University of Padua facts for kids
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Università degli Studi di Padova
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| Latin: Universitas Studii Paduani | |
| Motto | Universa Universis Patavina Libertas (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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Liberty of Padua, universally and for all |
| Type | Public research university |
| Established | September 1222 |
| Accreditation | MIUR |
| Budget | €831 million (2023) |
| Rector | Daniela Mapelli |
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Academic staff
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4,580 (2021) |
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Administrative staff
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2,432 (2021) |
| Students | 72,280 (2021) |
| Undergraduates | 38,969 (2021) |
| Postgraduates | 31,827 (2021) |
| 1,484 (2021) | |
| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban (University town) |
| Sports teams | CUS Padova |
| Colors | Padua Red |
| Affiliations | Coimbra Group, TIME network |
The University of Padua (also called UNIPD) is a public research university in Padua, Italy. It started in 1222 when students and teachers from the University of Bologna moved there. This makes it the second-oldest university in Italy. It is also the world's fifth-oldest university that is still open today.
In the past, the University of Padua was very important in Europe. It was known for its strong teaching in logic and science. Along with the University of Bologna, it played a big role in the Italian Renaissance. Many famous mathematicians, like Nicolaus Copernicus, studied and taught there.
Today, the university has 32 departments and eight schools. It is part of the Coimbra Group, a network of old research universities. In 2021, about 72,000 students attended the university. This included students studying for their first degree, master's degrees, and PhDs.
Contents
History of the University
The University of Padua is thought to have started in 1222. A large group of students and professors left the University of Bologna. They were looking for more academic freedom, which means freedom to learn and teach. Before 1222, there were already schools of law and medicine in Vicenza. The group from Bologna first went to the University of Vicenza. Later, they moved permanently to Padua for different reasons.
The first subjects taught were law and theology. The list of subjects grew quickly. By 1399, the university split into two main parts. One part was for Universitas Iuristarum, which taught civil law and Canon law. The other part was Universitas Artistarum, which taught astronomy, dialectic, philosophy, grammar, medicine, and rhetoric. There was also a Universitas Theologorum, started in 1373.
Students were grouped into "nations" based on where they came from. These nations were divided into two groups:
- the cismontanes for students from Italy
- the ultramontanes for students from beyond the Alps (other parts of Europe)
Famous Discoveries and Teachings
From the 1400s to the 1700s, the university was famous for its research. This was especially true in medicine, astronomy, philosophy, and law. At that time, it was the most well-known medical school in the world. The university adopted its Latin motto: Universa universis patavina libertas. This means "Paduan Freedom is Universal for Everyone."
The university has had some tough times. There was no teaching between 1237–1261, 1509–1517, and 1848–1850.
The Botanical Garden of Padova was started by the university in 1545. It is one of the oldest gardens of its kind in the world. Some say it's the oldest academic garden, but one in Pisa was created in 1544. Besides the garden, the university also has nine museums. One of these is a History of physics museum.
The university started teaching medicine around 1250. It became a leader in understanding and treating diseases. They were especially good at autopsies and learning how the human body works.
Since 1595, Padua's famous anatomical theatre has attracted artists and scientists. They came to study the human body during public dissections. It is the oldest permanent anatomical theatre still standing in Europe. The anatomist Andreas Vesalius taught surgery and anatomy there. In 1543, he published his discoveries about the body in a book. This book made many people interested in dissections. It led to other European cities building their own anatomical theatres.
On June 25, 1678, Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia made history. She was a noblewoman and mathematician from Venice. She became the first woman ever to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
In 1873, the university became part of the Kingdom of Italy. Since then, it has been one of the most respected universities in the country. It has made many important contributions to science and research. Famous math professors included Gregorio Ricci Curbastro, Giuseppe Veronese, Francesco Severi, and Tullio Levi Civita.
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In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the university started to spread out. New science buildings were set up like campuses. A new building for Arts and Philosophy was built in the city center. The Astro-Physics Observatory was built in the mountains. The old Palazzo del Bo building was fully repaired.
The university faced challenges during the Fascist period. There was political interference and unfair rules. World War II also caused damage. Later, student protests in 1968–1969 also affected the university. Despite these challenges, the university continued its work. The second half of the 1900s saw a lot of growth. This was mainly due to sharing ideas with top international schools, especially in science and technology.
In recent years, the university has grown even more. It has opened new locations across the Veneto region. In 1990, an engineering institute opened in Vicenza. Summer courses started again in Brixen. In 1995, the Agripolis center opened in Legnaro for Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine. Other locations include Rovigo, Treviso, Feltre, Castelfranco Veneto, Conegliano, Chioggia, and Asiago.
New laws have given Italian universities more freedom. In 1995, Padua adopted a new plan that gave it greater independence. Today, the University of Padua plays a big role in research in Europe and worldwide. It aims to continue this path, working closely with other major research universities around the globe.
Since 2022, the University of Padua has had problems paying student scholarships. This has left many students without housing or money.
How the University Works
University Finances
The university planned to spend €831 million in 2023. Of this, €545 million came from the Ministry of Education, University and Research of Italy. Money also came from the European Union, local governments, and other groups. The remaining €232 million was money the university earned itself. This included €106 million from tuition fees and €125 million from research projects.
The amount students pay for tuition depends on a few things. These include their major, their family's financial situation, and if they take longer to graduate. Students from certain developing countries outside the EU pay much less. There are also scholarships and ways to pay less based on good grades or other factors. Most students who graduate on time and are not from low-income families pay around €2,700 per year. This was for the 2023/24 school year.
University Rankings
The University of Padua is always ranked among the best universities in Italy.
In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked it as the 1st university in Italy. It was 43rd in Europe and 115th worldwide. The ARWU placed it in the top 4 in Italy. It tied for 2nd place with the University of Milan and the University of Pisa. Globally, ARWU ranked the university between 151st and 200th in 2023.
The 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings put the university in 4th place in Italy. It was ranked between 201st and 250th worldwide. QS World University Rankings ranked the university 4th in Italy in 2024. It was also ranked the best in Italy for studying geology and geophysics, earth and sea sciences, biological sciences, psychology, anatomy, and physiology. QS also placed the University of Padua at 219th in the world for 2024. For Medicine, it was ranked 125th globally.
The NTU Ranking, which looks at how much and how well scientific work is produced, ranked the University of Padua 82nd worldwide in 2022.
The CWTS Leiden Ranking, which uses only research publication data, placed the University of Padua 2nd in Italy. It was 104th worldwide.
Notable People Who Studied or Taught Here
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Famous Alumni (Students)
Many famous people have studied at the University of Padua.
- In science
- Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543): Polish mathematician and astronomer. He showed that the Sun is at the center of our Solar System.
- Vesalius (1514–1564): Known as the founder of modern human anatomy.
- William Harvey (1578–1657): Anatomist who described how the heart and circulatory system work.
- Elena Cornaro Piscopia (1646–1684): The first woman to receive a PhD degree.
- Federico Faggin (1941–): Designer of the first commercial microprocessor.
- In politics and government
- Sir Francis Walsingham (around 1532–1590): A spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I.
- Jan Zamoyski (1542-1605): Polish nobleman and statesman.
- Ioannis Kapodistrias (1776–1831): The first Governor of Greece.
- Luigi Luzzatti (1841–1927): A financier and the 20th Prime Minister of Italy.
- In arts, theology, and literature
- Saint Albertus Magnus (died 1280)
- Nicolas of Cusa (1401–1464): German philosopher and theologian.
- Torquato Tasso (1544-1595): Famous poet.
- Giacomo Casanova (1725-1798): Traveler and author.
Notable Faculty (Teachers)
- Ermolao Barbaro (1454–1493): Professor of philosophy starting in 1477.
- Galileo Galilei (1564–1642): Taught mathematics here between 1592 and 1610.
- Elena Cornaro Piscopia (1646–1684): Mathematics lecturer and the first woman to receive a PhD.
- Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1681–1771): Taught theoretical medicine and anatomy.
- Tullio Levi-Civita (1873–1941): Famous for his work on tensor calculus in mathematics.
University Departments
The University of Padua offers many different degrees. These are organized into various departments:
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and the Environment
- Department of Biology
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health
- Department of Biomedical Sciences
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences
- Department of Chemical Sciences
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
- Department of Communication Sciences
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science
- Department of Cultural Heritage: Archaeology and History of Art, Cinema and Music
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation
- Department of Economics and Management
- Department of General Psychology
- Department of Geosciences
- Department of Historical and Geographic Sciences and the Ancient World
- Department of Industrial Engineering
- Department of Information Engineering
- Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry
- Department of Linguistic and Literary Studies
- Department of Management and Engineering
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Medicine
- Department of Molecular Medicine
- Department of Neurosciences
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- Department of Political and Juridical Sciences and International Studies
- Department of Private Law and Critique of Law
- Department of Public, International and Community Law
- Department of Statistical Sciences
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology
- Department of Women's and Children's Health
University Schools
The departments are grouped into a few larger schools:
- Agricultural science and Veterinary medicine
- Economics and Political sciences
- Engineering
- Human and social sciences and cultural heritage
- Law
- Medicine and surgery
- Psychology
- Sciences
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Padua para niños
- List of oldest universities in continuous operation
- List of Italian universities
- List of medieval universities
- Padua
- Coimbra Group
