This week, representatives of the University of Naples, Federico II, celebrated the institution’s 800-year anniversary at its New York City satellite center in the presence of American business and educational leaders. The two-day event was part of the institution’s wider effort to strengthen its partnerships with American universities as it seeks to spread its name and research to the world.
Federico II first inaugurated the Italian Academic Center, which is hosted within Cornell Tech’s campus on Roosevelt Island, in 2019. However, the pandemic prevented the center from being fully operational until recently. Prof. Matteo Lorito, Rector of Federico II, took the occasion of the ancient institution’s anniversary to push for stronger collaborations across the US’ East Coast in order to expand the University’s international footprint.
“We believe strongly in this opportunity,” declared Prof. Lorito to the congregation, calling it “very special and a very strategic choice.” Lorito insisted that there’s a lot Federico II can do for Cornell and vice versa.
Cornell Tech Dean Greg Morrisett agreed. “We’re not quite as old as Federico II,” he joked about the school founded in 2007, “but we have a lot in common.”
Founded in 1224, Federico II is Italy’s oldest public university and the only one to offer every field of study within an urban setting. Similarly, Cornell is the sole state-sponsored Ivy League school, and was established by Ezra Cornell with the vision of creating “a university where any student can pursue any field of study.”
Lorito shared insights about Federico II’s most forward-looking initiatives, including its global centers, its programs for migrants and incarcerated people, offering 19 degree programs in English, and the recent nomination of the university’s first female vice-rector.
“I was hugely impressed,” said Prof. Luciano Floridi, Founding Director of the Digital Ethics Center at Yale, of the rector’s presentation. “This is clearly a university that is doing very well to be…of the 21st century,” he added.
When asked about the kind of partnership he wants Yale to cultivate with Federico II, Floridi highlighted two main areas of interest: the free movement of scholars around the world and the mixing of academic fields. “This forced divide between STEM and the humanities…is something that belongs to the past…A partnership like Yale and Federico II could easily contribute to overcoming that obstacle,” he explained.
Mita Marra, a political economy scholar at Federico II, has been at the forefront of the university’s efforts to build a bridge to Cornell Tech and the East Coast. This summer, she launched a Summer School for Italian researchers in NYC in partnership with Cornell and the USA diplomatic mission in Italy. She sees this week’s initiative as a continuation of her efforts: “I’m ecstatic to see Federico II explore a new ecosystem in the USA and interact with the best minds who were invited here,” she remarked.
Like Floridi, she called “cross-contamination between fields” a main goal of this transatlantic partnership and is optimistic that the event will “increase [the university’s] chances of interacting on a global scale.”
Vito Grassi is the President and CEO of Grastim, an Italian energy enterprise. He calls himself a “big supporter” of Federico II, which has long been a main source of interns and qualified employees for his company. He insists that the university’s presence on the US territory will “increase networking opportunities for [Italian] startups.”
For the past 6 years, Grastim has sought to grow within the American energy efficiency market. Federico II’s presence in NYC reassures Grassi that he will be able to count on their support.
Rector Lorito certainly doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon: “We are here to stay.”