Intervention by the CEO and GM Andrea Rossi - inauguration of the thirtieth academic year UCBM
All authorities, Rectors and delegates of other universities, Presidents, institutional, academic and business representatives, dear colleagues, dear students, ladies and gentlemen, good morning to you all and thank you for being with us, in occasion of the inauguration of this important academic year.
The history of our University begins precisely 30 years ago, but, even earlier, it was born in the mind and heart of Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, with the encouragement given by St. Josemaría "dream, and reality will surpass your dreams", and it is with this spirit that difficulties have been faced over the years and opportunities have been seized.
We are a young university made up of young people who have always looked to the future with curiosity and a strong desire to improve; over time we have grown and changed to face the challenges that society has gradually placed before us, always keeping our roots firmly in place: science for man.
It is thanks to these roots that we are facing a difficult period: after the years of the pandemic, war and the inflationary push arrived with important effects on people, families and the entire social and economic system.
Almost 3.000 Italian and foreign students are trained by us every day, 62% of whom are women, in the 14 degree courses of our 3 departmental faculties, more than 600 postgraduates are trained in the field, in our University Hospital and in many structures of our network, every day more than 180 structured teachers train our students and 160 administrators manage the operating machine. A sincere thanks goes to all of them.
More than 300 students each year benefit from scholarships and support for almost two and a half million euros, to promote the so-called "social elevator".
More than 50 Research Units carry out projects in our laboratories thanks to the precious contribution of over 200 PhD students and research fellows. Our Academy, dedicated to postgraduate, CME and executive training, trained more than 2022 people in 8.300.
In these numbers just mentioned lives our vision and concrete application of an integral formation, not only technical-professional but also and above all human; the many laboratory activities, in the simulation classrooms, medical and health professions internships, team activities, foster relationships between people, as well as a strong interdisciplinarity of knowledge: doctors, health professionals, engineers, nutritionists study and work together .
This type of path develops precious human skills, particular sensibilities, which are furthermore cultivated in the numerous activities of Campus Life: from sport to volunteering to international cooperation.
Our educational approach is increasingly oriented towards providing students with the tools to develop critical thinking and the ability to question themselves in order to successfully face the sudden changes in the context in which we live.
The university path on the Campus is meant to be a life path that prepares for life.
In a rapidly changing world, with technology constantly evolving and increasingly pervading our lives, our University tries every day to imagine the society of the future to understand what our students need today. And it is on this that we focus in our daily work.
Precisely with a view to intercepting future trends and being effective in the present, in recent years, we have intensified relations with the outside world, listening and in dialogue with the territory, with schools, with businesses and with institutions, trying to improve ourselves.
We have participated in major events, we have structured fruitful collaborations with Confindustria, with Unindustria, with the National Association of Principals, with Intesa Sanpaolo and with the many companies that support us and help us to offer training courses suited to the needs of the labor market, in where there is a huge skills gap. Suffice it to say that the survey by the Ambrosetti Forum highlights the need to train, by 2026, over two million employees with basic digital skills to keep pace with market needs.
This alone is enough to project training and research into the center of the crucial challenge of our country, in which the Italian university system is the protagonist and must be more united than ever.
And precisely on this vision of unity and strengthening of the system I would like to thank the Minister Senator Anna Maria Bernini, Dr. Panucci, Dr. Gargano and all the Mur staff for the dialogue and collaboration started in recent months.
In particular, thanks to the latest Stability Law, which I personally followed as representative of the Non-State Universities in Codau, a process of enhancement of the Non-State Universities was launched to continue in 2023 in order to strengthen the Italian university system, favoring synergies between State and Non-State Universities, stimulating healthy competition aimed at achieving ever more challenging objectives. In this process, an important element may concern University Buildings, for access to funding, currently prohibited, to Non-State Universities which will be able to favor the creation of new and sustainable University Campuses for young Italians and foreigners who will choose our country to form.
However, our University has thrown its heart beyond the obstacle, thanks to the Master Plan 2045 project of CBM spa, our promoter, with the construction of a first piece which is the Cu.Bo, Cultural Box building, as they have wanted to call our students and which we will inaugurate this year on the occasion of the Thirtieth Anniversary.
A sustainable building, large and bright, of 10.000 square meters, surrounded by greenery, which will host technological classrooms, study and collaboration spaces, meeting rooms for students and teachers, and with the heart in a latest generation simulation center, which will be the place where students and postgraduates but also staff of public and private companies can be trained in the use of robotic, artificial intelligence and other types of technologies. Sergio Marchionne, in a letter to his employees wrote "There is a world in which people don't let things happen. They make them happen. They don't forget their dreams in the drawer, they keep them tight in their fists. They throw themselves into the fray, savor the risk, leave their mark. It is a world in which every new day and every new challenge offers the opportunity to create a better future. Those who live in that place never live the same day twice, because they know that it is always possible make something better".
I therefore hope that the whole Community of the Campus Bio-Medico will continue to make things happen, always guided by the dream that Blessed Álvaro entrusted to us 30 years ago, improving something every day and thus leaving a tangible trace for the city of Rome, for the our country and for all the youngni who will form the ruling class of the future.
Thank you all.
