University of Trieste (UNITS)

The University of Trieste is a public, secular, and independent institution with additional locations in Gorizia, Pordenone, and Portogruaro.

• In 2021, Dedalo won the 1001Vela Cup,
• in 2022, Bai-Lina Rossa won both the 1001Vela Cup and the DRIF Design Contest, the UniTS team won the Trofeo Paolo Padova, and Dedalo placed second in the 1001Vela Cup,
• in 2023, BAI–Flying Lina won the SuMoth Challenge and set a competition speed record of 23 knots,
• in 2024, Audace Sailing Team won the design and construction categories at the SuMoth Challenge. Lina Rossa reached the podium at the 1001Vela Cup, Dedalo placed third, and the team won the Overall M. Maneschi award,
• in 2025, Flax Bandit won the SuMoth Challenge regatta and its design award,
• in 2026, Neverina won first prize for design and finished first in the SuMoth Challenge regattas with a day to spare, while CUS Trieste defeated CUS Bari in the final to win the Barcolana Dragon Boat University Challenge.

Flying Lina became the world’s first Moth-class boat with side platforms made from a flax-fiber sandwich material. It was also the first to exceed 20 knots on foils made with 50% flax fiber.

The University of Trieste offers sports services, activities, and other opportunities for its academic community. The CUS university sports center runs sports courses, tournaments, and other events.

• Audace Sailing Team is an extracurricular project of the Department of Engineering and Architecture. Its members manage the entire process of creating racing prototypes, from designing and building sailboats from sustainable materials to competing in international regattas,
• UniTS Racing Team is a student-run Formula SAE team that takes part in international engineering design competitions and track tests,
• Amici dell’Università A.S.D. organizes sports and recreational activities for the university community.

Teaching and research are closely connected at the University of Trieste, whose primary missions are scientific research and higher education.

The university encourages researchers to apply for regional, national, and international funding. It says these initiatives have earned it international recognition as a center of excellence in several fields.

Such areas as “Natural sciences” and “Physics” are considered to be the most popular here. Graduates of the institution without special difficulties are employed in the prestigious companies of the world within a short time after receiving a diploma.

Outstanding graduates and teachers

Over the entire period of its activity, UNITS has released a large number of students who have become famous personalities. Among them are businessmen, scientists, professors, entrepreneurs, doctors, economists. For example:

• Giovanni Bossi (CEO of Banca IFIS);
• Marino Busdachin (Secretary General of the Organization of Non-Represented Nations and Peoples);
• Alberto Conti (mathematician);
• Luciano Fonda (physicist);
• Salvatore Farina (Commander of the Allied Forces of Brunssum);
• Roberto Fico (Speaker in the Chamber of Deputies);
• Dario Floreano (computer scientist);
• Antonio Giordano (talented doctor);
• Albert O. Hirschman (economist);
• Andrea Illy (entrepreneur);
• Dusan Elinchich (journalist and writer);
• Clara Lovett (President, University of Northern Arizona (1993-2001));
• Carlo Pelanda (economist);
• Alenka Rebula Tut (poet and author);
• Ermin Smerek (architect);
• Martha Verginella (historian);
• Luca Visentini (Secretary General of the European Confederation of Trade Unions);
• Demetrio Volchich (journalist);
• Lamberto Zannier (diplomat).

Among the teachers worth noting are: Louise Acati (sociology), Stefano Bartolini (political science), Gillo Dorfles (humanities), Margherita Haque (astrophysics), Marco Kravos (Slovene), Claudio Magris (German literature).

University of Trieste conducts intensive scientific activities at a high level. It has a large number of cooperation agreements with many research centers. For example:

• International School of Advanced Studies;
• International Center for Theoretical Physics;
• National Institute of Oceanography;
• International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology;
• Trieste Eletra Institute of Syntrotron;
• Trieste sections of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics;
• Italian National Institute of Astrophysics.

All these institutions create the so-called “Trieste system”.

The main campus is on higher ground above Trieste. Its historic building and other campus buildings house offices, classrooms, and laboratories for nearly all degree programs.

The university is renovating its spaces to make them more welcoming, efficient, and functional.

On the campus there is a library, a sports complex and playgrounds for various games, a cultural center, canteens, and also hostels for foreign citizens.

The institution is a member of the European University Association.

For the Business Administration and Management program, paying the first installment of university fees confirms pre-enrollment.

The University of Trieste has about 17,000 students and 1,453 teachers. Foreign citizens make up 8% of the total number of students.

The educational institution consists of 10 divisions:

• Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences;
• Economic, business, mathematical and statistical sciences;
• Engineering and Architecture;
• Humanitarian sciences;
• Legal, language, interpretation and translation studies;
• Natural Sciences;
• Department of Mathematics and Geosciences;
• Medicine, Surgery and Health Care;
• Physics;
• Political and social sciences.

The cost of training for the bachelor / master program is 1000 USD per year. The academic year in this institution is continuous. The University of Trieste supports a student exchange program, through which students can receive part of their education at another prestigious university in the world.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision