University of Catania

Detail of the University of Catania, aside the San Nicolò Church
University of Catania
Università degli Studi di Catania
Latin: Siciliae Studium Generale or "Siculorum Gymnasium"
Type State-supported
Established 1434
Rector Prof. Giacomo Pignataro
Administrative staff
1,623
Students 66,235
Location Catania, Italy
Sports teams CUS Catania
Affiliations UNIMED
Website www.unict.it/

The University of Catania (Italian: Università degli Studi di Catania) is a university located in Catania, Italy, and founded in 1434. It is the oldest university in Sicily, the 13th oldest in Italy and the 29th oldest university in the world. With a population of over 60,000 students, it is the main university in Sicily.

Department

Departments

Following the Italian Higher Education reform introduced by the law 240/10 and adopted by the University of Catania in its new Statute, Faculties have been disactivated and Departments have been reorganized. The University of Catania has now 23 Departments[1] that, additionally to the traditional assignments of scientific research, are in charge of the organization and management of educational activities.

Department Short name Director Field
Agriculture, Food and Environment Di3A Prof. Salvatore Cosentino Agriculture
Economics and Business DEI Prof. Michela Cavallaro Economics
Law Prof. Roberto Pennisi Law
Civil Engineering and Architecture DICAR Prof. Paola La Greca Engineering
Electric, Electronic and Computer Engineering DIEEI Prof. Vincenzo Catania
Industrial Engineering DII Prof. Francesco Patania
Mathematics and Computer Science DMI Prof. Giuseppe Mulone Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences
Physics and Astronomy DFA Prof. Antonio Insolia
Chemical Sciences DSC Prof. Gaetano Tomaselli
Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences BIOGEO Prof. Pietro Pavone
Humanities DISUM Prof. Giancarlo Magnano San Lio Foreign Languages, Letters and Philosophy
Anatomy, Biology and Genetics, Legal Medicine, Neuroscience, Diagnostic Pathology, Hygiene and Public Health DANA Prof. Mario Zappia Medicine and Surgery
Surgery CHIR Prof. Giuseppe Sessa
Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine MEDBIO Prof. Sebastiano Squatrito
Medical and Pediatric Sciences Prof. Carmelo Erio Fiore
Biomedical Sciences DSB Prof. Gianna Tempera
Medical Surgery Speciality SMC Prof. Agostino Serra
Surgical Sciences OrgansTransplantation and Advanced Technologies TRAP Prof. Vincenzo Cavallaro
Political and Social Sciences DSPS Prof. Giuseppe Barone Political Science
Drug Sciences DSF Prof. Giovanna Maria Scoto Pharmacy
Educational Sciences DISFOR Prof. Dario Palermo Education
The Palazzo dell'Università, seat of the University.

History

The university was founded by King Alfonso V of Aragon (who was also King Alfonso I of Sicily) on 19 October 1434. A charter was granted after two royal councillors (Adamo Asmundo and Battista Platamone) convinced the king to accept the founding of a "Studium Generale" in Catania, with the papal recognition arriving ten years later from Pope Eugene IV (18 April 1444). Alfonso V with this gesture wanted to compensate the city (in which there had been recently established the Royal Court) for moving the Sicilian capital from Catania to Palermo. The activity of the Atheneum actually started a year later, in 1445, with 6 professors and 10 students. The first four faculties were Medicine, Philosophy, Canon and Civil Law and Theology. Lessons were initially held in a building in Piazza del Duomo, next to the Cathedral of St. Agatha, and eventually moved to the Palazzo dell'Università in the late 1690s. This building remains the seat of the university to this day. The first degree was awarded to Antonio Mantello, from Syracuse, in 1449. During the course of the 16th century, approximately 20-25 degrees were awarded each year. The University (which from the 16th century was referred to as "Siculorum Gymnasium") was named "Studium Generale" because it was the only entity that could release degrees equal to those released in the old Studia of Salamanca, Valladolid, Bologna and this contributed to spread envy in the other Sicilian cities that in culture and traditions didn't feel inferior to Catania. In 1934, the university celebrated its 500th anniversary with King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy, and, in 1984 the 550th one.

In the early centuries of its existence, the university was administered by the comune (municipality) of Catania, overseen by the bishop of Catania and protected by the royal power. But with a reform operated by the viceroy in 1679 the authority of the bishop (who was "Gran Cancelliere" = "Great Chancellor") prevailed: he had the control over the lecturers, the freshmen and students' curriculum. This led to various conflicts between the civil and religious authorities. From 1818 the office of Gran Cancelliere was assigned to the President of the Great Civil Court, instead of the bishop.

List of university scholars historic and famous

Humanities

World Science

Points of interest

See also

References

External links

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Coordinates: 37°30′13″N 15°05′12″E / 37.50361°N 15.08667°E / 37.50361; 15.08667

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