University of Parma

University of Parma
Università degli Studi di Parma
	Logo of the University of Parma
	Latin: Alma Universitas Studiorum Parmensis
Type	Public
Established	1601; 423 years ago
Rector	Prof. Paolo Martelli (2023)
Administrative staff	1,798
Students	26,000 (2016)
Location	Parma, Italy
Campus	Both urban (University town) and suburban
Sports teams	CUS Parma ([1])
Colors	Blue and yellow;
Affiliations	SPERA
Website	www.unipr.it

The University of Parma (Italian: Università degli Studi di Parma, UNIPR) is a public university in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is organised in nine departments. As of 2016 the University of Parma has about 26,000 students.

History

During the 13th-14th centuries there was an educational institution, studium, in Parma, but it was closed in 1387 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. The university was opened in 1412 by Niccolò III d'Este, and, although no papal bull was issued, the degrees were granted. In 1420 Filippo Maria Visconti closed it again.^[2]

Although there were several attempts to revive the university, it functioned only as a "paper university", granting degrees without teaching. In 1601, the university was finally reopened by Ranuccio I Farnese, and the papal bill was given.^[3] It was a joint institution with a Society of Jesus, and a third of staff were teachers from a local Jesuit school, who taught in a separate building and by Jesuit curriculum.^[4] There were usually about 27-32 teachers and 300-400 students in the 17th century.^[5] Logic, natural history, mathematics and theology were taught by Jesuits and law and medicine by civil teachers.^[3] Among the most important Jesuits who taught in Parma should be mentioned Giovanni Battista Riccioli, and Daniello Bartoli.^[6]

In 1768, Ferdinand I expelled Jesuits and the curriculum was modernized.^[7] Student protests resulted in closure of the university by Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma, in 1831; only in 1854 did Louise Marie Thérèse of Artois re-open it. The university then comprised faculties of theology, law, medicine, physics and mathematics, philosophy, and literature, as well as schools of obstetrics, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine.^[8]

After the Risorgimento, the government of newly united Italy divided the universities of the country into two grades. In 1862, the University of Parma was declared grade B, its financing was reduced, and the quality of education degraded.^[9] It was equalized with grade A universities only in 1887.^[10]

Notable people

Francesco Accarigi (c. 1557–1622), professor of civil law^[11]
Cesare Beccaria (c. 1738–1794), economist and criminologist
Attilio Bertolucci (1911–2000), poet^[12]
Alberto Broggi (born 1966), engineer^[13]
Marta Catellani, chemist^[14]
Flavio Delbono (born 1959), economist and politician^[15]
Vittorio Gallese (born 1959), neuroscientist^[16]
Dario Item (born 1972), ambassador^[17]
Beppo Levi (1875–1961), mathematician
Macedonio Melloni (c. 1798—1854), physicist^[18]
Giuseppe Mingione (born 1972), mathematician^[19]
Piero Mozzi (born 1950), medical doctor and naturopath
Bernardino Ramazzini (c. 1633–1714), professor of medicine and father of Occupational Medicine
Giacomo Rizzolatti (born 1937), neuroscientist^[20]
Cesare Zavattini (1902–1989), screenwriter^[21]

Organization

The university is now divided into 9 departments.^[22]

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
Department of Economics and Management
Department of Engineering and Architecture
Department of Food and Drug
Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries
Department of Law, Politics and International Studies
Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences
Department of Medicine and Surgery
Department of Veterinary Science

From 2012 to 2016 the university was divided into 18 departments:^[23]

Department of Arts and Literature, History and Social Studies
Department of Biomedical, Biotechnological and translational Sciences
Department of Chemistry
Department of Civil, Environmental, Land Management, Engineering and Architecture - DICATEA
Department of Classics, Modern Languages, Education, Philosophy (A.L.E.F.)
Department of Clinical and experimental Medicine
Department of Economics
Department of Food Science
Department of Industrial Engineering
Department of Information Engineering
Department of Law
Department of Life sciences
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
Department of Neuroscience
Department of Pharmacy
Department of Physics and earth sciences “Macedonio Melloni”
Department of Surgery