A growing community with approximately 4.000 students representing 40 nationalities. Following the Mass celebrated by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the ceremony took place in the Aula Magna, attended by the Honorable Cristina Rossello, delegate of the Minister of Universities and Research Anna Maria Bernini. Also in attendance were Rocco Bellantone, President of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health), company CEOs, faculty, students, alumni, and 20 rectors and delegates from other Italian universities.
Rome, February 26 2026 – A growing academic community, called to interpret the transformations of the present without losing its identity. With the theme “Educate intelligence, cultivate humanity” Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (UCBM) inaugurated its thirty-third academic year, at a time of profound renewal of the university system and acceleration of social and technological changes.
The underlying theme of the ceremony was the role of the Universities in governing innovation, training new generations capable of combining scientific excellence and human and Christian values.
The day was opened by the president of UCBM and FPUCBM, Eng. Carlo Tosti: In a world undergoing rapid change, we want to bring attention back to humanity and what characterizes and makes us unique: intelligence and humanity. Two concepts that bring us back to the essence of our mission: science for humanity, with the goal of educating people and generating value for society.».
The ceremony
The inauguration was preceded by the Holy Mass celebrated by the Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome. The ceremony in the Aula Magna, introduced by greetings from the president Tosti and the CEO and general manager Andrea Rossi, It was attended by over 500 people including students, teachers, alumni, authorities and representatives of the business world, together with 20 rectors and delegates from other Italian universities..
Representing the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini intervenedHonorable Cristina Rossello, who stressed: “The inauguration of the Academic Year 2025/2026 at theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma confirms the importance of an educational model in which scientific excellence goes hand in hand with human development. Minister Anna Maria Bernini and the Ministry of University and Research support the strengthening of scientific research and excellent education with concrete actions, placing merit at the heart of the Italian university system. In an era marked by profound technological transitions, investing in the Life Sciences means investing in the country's future. Educating intelligence means teaching how to manage complexity without losing the meaning. Critical. It is our duty to ensure that students and young researchers have the tools to become not only excellent technicians, but also informed citizens in an increasingly interconnected world. The Ministry will continue to firmly support organizations such asUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, capable of transforming academic knowledge into social impact and innovation at the service of the person".
Innovation and centrality of the person
Among the guests was also the president of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rocco Bellantone, which recalled the necessary balance between technological progress and the human dimension: «We live in an extraordinary historical moment, marked by rapid transformations: from precision medicine to artificial intelligence, from biotechnology to genomics, to digital healthcare and big data. Innovation has never been so rapid. But educating intelligence is not enough: we must cultivate humanity. Because medicine is never just a technical act: it is always a relationship. Science heals, but it is humanity that consoles, accompanies, and supports.».
A University with solid roots
The theme chosen for the academic year recalls the topicality of the project of theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, inspired in the late 1980s by Blessed Álvaro del Portillo and started in the early 1990s by a group of professionals close to Opus Dei.
Today the University presents itself as a consolidated and growing reality: the educational offer includes 16 degree courses in the areas of Medicine and Surgery, Engineering, Science and Biotechnology, 31 specialized schools, and a Academy with a wide range of post-graduate courses. The research structure can count on 50 dedicated units, while the student community overcomes the 4.000 members from 40 nationalities, confirming the University's progressive international opening.
In his report, the Rector, Prof. Rocco Papalia, he underlined: «We need more universities, not less.". In an age when technology is outpacing our ability to understand its implications and artificial intelligence is questioning the very meaning of humanity, the University remains an irreplaceable bastion of education, critical awareness, and responsibility.
At the heart of the intervention are the key words that define the Campus' identity: service, multidisciplinarity, proximity, selection, internationalization and transmission.
«Service means accompanying students not only in the acquisition of skills, but in the discovery of meaning, preserving the rigor of knowledge without bending it to the logic of immediate profit.». Recalling the principle of “One Health", the Rector highlighted how health must be understood in its biological, relational and social unity. «Disciplines do not live next to each other, but within each other.». The passage on proximity is particularly strong: «Every patient is our brother, our sister. Technical expertise is essential, but it's not enough. We need the ability to be close to them and share their fragility.". In conclusion, the invitation to the students: "Be courageous in your studies and true to your values. The world needs competent professionals, but even more so, women and men of integrity, capable of serving with intelligence, responsibility, and humanity.»
The 2026-2030 strategy
Looking to the future, the CEO and DG Andrea Rossi outlined the University's development guidelines: «SA very significant 2025 has just ended for our University. The path we've undertaken places us in an extraordinary position of attractiveness, but it also requires increasing responsibilities and skills. From comprehensive training to research, from innovation to internationalization, from digitalization to the strengthening of the Academy UCBM: the future of the University and of the young people who choose to grow up in an environment steeped in Christian values and rich in human relationships depends on this. We are working on the strategic plan 2026-2030 with the aim of making theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma an innovation hub along its entire supply chain, remaining firmly anchored to the founding values that place us at the service of people and the common good».
The inaugural address: oncology as a paradigm
The inaugural address by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Bruno Vincenzi, focused on the evolution of oncology: «The evolution of cancer treatments demonstrates how human intelligence can be put at the service of humanity. Over three thousand years, oncology has evolved from an empirical knowledge to a discipline grounded in molecular biology and precision medicine. Today, we have advanced tools such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, capable of reactivating the immune system against tumor cells. We are capable of fighting disease from within. with rResults that were unthinkable just a few years ago. This confirms the human capacity to overcome limitations through cooperation and the generation of new knowledge.».
The voice of the students
The student community was represented by Irene Sansoni, fifth-year medical student: «Educating intelligence means transforming knowledge into responsible action. Cultivating humanity means recognizing a person in others and developing empathy. If we succeed in this, we will not only have completed a course of study, but have contributed to building an academic community capable of impacting the present and guiding the future.».
A growing community
THEUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma counts today over 7.000 graduates active in almost thirty countries, numerous researchers in the top 2% worldwide, partnerships with more than 300 companies and collaborations with public institutions, research organizations, and multinationals. In the near future, new degree programs, new student facilities, expanded teaching and staff spaces, significant development of the innovation pipeline, international scientific events, and further opportunities for discussion between the academic community, professionals, and businesses are planned. With a goal ofchiarahave: Strengthen the University's role as a place where ideas are born, talents grow, and technology remains a tool at the service of individuals in the pursuit of the common good..
