philosophy in Vercelli; Law, Mathematics/Physics/Natural Sciences and Political Sciences in Alessandria. The break from the University of Turin was followed by the transfer of all assets, equipment, staff, students and legal relations to the new University, which had belonged to the original one. Following in 2011 A.D. the faculties were dissolved and 7 new departments were set up, managing both teaching and research activity, as well as the School of Medicine. The Vercelli University (UPO) has now achieved an excellent position in the national University ranking: the collaboration of the local communities has been key to this success, as the university has become a point of reference in these areas for scientific production, technology transfer, teaching and cultural debate.

The research centres promote and develop research in specific scientific and cultural fields, favouring the analysis and indepth exploration of interdisciplinary topics: To this end, Vercelli University has established interdepartmental and inter-university centres. UPO is also a member of consortia with other universities or organisations/foundations that plan and develop research programmes and adheres to the European strategy for the strengthening of research via infrastructures, resources and services used by the scientific community in the pursuit of top-class research. Interdipartimental centres and Inter-univerisity centres or the Consortia partnerships put the UPO in the middle of a rich wade network of reasearch system even with fellowship and PhD programmes. The Research Infrastructures are linked structures, resources and services adopted by the scientific community to perform high level research in their respective fields (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures).

Vercelli University has been committed to pursuing the 'Third Mission' objectives since its appearance in the Italian university lexicon, in the first decade of XXI century, adapting the activities in a strategic manner as the Ministry and Anvur proceeded in defining the topic. Today, Third Mission means the set of activities with which the University enhances knowledge by interacting directly with society and promotes its development through the transformation and circulation of knowledge produced mainly through research activity. It is an institutional responsibility to which we respond according to own characteristics, with the aim of generating an impact, that is, a change, an improvement for the economy, society, culture, health, the environment, the fight against inequalities. Vercelli University tries to improve the quality of life, first of all in our local area, and then on a national and international scale throught the Strategic Plan 2019-24 that adopted the Third Mission activities as a pillar that characterises its general mission: they are promoted among the 5 strategic lines, with related objectives and indicators whose overall coherence is ensured by a specific Integrated Plan.

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In the same Piedmont Region is open the old University of Turin, founded in 1404 A.D. by a Bull issued by Pope Benedict XIII. It then developed on the initiative of Prince of Piedmont Ludovico of Savoia-Acaja, who was willing to establish a University on his own land at a crossroads between the Alps, Liguria and Lombardy. The early decades were marked by interruptions caused by epidemics and crises that plagued the region: moreover there were difficult relationships between the University and the local administrative authorities, in fact in the decade 142-1430 A.D. Piedmont territories were annexed to the Duchy of Savoia. After a series of disruptions to its activities, the University was moved to Chieri town and later to Savigliano. In 1436 A.D., when the Institution returned to Turin, Ludovico of Savoia introduced a new order of studies, under which the Government gained greater control over the University.

In 1506 A.D. Erasmus of Rotterdam obtained his degree here, indeed, many scholars, especially French and English, regarded Turin Studium as a first step in Italy before going on to older and better-known universities. From 1443 until 1720 A.D., the University of Turin was housed in a modest building purchased and refurbished for the purpose by the City on the corner between via Doragrossa (now via Garibaldi) and via dello Studio (today's via San Francesco d'Assisi) directly behind the Town Hall. The inauguration of the actual prestigious building in via Po, close to piazza Castello, centre of power and other educational institutions of the ducal capital, occurred in the academic year 1720-1721, which was also the first year of the University studies reforms enacted by Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy King of Sicily, as part of a radical renewal of public administration and education at every level. He was convinced that an efficient University, controlled directly by the State, was the only way to create a well-trained ruling class which could support him in the process of modernising the Nation: among the notable innovations of the reform enacted by Vittorio Amedeo was the establishment of the Chair of Eloquenza Italiana (Italian Rhetoric) alongside that of Latin. This had a significant effect on the cultural linguistic standards of the Duchy.

In the 19th Century the University of Turin grew substantially to become one of the most prestigious atheneum in Italy, landmark for the Positivism with teachers as Cesare Lombroso, Carlo Forlanini and Arturo Graf. Many of the leading figures in XX century Italian political, social and cultural life, such as Antonio Gramsci, Piero Gobetti, Palmiro Togliatti, Norberto Bobbio, Cesare Pavese, graduated from Turin University, as 3 as three Nobel Prizes for Medicine Winners, Salvatore Luria, Rita Levi Montalcini and Renato Dulbecco, even more the former Italian Republic Presidents, economist and editor Luigi Einaudi. Nowadays the University of Turin is enlisted among the best 100 world atheneos by the most important global university rankings! It owns seats in Turin, Aosta, Asti, Cuneo and Ivrea town too, all important italian civitas of the history of european integration: it allows Italian students and researchers to enrich their career through an experience abroad and attracts students and teachers from international universities through European and extra-European exchange and mobility programs.

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