New composition of the USI Rectorate

As stipulated in the Regulations of the Rectorate (Art. 5), the Pro-Rectors are appointed by the University Council upon the Rector's proposal, and their term of office is aligned with that of the Rector. In this context, the recent change in the University's leadership has led to an update in the composition of the Rectorate. The following are the latest developments. 

The following Professors have reconfirmed their commitment to the Rectorate and have been reappointed by the USI Council: Professor Sonja Hildebrand as Pro-Rector for Sustainable Transformation and Equal Opportunities, Professor Fabio Crestani as Pro-Rector for Internationalisation, and Professor Gabriele Balbi, Interim Rector, who will also retain his role as Pro-Rector for Education and Students' Experience.

Following the leadership change at USI, Professor Patrick Gagliardini, Pro-Rector for Research, has decided to conclude his mandate as Pro-Rector, a position he has held since October 2019. The University Council has therefore extended his term of office only until 28 February 2026: Professor Gagliardini has agreed to remain in office for a few more months to facilitate a smooth handover. Following this transition, Professor Gagliardini will then continue his academic activities as a Full Professor of Econometrics at the Faculty of Economics. He will continue to make a significant contribution to research by engaging in new projects with his group of doctoral and postdoctoral students and co-authors of scientific articles, by teaching, and through the University's "third mission" activities. In the meantime, the procedure for appointing the new Pro-Rector for Research has been initiated.

Meanwhile, the Council of Università della Svizzera italiana has appointed Professor Antonio Carzaniga as the new Pro-Rector for Innovation and Corporate Relations. He succeeds Professor Luca Gambardella, who stepped down last October to increase his involvement in the private sector. Professor Carzaniga is a full professor at the USI Faculty of Informatics, where he conducts research and teaches distributed systems and software engineering. During his academic career, he has held several leadership roles, contributing to the development of competitive research projects and collaborative initiatives with industry. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the USI Startup Centre.

Interim Rector Gabriele Balbi expresses his “heartfelt thanks to Professor Luca Gambardella and Professor Patrick Gagliardini for their competent and generous contribution to Università della Svizzera italiana during their respective mandates," emphasising their "significant impact on the development and positioning of the University". In particular, he highlights "the milestones achieved by Professor Patrick Gagliardini, including the establishment of Fondo Istituzionale per la Ricerca (FIR) (Institutional Research Fund), his numerous successes at the helm of the Research Commission, his decisive contribution to the creation of two new institutes, IRT (Institute for Translational Research) and IAST (Institute for Sustainable Architecture and Technology), the development of national and international agreements for doctoral schools and, last but not least, his key role in the revision of the USI information system." Regarding Professor Luca Gambardella's mandate, the Interim Rector highlights important achievements such as “the strengthening of ties with the local entrepreneurial and industrial fabric, the structuring and consolidation of the USI Transfer area, the launch of initiatives aimed at bringing the general public closer to USI, and the development of significant institutional agreements, which have contributed to strengthening the University's role at the regional and national level”.