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University of Siena
Università degli Studi di Siena

Latin: Universitatis Senarum
Type	Public
Established	1240; 785 years ago (1240)
Rector	Roberto Di Pietra
Students	15,589 (academic year 2021-22)
Location	Siena , Italy 43°19′9″N 11°19′57″E / 43.31917°N 11.33250°E / 43.31917; 11.33250
Campus	Both Urban/University town and suburban
Sports teams	CUS Siena
Affiliations	Coimbra Group IRUN

The University of Siena (Italian: Università degli Studi di Siena, also called UNISI) is one of the oldest and first public universities in Italy. It is located in Siena, a beautiful city in Tuscany. The university started way back in 1240. In 2022, about 16,000 students attended, which is almost one-third of Siena's total population! Today, the University of Siena is famous for its studies in law, medicine, and business.

History of the University of Siena
Notable People from the University of Siena
How the University is Organized
What You Can Study
Places to See at the University
See also

History of the University of Siena

How the University Began

Pietro Ispano (Pope John XXI)

Palazzo San Galgano, home to the School of Humanities and Philosophy

The University of Siena started on December 26, 1240. On that day, the leader of Siena, Ildebrandino Cacciaconti, signed a rule. This rule said that people in Siena who rented rooms to students had to pay a special tax. This money was then used to pay the teachers of the new school, called "Studium Senese."

The school got even more help in 1252. Pope Innocent IV announced that both teachers and students were free from taxes and forced work. This meant they didn't have to pay city taxes or do hard labor. Also, teachers of law and Latin didn't have to join the military. Latin teachers were also excused from night watch duties. By the early 1300s, the school had many teachers for Latin, logic, and law. It also had two doctors who taught natural sciences and medicine.

One very famous teacher at the School of Medicine was Pietro Ispano. He was a brilliant thinker and a personal doctor to Emperor Frederick II. Later, in 1276, he became Pope John XXI.

In 1321, many students left the famous University of Bologna. This happened after a student there was wrongly accused and punished. Siena offered these students a place to study, with lots of support from the city. This helped the Studium Senese grow even bigger.

The University Through Different Rulers

The school in Siena became a "Studium Generale" in 1355. This happened when Charles IV became Holy Roman Emperor. This new status meant that the university's teachers and students were protected by the emperor. It also meant that degrees from Siena allowed people to teach anywhere in the Christian world.

In the early 1400s, a building called the Casa della Sapienza was built. It was a place where students could live and attend classes. It opened in 1416. In those days, it cost fifty gold coins for a semester to live and study there.

By the mid-1300s, Siena became less powerful in Tuscany. Florence grew stronger and defeated Siena in 1555. However, the city leaders asked the Medici family, who ruled Florence, to keep the university open. The Medici dukes made changes to improve the university. They also created the role of "Rettore" (Rector), a leader chosen by students and city officials.

Later, in 1737, the French House of Lorraine took over Tuscany. During this time, a Tuscan economist named Sallustio Bandini wanted to make Siena's university better. He found rich people to offer scholarships for students. He also created a large library, which he later gave to the university.

In 1808, when Napoleon's army took over Tuscany, they closed the University of Siena. It didn't open again until Napoleon was defeated.

The University During Italy's Unification

During the Risorgimento, which was the movement to unite Italy, students in Siena were very patriotic. They showed their support for a united Italy. In April 1848, three professors, one assistant, and fifty-five students formed a group. They joined battles to fight for the new Italian republic. Their flag is still kept at the university today. Because of this strong support for the new republic, the Grand Duke closed the School of Medicine. Only Law and Theology studies were allowed to continue.

After the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859, Tuscany and Siena became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. This kingdom later became the Kingdom of Italy. The university in Siena slowly recovered. Local businesses helped, and new laws improved the reputation of the School of Pharmacy and Obstetrics. The old hospital, Santa Maria della Scala, became a General University Hospital. In 1880, the Law Faculty started the Circolo Giuridico, a group where legal topics were discussed in depth.

The University in Modern Italy

In 1892, the Minister of Public Education, Ferdinando Martini, suggested closing the university in Siena. The people of Siena saw this as a big threat. They reacted with a general strike, and all the town's groups protested. This public outcry made the minister change his mind. After this danger passed, the town continued to invest in the university. They added new degrees and departments. The bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena even paid for a new biology department building.

The 20th century saw the University of Siena grow a lot. The number of students increased from about 400 between the World Wars to more than 15,000 in recent years.

On November 7, 1990, the University of Siena celebrated its 750th anniversary.

Notable People from the University of Siena

Many important people have studied or taught at the University of Siena:

Pietro Ispano (c. 1215–1277), who became Pope John XXI, was a Professor of Medicine.
Cino da Pistoia (1270–1336/37), a Professor of Law.
Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte (1487–1555), who became Pope Julius III, studied law here.
Fabio Chigi, who became Pope Alexander VII.
Virginia Angiola Borrino (1880–1965), was a Professor of Medicine. She was the first woman to lead a University Pediatric Ward in Italy.
Piero Calamandrei (1889–1956), a Professor at the Law school.
Norberto Bobbio (1909–2004), a Professor of Philosophy.
Frank Hahn (1925–2013), a Professor of Economics.
Luigi Berlinguer (1932-2023), a Professor of Law and a Minister of Education.
Samuel Bowles (born 1939), an American economist.
Antonio Tabucchi (1943–2012), a famous Italian writer.
Silvana Sciarra (born 1948), who was the President of the Constitutional Court of Italy.
Rino Rappuoli (born 1952), an Italian Biologist and chief scientist at GSK.
Carlo Cottarelli (born 1954), an economist who worked for the International Monetary Fund.
Gianna Nannini (born 1954), a well-known Italian pop singer.

How the University is Organized

Since 2012, the University of Siena has fourteen departments. These departments are grouped into four main areas of study:

Biomedical and Medical Sciences
- This area includes departments like Medical Biotechnologies, Molecular Medicine, and Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience.
Economics, Law and Political Sciences
- Here you'll find departments for Economics, Law, Political Sciences, and Business.
Experimental Sciences
- This area covers subjects like Biotechnology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Information Engineering, Mathematics, Life Sciences, and Physical, Earth, and Environmental Sciences.
Literature, History, Philosophy and the Arts
- This area includes departments for Philology, Literary Criticism, Social and Cognitive Sciences, History, and Cultural Heritage.

Each department offers courses for both undergraduate (first degree) and graduate (advanced degree) students.

In 2014, the Economics and Statistics Department joined with the Business and Law Department. Together, they formed the School of Economics and Management (SEM).

The University of Siena is deeply connected to the city itself. The campus is spread throughout Siena, blending into the city's buildings and life. About 15,600 students live among Siena's 53,000 residents. The city and university work together, preserving old buildings and creating new spaces for learning. For example, old hospitals and convents have been turned into university departments or student housing.

What You Can Study

For the 2022-23 school year, the University of Siena offers many different courses. Here are some of the main areas of study:

Health and Medical Fields
- You can study things like nursing, physiotherapy, dental hygiene, and medical biotechnologies. There are also longer programs for dentistry and medicine.
Business, Law, and Social Sciences
- Courses include economics, banking, business, law, political sciences, and social work. You can also study communication strategies or international studies.
Science, Chemistry, and Pharmacy
- This area offers studies in biological sciences, chemical sciences, geological sciences, and environmental sciences. You can also study pharmacy.
Technology, Engineering, and Math
- Here you can find courses in computer and information engineering, engineering management, mathematics, and physics.
Arts, History, and Humanities
- This area includes studies in education, history, cultural heritage, languages, literature, and philosophy. You can also study archaeology or art history.

Places to See at the University

Orto Botanico dell'Università di Siena, which is the university's botanical garden. It's a lovely place to see many different plants.