University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

The University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (UniCampania), formerly known as Second University of Naples, is an Italian public university established in 1990. Its legal headquarters is located in the city of Caserta, but it has teaching facilities across the provinces of Avellino, Benevento, and Caserta, as well as within the Metropolitan City of Naples. History Its establishment was envisaged by the Prime Ministerial Decree (DPCM) of 12 May 1989, which planned its creation as part of the four-year university development plan for 1986–1990 by splitting off the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery from the then University of Naples (later renamed University of Naples "Federico II"). Formal establishment was sanctioned by Law No. 245 of 7 August 1990, as the Second University of Naples, delegating to ministerial decrees the establishment of faculties and activation of related degree programmes. For implementation, Ministerial Decree (D.M.) 25 March 1991 and the subsequent Presidential Decree (D.P.R.) 28 October 1991 were issued, establishing the faculties of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences and of Letters and Philosophy as part of the three-year university development plan for 1991–1993. Presidential Decree (D.P.R.) 27 April 1992 finally decreed the official location of the structures and identified its legal headquarters in the city of Caserta. During the 1990s, there was a progressive increase in activities, number of enrolments, and teaching and administrative staff. In 1995, the groundwork was laid, with a specific memorandum of understanding, for the construction of a new university teaching hospital in Caserta, aimed at expanding healthcare activities. Construction work began in 2003. In 2005, as part of a collaboration between the university and the interuniversity consortium INNOVA, the Circe laboratory was established, located in the municipality of San Nicola la Strada, where stellar nuclei are studied and archaeological artifacts are dated. In 2009, during the Giornate Scientifiche dell'Ateneo event, a new lecture hall complex in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, located on via Raffaele Perla, was inaugurated, comprising 15 lecture halls, a multimedia laboratory, and a car park capable of accommodating a total of 2,500 students. The debate on the name change Starting in the 2000s, discussion began on changing the university's name; during the inauguration of the 2014/2015 academic year, Rector Giuseppe Paolisso, elected in 2014, announced the consideration of three options: "University of Caserta", "Luigi Vanvitelli University", or "University of Campania – Luigi Vanvitelli". In 2015, despite a resolution by the municipality of Caserta and several parliamentary questions addressed to the Renzi government, on 31 March the academic senate voted for the name "University of Campania – Luigi Vanvitelli", announcing the start of the procedure – which requires approval from the MIUR – and also launching an international competition for a new university logo, with rebranding costs estimated at no less than €65,000. The procedure concluded with the approval, by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, of the new statute on 8 November 2016, which included the name change as approved by the academic senate on 31 March 2015. The new name, effective from 23 November 2016, was chosen in honor of the famous architect Luigi Vanvitelli, whose works include the Royal Palace of Caserta. The geographical indication "Campania" was chosen because the university departments are located in several cities across the region, within the Metropolitan City of Naples and the provinces of Caserta and Avellino. Territorial setup and organization Teaching facilities The campuses are distributed across the Campania region: in the Province of Caserta, the Metropolitan City of Naples, the Province of Avellino, and the Province of Benevento (the last two host peripheral and detached campuses) – almost all located in structures of historical and cultural interest. The university has two rectorate offices, one in Caserta, which is the legal headquarters, and one in Naples at via Santa Maria di Costantinopoli near the "Luigi Vanvitelli" University Hospital. In Naples, the departments of the medical area are located, along with the "Luigi Vanvitelli" University Hospital, the "University Museum of Sciences and Arts" (MUSA), and some university service centers, primarily located within and near the historic center of Naples. A committee for university sports and a polyphonic choir are also active. Following the reorganization under Law No. 240 of 30 December 2010, the university is structured into sixteen university departments, one school of the university, approximately sixty medical specialization schools, and a school of specialization for legal professions. The departments are 16: Architecture and Industrial Design – Aversa Women, Child and General and Specialized Surgery – Naples Economics – Capua Law – Santa Maria Capua Vetere Engineering – Aversa Letters and Cultural Heritage – Santa Maria Capua Vetere Mathematics and Physics – Caserta Precision Medicine – Naples Experimental Medicine – Naples Multidisciplinary Department of Medical-Surgical and Dental Specialties – Naples Psychology – Caserta Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine – Naples Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies – Caserta Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences – Naples Translational Medical Sciences – Naples Political Science – Caserta Research centers Research activities are carried out within various structures, characterized by specific operational modes and objectives. Among these, departments represent the organizational units tasked with promoting and coordinating research activities. In parallel, research centers focus on projects requiring collaboration among expertise from multiple research departments or, in some cases, multiple universities. They are: CIRLaM Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Language and Medicine CRECS Centro di ricerca in economia cognitiva e sperimentale COSME Centro di ricerca osservatorio sul Mezzogiorno d’Europa Centro di riferimento regionale per i pazienti affetti da cheilognatopalatoschisi e malformazioni oro-maxillo-facciali C.I.R.N. Centro interuniversitario di ricerca per le neuroscienze C.I.R.T.I.B.S. Centro interuniversitario di ricerca sulle tecnologie innovative per beni strumentali OEPO Osservatorio su Enti Religiosi, Patrimonio Ecclesiastico e Organizzazioni non-Profit The university collaborates with public and private research institutions, both nationally and internationally, including Biogem, a scientific center specializing in molecular genetics and biotechnology. Service centers The Service Centers support and optimize academic, research, and administrative activities. University Library System (SBA): The University Library System coordinates all libraries of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. It is responsible for supporting teaching and research by managing a vast collection of books, periodicals, and electronic resources. It also provides consultation, training, and access to online catalogs, contributing to a stimulating study and research environment for students and faculty. University Museum of Sciences and Arts (MUSA): MUSA is the cultural and scientific center that collects and manages the university's museum collections. The museum's mission is to promote and enhance scientific and artistic heritage through exhibitions, cultural events, and educational activities. The center contributes to the dissemination of scientific culture and public engagement, aiming to raise awareness within the academic community and the broader region about the importance of research in sciences and arts. Center for Networks, Systems and IT Services (CRESSI): CRESSI is the center managing all IT infrastructure and networks of the university. It ensures the availability, security, and reliability of computer systems, supporting administrative, teaching, and research activities. The center provides technical support, manages e-learning platforms, and ensures the proper functioning of digital resources available to students, faculty, and administrative staff. University Research Service Center (CSR): This center is dedicated to supporting scientific research activities at the university. It assists researchers, PhD students, and research fellows in all stages of the research process, from project design to implementation. The center also offers training, consultation, and resource management services for research, facilitating access to funding and collaboration with scientific institutions and bodies. Communication Service Center (CSC): The Communication Service Center manages the university's institutional image, overseeing internal and external communication. It promotes academic, scientific, and cultural activities through various channels, including social media, the website, and public events. The center also handles media relations and communication management during emergencies or special events, ensuring accurate dissemination of information to the public. Library system The libraries of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli are organized within the University Library System and grouped by disciplinary area. The libraries are distributed extensively across the Campania region. Library of the Departments in the Medical Area Library of the Department of Architecture and Industrial Design Library of the Department of Economics Library of the Department of Engineering Library of the Department of Law Library of the Department of Letters and Cultural Heritage Library of the Department of Mathematics and Physics Library of the Department of Psychology Library of the Department of Food, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies Library of the Department of Political Science The university also provides a wide range of digital resources through its University Library System. Users can access online catalogs, subscription-based databases, freely accessible resources, and internet resources categorized by disciplinary areas. The University Library System Service Center, based in Naples, manages and coordinates activities related to the university's library services, with a specific focus on cataloging and bibliographical standardization, digitalization of services, documentation management, and information dissemination. Additionally, it provides user support to ensure optimal use of the bibliographical and documentary resources available at the university. University museum of sciences and arts (musa) MUSA (University Museum of Sciences and Arts) is a structure established by the university with the aim of reconfiguring its cultural and scientific institutions, serving as an innovative tool for communication and valorization of its historical heritage. It continuously engages with national and international museum experiences, allowing for experimentation with new forms of museum management, with particular attention to dialogue with local cultural and scientific realities. Among MUSA's primary objectives are the preservation of the university's museum heritage, including through restoration and maintenance interventions, and the promotion of access to this heritage for both the academic community and the general public. Through this vision, MUSA positions itself as a center of excellence for the preservation, valorization, and accessibility of museum heritage, promoting continuous interaction between academic knowledge, technological innovations, and the cultural fabric of the region. It comprises several sections: Anatomy The Human Anatomy Museum is located in Naples at the Institute of Human Anatomy in the Cloisters of Santa Patrizia. Considered one of the most important anatomy museums internationally, it preserves specimens of extraordinary historical and scientific value, including a humerus prepared by the famous Flemish anatomist Andrea Vesalio in the 16th century. Founded between the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century for teaching purposes, the museum expanded over time, also influenced by the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin. The museum houses unique specimens divided into two main sections. The normal anatomy section includes a vast collection of organs, with wax preparations created by Francesco Citarelli and a collection of internal organs, many of which are dried. The pathological anatomy section presents a collection of malformed fetuses, cyclopic heads, and various specimens preserved in formalin or alcohol, offering a compelling view of anatomical anomalies studied for scientific purposes. Among the most unique collections is the "Collection of the Crania of Vicaria", consisting of four skulls belonging to condemned individuals executed in the 1800s at the Vicaria Tribunal. The skulls still show signs of the phrenological studies conducted at the time. The museum complex originates from the oldest core of the collection, established in the 17th century by Marco Aurelio Severino, anatomist and surgeon, at the Ospedale San Giacomo Apostolo, later demolished in 1741 to build Palazzo San Giacomo, the current seat of the Naples City Hall. In the second half of the 18th century, Domenico Cotugno, an eminent anatomist, acquired and integrated into the collection wax preparations representing the human body, along with numerous anatomical specimens. In the first half of the 19th century, Antonio Nanùla significantly contributed to the development of the Anatomical Cabinet of the university, donating his rich private collection and commissioning wax models from sculptor Francesco Saverio Citarelli. In 1901, rector Giovanni Antonelli transferred the Anatomical Cabinet from the former Casa del Salvatore, where the main Neapolitan scientific museums were located, to the former Convent of Santa Patrizia, which became the seat of the renewed Institute of Anatomy. Here, a more organic and orderly exhibition was realized thanks to the spacious rooms and elegant wooden cabinets. However, the events of World War II and the 1980 earthquake caused severe damage to the museum, interrupting its activities. In 1985, academic authorities initiated a major recovery project, with structural interventions and a reorganization operation that led to the rediscovery of forgotten collections and the inventorying of approximately 3,000 specimens of immense historical, scientific, and educational value. In 2016, thanks to new restoration efforts, the museum was further enhanced, reaffirming its role as a reference point for research and scientific dissemination. Pharmacology The Pharmacology Section originated in 1862 with the establishment of the materia medica cabinet by Francesco Briganti. The collection documents the development of scientific research, with particular attention to pharmacology, through an extensive collection of specimens, historical equipment, and ancient texts. The display of the preserved materials allows for tracing the evolution of pharmacology from its origins to the contemporary era. Among the most significant specimens is a collection of plant, animal, and mineral drugs, dating back to past centuries and cataloged alphabetically, from aconite to ginger. Alongside the drugs, the collection includes numerous samples of medicinal specialties produced between the 19th and 20th centuries, preserved in their original packaging. The Pharmacology Section also houses one of the oldest libraries of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, preserving complete collections of scientific journals dating back to the last century. The book heritage includes volumes printed between the 16th and early 20th centuries, including some particularly valuable texts. Among these are an edition of Avicenna's Canon printed in Venice in 1582 and several 17th-century volumes dedicated to the art of Simples and recipe books, such as works by Auda da Lantosca (Rome, 1660), Johannes Schroderus (Ulm, 1644), and Timoteo Rosselli (Venice, 1644). The 18th-century section is particularly rich, including a Paduan edition of the Opera Omnia of Thomas Sydenham. Stomatology In the Stomatology section, we find the collection De re dentaria apud veteres, an exhibition dedicated to the history of dentistry, aiming to reconstruct the origins and development of this discipline over time. The project is oriented towards historical research and reflection by scholars of stomatology, documenting the evolution of dental knowledge and practices. The collection includes a wide range of materials of historical and scientific interest, including documents primarily dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, dental instruments in use in the early decades of the 20th century, and dental laboratory equipment from the first half of the 20th century. In addition to medical instruments, there are fossil specimens, including teeth of domesticated animals from the prehistoric period, offering insights into the evolution of dentition and dental practices in ancient civilizations. Bibliographic The Bibliographic section consists of the volumes collected by the university and mainly comprises two collections: that of the Anatomical Museum and that of the Pharmacology Museum. The book collection of the Anatomical Museum, located in the historic complex of S. Patrizia, includes about 680 volumes, of which 140 are antiquarian, originating from the former Institutes and Departments of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. Among the modern works are collections of German anatomy journals from the late 19th century, anatomical atlases, medical dictionaries, and manuals by important scholars of the early 20th century. Among the oldest publications are 16th-century complete works of Galen and Hippocrates, as well as 18th-century volumes containing texts by Andrea Vesalio and Frederik Ruysch. The latter, a Dutch anatomist and botanist, is known for his highly valuable artistic and scientific engraved plates. The most representative volume in the collection is Anatomiae Universae Icones by Paolo Mascagni, published in Pisa in 1823. This is a large-format anatomical atlas (100×72 cm), composed of 44 hand-colored engraved plates and 44 black and white plates, depicting the human body at natural size. Due to the rarity and fragility of the work, a digitalization of the volume was completed in 2017, allowing interactive consultation via touchscreen within the Anatomical Museum. The Museum of the Pharmacology Section, located in the S. Andrea delle Dame complex, preserves a book collection of about 200 volumes, dating from the late 16th century to the early 20th century. Among the most significant works is a Venetian 1582 edition of Avicenna's Liber Canonis Medicinae, along with 17th-century texts on the art of Simples and recipe books, including those by Auda da Lantosca (Rome, 1660), Johannes Schöderus (Ulm, 1644), and Timoteo Rosselli (Venice, 1644). The 18th-century collection includes formularies, commentaries on the writings of Hippocrates, and texts of medical institutions, including a Paduan edition of the Opera Omnia of Thomas Sydenham. The 19th century is represented by national and European pharmacopoeias, treatises on physiology, surgery, pharmaceutical chemistry, and microbiology, as well as early Italian studies based on the positivist and experimental conception of science. The 20th-century collection gathers numerous texts that complement the museum's equipment collection. Artistic The Contemporary Art Collection of MUSA originated from the project Le Aule dell’Arte, launched by the Department of Letters and Cultural Heritage of Vanvitelli University. Promoted by the teachings of History of Contemporary Art and Museology, the project aims to create a dialogue between contemporary art and university spaces, in collaboration with cultural bodies and institutions in the region. The collection includes a core of works placed in the headquarters of the Department of Letters and Cultural Heritage, testifying to the research and teaching activities carried out in the field of public art. University campuses Aversa In the city of Aversa, the Department of Engineering and the Department of Architecture are located. The former is situated in the complex of the Real Casa dell'Annunziata of Aversa, built around the early 14th century. The complex was part of the religious institutions with welfare purposes promoted by the Angevins also for territorial control. There is also a lecture hall complex, located on via Michelangelo Buonarroti. The latter is instead located in the church of San Lorenzo ad septimum in Aversa, which stands in a location that already held great interest in ancient times, on the ancient Via Campana ad septimum, meaning at the seventh mile from the city of Capua. The monumental complex includes the eponymous church and is built around a cloister. Capua In Capua, there is the complex housing the Department of Economics, located on Corso Gran Priorato di Malta. Originally built as a monastery and known as the Convent of the Nun Ladies, the building is believed to date back to the 9th–10th centuries, following the destruction of the monastery of Santa Maria in Cingla in Alife by the Saracens in 847. The monastery was built on the ancient Via Silicis, a paved road now identified with Corso Gran Priorato di Malta. Over the centuries, the complex underwent various modifications and expansions. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, it was transformed into a cloistered monastery through interventions led by architect Benvenuto Tortelli, known for his work on religious buildings such as the basilica of San Domenico Maggiore and the church of Santa Maria Donnaregina Vecchia in Naples. During this period, grates were installed on the windows and the church was restructured in the Baroque style. With the Royal Decree of 17 September 1812, the monastery was acquired by the State and designated for military use, assuming the name "Ettore Fieramosca" Barracks. The structure maintained this function until the 1970s. Subsequently, the complex was restored between 2000 and 2007. Today, with a covered area of approximately 11,600 m², it houses all academic and administrative activities of the Department of Economics. Caserta The provincial capital hosts some administrative offices and four departments: The Department of Psychology, which replaced the old faculty created in 2001 by splitting from the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy; the Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies; and the Department of Mathematics and Physics, which also replaced previous faculties and are located, like them, in the city's scientific hub on viale Abramo Lincoln. The Department of Political Science, operational in the 2011–2012 academic year, is instead located at the viale Ellittico complex, in a building previously owned by Poste Italiane and purchased by the university in 2006. The latter replaced the previous faculty, which originally had its seat in the monumental complex of the Belvedere di San Leucio on the Tifatini hills, once a municipality and later a hamlet of Caserta, which began teaching activities in the 2006–2007 academic year with the degree program in political sciences. Finally, at the city's central business district – in the "San Benedetto" area – the Caserta seat of the master's degree program in medicine and surgery is hosted, which operates under an agreement with the Caserta hospital and other Neapolitan structures. The construction site for the new teaching hospital is also in "San Benedetto", in the area of the locality Lo Uttaro near Maddaloni, in the eastern part of the city, adjacent to the State Road 700 of the Royal Palace of Caserta. Naples In the regional capital Naples, the "Luigi Vanvitelli" University Hospital, the School of Medicine and Surgery, the eight departments of medical disciplines, and other administrative offices are located. The training activities for the degree program in medicine and surgery take place at the following structures, largely located in the historic center of Naples. "Luigi Vanvitelli" University Hospital: early 20th-century complex situated above the remains of ancient Neapolis, site of the first Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the then Second University of Naples, now the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. Currently, it houses various premises of the AOU Vanvitelli and is one of the training hubs for young doctors of the eponymous university. Complesso di Sant'Andrea delle Dame: Baroque cloister built in the 16th century, adjacent to the First University Hospital. It includes the eponymous church, as well as numerous 17th-century frescoes by Bellisario Corenzio and Giacinto Diano, an altar inlaid with mother-of-pearl by Lazzari, statues by Pietro Ghetti, and a majolica floor from the Giustiniani manufactory. Today, it houses various classrooms for teaching and study, as well as the university's medical area library. Santa Patrizia Complex: built in the 13th century near the First University Hospital. It consists of the main cloister, the Minor Cloister, and the eponymous church. It is home to the human anatomy museum, due to the preservation of preparations by Andrea Vesalio and Francesco Citarelli. In addition to preserving frescoes by Luigi Rodriguez, there is a monument in memory of Giovanni Antonelli, former rector of the University of Naples Federico II, and a marble epigraph reading "Hic mors gaudet succurrere vitae" ("Here Death rejoices to help Life"), a phrase attributed to Luciano Armanni and now displayed in many autopsy rooms. Ospedali dei Colli: a nationally important hospital group comprising the Monaldi Hospital, the Cotugno Hospital, and the Orthopedic Trauma Center (CTO). The Department of Translational Medical Sciences is located here, housing some departments of the University Hospital, as well as serving as a hub for the theoretical and practical training of students belonging to the School. Santa maria capua vetere In Santa Maria Capua Vetere, the departments of Law and of Letters and Cultural Heritage are located. The Department of Law is housed at palazzo Melzi together with the School of Specialization for Legal Professions, in the heart of the historic center of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, next to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore. The building has a long history dating back to the 17th century, when it was built between 1627 and 1630 as a bishop's refectory commissioned by the bishops of Capua, Girolamo Costanzo and his successors Camillo and Giovanni Antonio Melzi. During the 18th century, the palace was expanded and embellished, acquiring its current appearance. In 1809, following the reorganization of the legal system during the Napoleonic period, the palace became the seat of the Court of First Instance and the Criminal Court of the province of Terra di Lavoro. To adapt to these new functions, the building underwent significant restructuring, including those directed by architects Giuseppe Sticco and Eleuterio Abbatecola between 1898 and 1904. Subsequently, in 1928, a new wing for the Assize Court was built based on designs by architects Domenico Morelli and Giuseppe Parisi. While housing the Court, the palace also saw the installation of provisional prisons in its underground rooms, before the construction of the new Bourbon prison in the former convent of the Minims of Santa Maria via Coeli. Following the decommissioning of the Court and the transfer of judicial offices to the modern building on Piazza della Resistenza, the palace was acquired by the university. The building underwent careful restoration affecting both external facades and internal spaces, restoring them to their late 19th-century appearance and adapting them to the teaching and research needs of the Department of Law. The Department of Letters and Cultural Heritage was located – from 1992 to 2014 – at the medieval monastery dedicated to San Francesco da Paola in Santa Maria Capua Vetere. This structure, in the early 17th century, was occupied by the Minim friars of the order of Saint Francis of Paola and became a monastery, built on an ancient Roman cryptoporticus, until in 1738 it housed Bourbon soldiers and from 6 February 1807 was transformed into a prison. The Department of Letters is now located at the via Perla lecture hall complex, which also serves the law department. Sports The University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli collaborates with CUS Caserta to promote sports events and activities for students, academic staff, and faculty. University sports activities are also conducted in collaboration with CUS Napoli. Scuderia Vanvitelli is the official Formula Student team of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. The team is dedicated to the design, construction, and competition of racing single-seaters. Scuderia participates in international competitions such as Formula SAE. The team is structured into several areas, including mechanical, electronic, aerodynamic, and management. Rectors Domenico Mancino (1990–1998) Antonio Grella (1998–2006) Francesco Rossi (2006–2014) Giuseppe Paolisso (2014–2020) Gianfranco Nicoletti (2020–2026) Notes Bibliography 1º rapporto sugli archivi delle università italiane publication by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Padua 2002. Related entries University of Naples Federico II Biogem Caserta Luigi Vanvitelli Province of Caserta Union of Mediterranean Universities External links "Website of the University Hospital of the University of Campania". "SunHope.it – Official Website of the Medicine and Surgery Students of Naples". "Website of CUS Caserta". "Recreational Circle for University Workers".