WHEN THE YOUNG Giovanni Pirelli established a factory in Milan in 1872 to produce his now famous tyres, little could he have imagined that the same buildings would one day be transformed into the hub of another centre of innovation: the University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB). Based on the site since it was founded in 1998, UNIMIB is one of Italy’s most dynamic and future-focused universities. Striving to promote a strong relationship between academic excellence


—particularly in research—and the business world, it has, for instance, teamed up with influential domestic organisations such as Confindustria (the Italian Entrepreneurial Association) to carry out projects. And beyond Lombardy— the region that has long been the focus of Italy’s technical innovation and international investment, with Milan at its heart—UNIMIB has partnerships with around 200 partner universities in Europe and another 200 around the world.


All of these links promote research collaborations and overseas study placements and exchanges. “The mobility of students and faculty staff is a way of increasing our knowledge of new educational methods,” explains Professor Dr Marialuisa Lavitrano, Pro Rector for International Affairs. “And it is also one of the best ways to foster a profitable scientific debate.”


JOINT PROGRAMMES UNIMIB has established, among other schemes, joint learning programmes for double honours degrees, doctoral co-tutorships and research collaborations. Its School of Medicine, for instance, has strong links with Harvard and Yale in the USA and Imperial College London, while the School of Economics has a long-standing relationship with the London School of Economics and runs a well-established exchange programme with the prestigious Chongqing University in China. “Internationalisation has become one of the priorities of Milano-Bicocca’s


policy,” says Professor Lavitrano. “We aim to give as many students as possible the opportunity to study abroad.” UNIMIB’s 33,000 students—of whom 5 per cent are from overseas— study in 16 departments across the schools of economics and statistics, law, medicine and surgery, and natural sciences. The university offers 29 research- based doctorates, with state and international funding allowing it to take part in long-term research projects in areas such as plasma research and artificial intelligence. Since UNIMIB opened, there has also been an increase in the number of IT and language courses offered. “This reflects the fact that the university is constantly working to anticipate the demands of a complex, changing world,” Professor Lavitrano says.


PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE The academic programme at UNIMIB is strongly geared towards preparing students for their future careers. This means that internships are a key part of student life. In fact, every department has specific agreements with, or sponsorship from, private companies, which offer students a direct route into internships and work placements. For those who want to go it alone after graduation, the university


operates a dynamic programme of so-called Spin Offs. These are start-up companies launched by graduates with the full support of faculty staff and research fellows. “In the last few years, we have registered an increasing number of start-ups, which is testament to the enthusiasm and drive of our graduates,” says Professor Lavitrano. Spin Offs—which are often in the areas of information and


communication technology, energy and the environment—are monitored by the university, whose staff advise graduates on issues such as patents, intellectual property and the preparation of business presentations. The ventures epitomise how UNIMIB combines academic excellence and an international perspective with ties to the business community. And while today’s campus with its airy classrooms, libraries, open spaces and sports complex may be a world away from Pirelli’s factory floor, he would have instantly recognised and applauded the university’s commitment to science, enterprise and future technology.


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