The University of Sannio opens its 27th Academic Year

On 24 January 2025, the University of Sannio inaugurated its 2024/2025 academic year with a ceremony at the Sant’Agostino Auditorium. The event featured speeches from key figures, including Benevento’s mayor, Clemente Mario Mastella, student representatives Anna Polyatykin and Markus Filibus, and staff representative Maria Labruna.

Mayor Mastella emphasised the importance of collaboration between institutions, academia, and local industries to create opportunities for young people in Southern Italy, urging investment in the future of the region.

Rector Gerardo Canfora, in his final address, highlighted the university’s role as a hub for cultural and social growth, cautioning against reducing higher education to a market-driven service. He celebrated the university’s achievements, such as new facilities, expanded programmes, and impactful research, reaffirming its mission to inspire hope and innovation.

The keynote lecture, delivered by climatologist Antonello Pasini of the CNR, explored climate change impacts and the urgent need for equitable solutions. He stressed that the wealthiest 1% contribute disproportionately to CO₂ emissions and should bear responsibility for mitigating global warming’s effects, particularly for vulnerable populations.

The ceremony also featured research presentations by three doctoral students on sustainability, social contracts, and energy sharing as tools to combat climate change.