Università degli Studi di Catania

1. Università degli Studi di Catania General information on the University of Catania Dr.Cinzia Tutino IRO Coordinator International Relations Office

2. An institution in continuous development In 1434 the king of Spain, Alfonso of Aragon, and the king of Sicily, Pope Eugene IV, authorised the foundation of a university in Catania. In 1444, the first fourfacultieswereestablished in Medicine, Philosophy, Canonic & Civil Law and Theology & Arts. Students began to attendclasses in 1445, howeveritwasnotuntiltwocenturieslaterthat the universitygaineditsown establishment in Piazza Università. Itstillstands in the Piazza today, in the formergrounds of the hospital of St. Mark’s. The former hospital wascompletelydestroyed by an earthquake in 1693 leavingstudentswithout a place to study. The new building, designed by Giovan Battista Vaccarini, was a magnificentmonument of Baroquearchitecture. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

3. The University of Catania wasnotonlystructurallypowerful. Italsoheld the exclusive right by Royaldecree to grantdegreeswithin the reign of Sicily. Although the hierarchicalpower of the universitywas  in the hands of the Church, the Rector, an electedstudent in his or her last year of studies, had the power to put students on trial. The start of the academicyearwasmarked by 25 chimes from the Cathedralbell. Throughout the year, a portermarkeddailyanyabsences on the part of professors. The figureswerethentaken to a notarywhosubtracted a day’swages from theirpay. At the end of hisstudies, a studentwasawardedhisdegree in the Cathedralaswellas a gold ring and a blessing from the Archbishop. Althoughthisceremony and manyothertraditionshavefallenintodisuse, the academicstructure of the universityisstillas strong todayasitwas in the first half of the 15th centurywhenitstarted out with just 10 students. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

4. Today the universitybuildings are spread throughout the city, with a contrastbetween the modern, hi-tech “University City”, and numeroushistoricalbuildings in the old city centre. More than 50,000 studentsattendlessonsgiven by over 1,500 professors in 23 Departments and 4 Schools, which in turn are staffed by over 1,200 administrativeemployees. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

5. UniversityInternationalisation The University of Catania considers the internationalization process to be of deeply importance for its development, therefore, it is willing to adopt strategic plans aiming at improving such process, thanks to some different actions to be realized in a short time and some others requiring longer times for their effectiveness but all pursuing the goal of rising its visibility, reputation and attractiveness. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

6. The University of Catania is the oldest of the Italian South-Centre universities and it manifests some excellences in terms of didactics and research thanks to particular synergies and specific collaborations with several research institutes operating in its territory, such as C.N.R., I.N.A.F., I.N.F.N., I.N.G.V. Furthermore, Catania geographic position, even if off-centered from North-center European countries, is certainly in a focal point with respect to Mediterranean area countries, with whom it is certainly possible to organize cooperation activities of great importance. Other key points can be considered the different enterprises working on the territory, representing a reference point for study, research and industrial collaboration initiatives. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

7. In order to improve the internationalization process the University will adopt the following strategic actions. • Enhanceinternationalactivitiescommunication through a more attractive web site and the creation of university of Catania profile in the most important social networks. • Increase the educational offer in English language, thanks to the activation of new courses and the creation of “course packages”, useful for incoming students in the creation of their learning agreements. • Reinforce English language courses in all degree courses in order to boost students’ linguistic competencies and let them be more competitive within the international job market. • Enlarge the number of agreements with European countries and in particular with France, United Kingdom, Germany and North European countries. • Formalize pre-existent international cooperation and use contacts and best practices sharing policy among similar disciplinary areas. • Stimulateinternationalmobility(European and Non-European) of teachers and administrative staff using simple administrative procedures. • Implement services and facilities for incoming students, teachers and staff, with better accommodations services and dedicated procedures to obtain the stay permission. • Enhance Italian language courses offer for foreign students. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

8. The International Relation Office Usefulinformation Address: Piazza Università 2, I-95131 Catania Operative seat: Via Santa Maria del Rosario 9, I-95131 Catania Fax: (+39) 095 7307105 E-mail: uri@unict.it Website: www.unict.it/en/ Receiving hours: Wednesday and Thursday from 9.30 am to 12.30 am Erasmus ID code: I CATANIA 01 Erasmus charter No: 29276-IC -1-IT-ERASMUS-EUCX -1 Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

9. Introduction The International Relations office (IRO) is the executive unit that contributes to the enhancement of the University of Catania international dimension. This ambition involves, in particular, a significant collaboration with universities and partner institutions abroad and taking care of the participation of the University to the most relevant mobility and international cooperation initiatives. It, also, prominently collaborates with other strategic Divisions, in order to enhance the Internationalization process as a focus development point of the University of Catania. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

10. Fields of competence • Promotion of exchange mobility programs for students, researchers, professors and staff. • Management of the Key Activity 1 (Erasmus Plus Programme) action that allows students to spend a mobility period abroad in order to attend university courses or to do research for their final paper. • Coordination of the main international internship programs for students and graduates to spend a professional training periods in companies and institutions abroad. • Selection of professors for a teaching period in a partner institution with a financial support by the EU (Erasmus Teaching Mobility action - STA). • Implementation of welcome initiatives and training period for foreign students, teachers and administrative staff. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

11. Enlargement of cooperation agreements with foreign universities in order to facilitate the mobility of students, graduates, faculty and staff incoming and outgoing; • Strengthening the participation of the University to EU education and training programs, national and international cooperation programs. • Technical and expert guidance and assistance to academics interested in presenting project proposals within European, international and national cooperation programs. • Advicingand supporting professors involved in making a scientific cooperation agreements with foreign Universities. • Increasementof the collaboration between the University of Catania and the main Higher Education and Research International networks. Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

12. OurProgrammes • MobilityUnit • 1.Mobilityfor study and didactic • Erasmus Plus Inter-institutionalAgreements: uri8@unict.it • Erasmus Outgoing Students administrativeaspects: uri8@unict.it • Beyond FrontiersProgramme: uri9@unict.it • 1.1 Students • IncomingStudents (Erasmus Plus – Key Activity 1): uri6@unict.it • International Students: uri6@unict.it • 1.2Professors • Mobilityfor STA (Erasmus Plus – Key Activity 1):): uri5@unict.it • VisitingProfessors: uri6@unict.it Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

13. OurProgrammes • 2. Mobility for Traineeship • 2.1 Outgoing Students • Mobilityfor traineeship (Erasmus Plus – Key Activity 1): uri3@unict.it • Free Traineeships: uri5@unict.it • Alliancesfor knowledge (Erasmus Plus - Key Activity 2): uri3@unict.it • SectorialSkillsAlliances (Erasmus Plus - Key Activity 2): uri4@unict.it • 2.2 Incoming Students • Free Traineeships: uri4@unict.it Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

14. OurProgrammes • CooperationUnit • Erasmus Plus Programme • Joint Master Degrees (Key Activity 1): uri9@unict.it • Strategic partnerships (Key Activity 2): uri7@unict.it • Capacitybuilding (Key Activity 3): uri7@unict.it • Jean MonnetProgramme (Key Activity 3): uri8@unict.it • Supportfor reform of the EuropeanHigherEducation (Key Activity 3): uri7@unict.it / uri9@unict.it • Other EU Programmes • Creative Europe, sub programme Culture: uri2@unict.it • Europe for Citizens: uri2@unict.it • UE ICI-ECP (cooperationbetween Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Republic of Korea): uri9@unict.it • MiurProgrammes • Vinci e Galileo: uri7@unict.it • MAE Programmes • Executive Programmes for Scientific and TechnologicalCooperation: uri7@unict.it Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

15. Usefulcontacts Incoming Erasmus students Phone: (+39) 095 7307106 E-mail: erasmus.stranieri@unict.it Internships and Placements E-mail: mobilint@unict.it International Cooperation Programs E-mail: cooperazione.internazionale@unict.it Communication E-mail: comunicazione.internazionale@unict.it Erasmus Coordinator Prof. Andrea Rapisarda E-mail: andrea.rapisarda@ct.infn.it ResearchDivision Manager Lucio Mannino E-mail: mannino@unict.it IRO Coordinator Vincenza Tutino E-mail: cinzia.tutino@unict.it Erasmus Staff Week – IV edition Catania, 8 – 12 September 2014

16. Thankyou for attention Welcome to Catania and