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Past
and present
The Studium at
Bologna is the oldest in the world: 1088 may be
accepted as a conventional date indicating when
teaching became free and independent of the
ecclesiastical schools in Bologna. The University
of Bologna was formed between the 11th and 12th
centuries mainly around Roman Law as laid down in
the Justinian Code.
In 1158 Frederick I
Barbarossa issued an Autentica Habita which
established that every school of learning should
constitute a societas of socii (pupils), presided
over by a dominus (master) who was to be paid with
sums of money granted to him by the students. In
1176 the Italian communes confronted Frederick
Barbarossa in a pitched battle at Legnano and
defeated him. The communes tried to favour the
societas and teachers at Bologna University were
required to swear an oath that they would not teach
outside the city walls. Their tenure was secure, on
condition that they limit themselves to teaching
exclusively at Bologna. This shows that Bologna,
even then, and perhaps earlier, had become the goal
of many students from all over Europe, drawn by the
fame of its teachers.
The most important
secession occurred in 1222, resulting in the
setting up a university in Padua which, like
Bologna, was eventually to become one of most
important seats of learning in Italy.
By the 14th
century, Law had ceased to be the main focus of
study at the University of Bologna. The school of
"Artes" joined that of Law. The term "artes" should
be construed in the classical sense, signifying
"technique"; so we find students of Medicine,
Philosophy, Arithmetic, Astronomy, Logic, Rhetoric
and Grammar among the "artists".
In 1364 Theology
was also introduced as a discipline. In this period
Dante Alighieri and Petrarch spent some time
studying in Bologna, as did many other famous
poets.
In the Humanist
period, the new philological disciplines spread
throughout Italy. In this lively intellectual
climate, Greek (1420) and Hebrew (1460), were
introduced as new disciplines at the
University.
In the sixteenth
century, Bologna also become one of the centres of
neo-Aristotelian studies. The Rectors disappeared
and real control of the Studium fell into the hands
of the Cardinal Legate, who represented the Pope,
although official governance of the University was
held by the Priors. In 1563 the Studium was
transferred to a large new building called the
"Archiginnasio".
A long period
followed in which the University was run by a
combination of students and professors until, in
the Napoleonic era, the post of Rector was
reintroduced, but now as a professor. This loss of
autonomy on the part of the nationes enabled the
Studium to become better organized, but the study
of Law and the Arts never reached the heights it
had attained in the Middle Ages. The study of
Medicine, Mathematics and the Sciences in general,
however, advanced.
In Napoleonic
times, in 1803, the Studium was transferred to
Palazzo Poggi, its present site. In moving from the
centre of the city to an area nearer the Accademia
delle Scienze, Accademia delle Belle Arti, the Art
Gallery, the Conservatory and the Botanical
Gardens, the century-old ties, both political and
geographical, between the Studium and the town
government were broken, and an important cultural
centre - the nucleus of the future University area
- began to take shape in Bologna. Following the
reunification of Italy, the University awoke from
the period of relative decline into which it had
fallen during the years of the Papal Restoration.
The University now boasted a body of teachers of
the highest level, among whom Giosuè
Carducci (Nobel Prize for Literature 1906) stands
out. Thanks to Carducci, the University of Bologna
symbolized the new Italian culture and served to
forge a link with the medieval tradition. The VIII
centenary, celebrated in 1888, a conventional date,
emphasised this link between past and present which
lay at the heart of the moral strength of a new
country.
The VIII centenary
endowed the University of Bologna not only with a
closely knit network of scientific contacts with
numerous universities outside Italy, but also a
building development plan of great
interest.
On the occasion of
the IX centenary in 1988, the University and City
of Bologna promoted several cultural events and
activities to address the many problems of
research, training and qualification,
professionalism and the labour market arising from
the new international context of
learning.
In recent years,
the university has set up Faculties and courses at
Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia and
Rimini.
A
brief history of Bologna
Bologna, originally
called Felsina, was one of the most important towns
in the Po Valley. In the fourth century B.C.
Felsina was invaded and dominated by the Boii Gauls
who, a century later, were defeated by the Romans.
The Romans founded a colony, later transformed into
a Municipium, and called it Bononia. The position
of the town along the ancient via Emilia (a Roman
highway connecting the most important centers of
northern Italy) gave Bononia prestige and a huge
population (at that time 20,000
inhabitants)
With the collapse
of the Roman Empire, at the beginning of the fifth
century A.D, the prosperity of Bologna started to
decline, but under the episcopate of Petronius, the
legendary politician and patron saint of Bologna,
the town soon recovered its former power and
stability.
During the
thirteenth century Bologna reached the peak of its
prosperity, which corresponded to the setting up
and development of the Studium. This was a period
of great social reforms (Bologna was the first city
in Europe to abolish the feudal system of
serfdom).
Today, the
structure of the city reflects the Roman and
medieval design, its streets fanning out from the
hub of the city centre: Piazza Maggiore and the two
towers (Garisenda and Asinelli). These towers, now
a symbol of Bologna, were built in the twelfth
century, when Bologna had "100 towers" named after
the families who had built them. Bologna is also
well-known for the arcades or porticoes in the
streets of the city centre for a total length of
about 35 km.
In the past, coins
from the Bologna mint carried the inscription
"Bononia docet" (Bologna teaches): Bologna's fame
as a centre of learning goes back to the foundation
of Bologna University in 1088. The University of
Bologna is the oldest in the world. In addition to
its academic prestige, Bologna is also noteworthy
for its artistic tradition.
After the Second
World War Bologna developed rapidly, and has become
a highly specialized economic and industrial
centre, characterized by a number of small and
medium-sized enterprises.
Bologna, with its
present population of 400,000 inhabitants, is an
important economic and cultural centre, with some
of the finest churches, galleries, museums and
theatres in Italy. It has all the advantages of a
dynamic city, thanks largely to a large student
population, yet still has a quiet and relaxed
atmosphere. Bologna offers countless social
activities and cultural events, and at the same
time preserves the tranquillity of a small centre,
easy and enjoyable to tour by bike or on
foot.
From Bologna,
Florence and the Adriatic Coast are one hour away
by car, while other cities like Milan, Verona,
Venice and Rome are 2-3 hours away by
train
Two
world-famous professors from Bologna
University
O ur university is
proud to have on its teaching staff Prof. Romano
Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy since May 1996, who
is a full professor in Industrial policy and
economics at the Faculty of Political
Science.
Born in Scandiano
(Reggio Emilia) in 1939, he graduated in Law at
Milan University and took a masters degree at the
London School of Economics.
In 1970 he began
teaching Economics and industrial policy at the
Faculty of Political Science at Bologna University.
From 1978 to 1979 he was Minister of Industry for
several months, and from 1982 to 1989 and from 1993
to 1994 he was Chairman of IRI, the State holding
group.
Another illustrious
figure and a writer of worldwide renown is Prof.
Umberto Eco, full professor in Semiotics at the
Faculty of Literature and Philosophy since
1975.
Born in Alessandria
in 1932, he graduated in Philosophy at Turin
University He is the author of works on semiotics
used as the key to interpret many cultural
phenomena, and he rose to fame with his first
novel, set in the Middle Ages, "The Name of the
Rose" (1980), from which a successful film was
made; this was followed by "Foucault's Pendulum"
(1988), "The Island of the Day Before" (1994) and
"Kant and the Duck-billed Platypus" (1997) which
have been sold worldwide.
Organisation
of the University
The aim of the
University is to promote the advancement of
knowledge and to provide the training and skills
required to practise a wide range of
professions.
Bologna University
is a state institution, like the vast majority in
Italy, and with 100,000 students it is one of the
largest in the country.
On the basis of the
principle of university independence, Bologna has
established its own code of rules and regulations
enshrined in the "Statute".
The Rector is the
legal representative of the University and chairs
the Academic Senate and the Board of Governors. The
Rector is elected every four years by the academic
staff.
The Registrar (at
present Mrs. Ines Fabbro, shown in the photograph
in her office), in charge of all the central
services and departments, is appointed by the Board
of Governors and serves as secretary to the Senate
and the Board of Governors.
The Senate
establishes the general guidelines, draws up the
university development plans and coordinates
teaching activity. The Senate comprises all
seventeen Deans of Faculty and twelve
representatives elected every three years by the
various disciplines, six of whom are department
heads.
The Board of
Governors oversees the administrative, financial,
economic and asset management of the university, as
well as the management of the technical and
administrative personnel. The Board comprises the
Rector's representative, 13 representatives elected
every three years by the various categories of
university personnel, six students appointed by the
Student Council, and fuor members designated by
central and local government. The University budget
amounts to approximately ECU 400,000 per annum, 15%
of which comes from student contributions and the
rest mainly from government grants.
The two governing
bodies can delegate some of their powers to the
University Council, to which they appoint the six
members proposed by the Rector, who chairs the
meetings.
Every two years the
Student Council is elected by the student body; the
Council consists of 30 members who make decisions
on all issues regarding student
conditions.
Each Faculty is
headed by a Dean who chairs the Faculty Council,
which comprises all the lecturers and student and
research representatives. The Faculty is the
structure through which activities in the various
cultural areas are organised; it also appoints
permanent lecturers and coordinates teaching,
through committees headed by a chairman which
organise the teaching.
Research activities
in one or more similar areas are promoted and
coordinated by the Department under a Head of
Department who, flanked by a committee, chairs the
Department Council which comprises all the
lecturers and elected representatives of the
technical and administrative personnel, Ph.D.
students and undergraduates, and in some faculties
smaller structures (institutes) grouped into
complex units (U.C.I.).
Each Department has
independent administration and supports teaching
activity by providing human and physical
resources.
University staff
are divided into lecturers and researchers and
technical-administrative personnel.
The lecturers,
recruited by national competitions, are divided
into two categories: full professors and associate
professors. The teaching and research personnel may
be full time (in most cases) or fixed-term (with
the possibility of freelance professional
activity).
The Rector, the
Dean of Faculty and usually the Department Head
must be full professors, the first two being full
time.
The
technical-administrative personnel, recruited
through local competitions, are headed by managers
and organised in eight grades, from grade three to
grade ten.
Academic
studies in Italy
The Italian
academic year runs from 1 November to 31 October of
the following year. Some courses may begin in
October, depending on the Faculty.
Italian Universities confer the following
qualifications:
diploma (diploma), degree (laurea), research
doctorate (dottorato di ricerca), postgraduate
specialization diploma (diploma di
specializzazione), and certificate of attendance
(attestato di frequenza) in masters
courses.
The University of
Bologna has seventeen Faculties: Agriculture;
Cultural and Conservation studies; Economics;
Education; Engineering, Foreign Languages and
Literature; Industrial Chemistry; Law; Literature
and Philosophy; Mathematics, Physics and Natural
Science, Medicine; Pharmacy; Political Science;
Psychology; School of Modern Languages for
Interpreters and Translators; Statistics;
Veterinary Medicine.
After compulsory
schooling (8 years) and high school (5 years),
Italian students are generally free to enrol at
University at the Faculty of their choice.
Non-Italian nationals with an equivalent high
school diploma should refer to pages
46-47.
Undergraduate
courses
Diploma: A short
professional training course: 2-3 years.
Degree: 4, 5, 6
years of high-level training. A professional course
with an extensive cultural basis. After
successfully completing the compulsory exams
(minimum passing grade 18, top grade 30 magna cum
Laude) and writing their thesis, students must
discuss their thesis before an examining board. The
final grade for the degree may range from 66 to 110
Magna cum laude, and is based on the average exam
results and the dissertation mark.
From the
educational point of view each Faculty can offer
one or more degrees (corsi di laurea): for example
the Faculty of Science offers degrees in Physics,
Mathematics, etc. Each degree course also offers
different areas of specialization (indirizzi ed
orientamenti): e.g. Civil Engineering offers
specialization in Hydraulics, Transportation,
etc.
Postgraduate
courses
The research degree
or doctorate (dottorato di ricerca) is awarded to
an advanced level of original research; this course
of study is of 3-4 years duration and is open to
graduates.
After obtaining a
University degree, students can attend postgraduate
courses to obtain a particular specialization.
Schools of specialization (scuole di
specializzazione) can last several years (e.g.
Surgery), while masters courses (corsi di
perfezionamento) last one year at the
most.
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