Forlì Campus
The Forlì branch campus is located in Forlì, Italy and is one of the five separate multicampuses of the University of Bologna.[1]
History
Legislative decree n° 662/1996 addresses a key problem of so-called "mega-universities": students struggling to enroll and successfully attend them. The need to split universities with more than 40.000 enrolled students was thus seen as urgent to guarantee potential students' right to education. While some large universities gave life to minor independent campuses (such as the University of Eastern Piedmont or the University of Rome Three), the University of Bologna opted for a Multicampus structure by activating decentralized campuses in the Romagna area.
The Forlì Branch of the University of Bologna began operating on October 1st, 2001. Before then, Forlì had been the seat of the second School of Political Science of the University of Bologna, dedicated to the memory of Roberto Ruffilli, and of the School of Modern Languages for Interpreters and Translators (SSLMIT). After 2001, its academic options broadened but kept their highly internationalized and professionalized character: the Schools of Engineering and Economics were added to existing schools.
The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies in Translation, Languages, and Cultures (SITLeC) and the Language Centre for the Scientific and Teaching Divisions of Romagna (CLIRO) are located at the Forlì branch.
Further, in 2006 e-Learning labs were activated. They are part of the wider of the University of Bologna e-Learning Development Center (CELAB).
From the very beginning, the Forlì branch was conceived as a diffused campus, not limited to a single building complex but articulated across several sites in the city. The main nucleus is located in the former “G. B. Morgagni” hospital area, progressively converted into university facilities with the support of local institutions. Alongside this central hub, additional teaching and research activities are hosted in other urban sites, including the airport area, which later became home to laboratories and facilities for aerospace engineering.
During the 2000s the branch underwent significant expansion: new pavilions and teaching spaces were inaugurated, including the Teaching Hub (2015), with more than 3,000 study places, the Campus Park (2017), and the Central Pavilion (2018), which strengthened the urban connection with the city centre.
Following the 2011 university reform, which abolished the faculties, the Forlì branch officially took the updated designation of Forlì Campus, reorganizing its activities into departments and schools. In parallel, the academic offer expanded: in addition to the traditional courses in languages and political science, new programs in economics, management, and engineering were activated.
In 2022, the Forlì Aerospace and Space Technology Hub (Polo Tecnologico Aeronautico-Spaziale Forlivese, PTA) was inaugurated near the “Luigi Ridolfi” airport. Promoted by the University of Bologna in collaboration with local and regional institutions, it represents a centre of excellence for education, research, and innovation in the aeronautical and space sectors.
In 2024, the Campus further broadened its technological vocation with the activation of the Master’s Degree in Naval Engineering (LM-34), the first of its kind in Emilia-Romagna, dedicated to the design and construction of advanced and luxury vessels.
References
- ^ "Multicampus at the University of Bologna". Retrieved October 8, 2022.