Bologna, from Latin Bononia, is the capital city of Emilia Romagna in northern Italy, in the Pianura Padana,
and a prestigeous city of art, culture and commerce.

The medieval town centre is amongst the best-preserved in Europe and boasts a number of towers scattered among the rows of porticoes and luxurious historical homes.
These include the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio, seat of the historic university.

Bologna and its metropolitan area has important industries (mechanics, foods, electronics), has very
important retail and wholesale trade and has the first Italian vegetable and fruit market.  Bologna is the first railway and motorway hub in Italy; the trade fair, which is important in Europe for the number of exhibitions
held each year, confirms Bologna’s important economic role.

Further information on the web site: www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/new/english/index.htm

Congress site

UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA - FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
Viale G. Fanin, 50 – 40127 Bologna (Italy)

The University of Bologna (Italian: Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, UNIBO) is one of the oldest continually operating degree-granting universities in the world, and the second largest university in Italy.
It was the first university founded in the western world (AD 1088) and since 2000, its motto has been Alma mater studiorum (Latin for "fostering mother of studies").

The University of Bologna is historically notable for its teaching of canon and civil law and it counts about 100.000 students in its 23 faculties. It has branch centers in Reggio nell'Emilia, Imola, Ravenna, Forlì,
Cesena and Rimini and a branch center abroad in Buenos Aires.

The teaching of Agricultural Science was acknowledged for the first time as an academic discipline in the second half of 18th century with the setting up of "a Chair of Agriculture" at the University of Bologna. But in 1900 the School of Agriculture obtained complete full autonomy when the Reale Scuola Superiore Agraria (Royal Higher School of Agriculture) was set up for the first time ever, before becoming the Regio Istituto Superiore Agrario in 1923 and later the Faculty of Agriculture in 1935. Its centenary was recently celebrated
in the year 2000. During its century-long activity, the Faculty has come a long way.

The teaching departments, the research and laboratory facilities have progressively been expanded to the adjoining buildings of the prestigious Palazzina della Viola and, subsequently, to other University locations, namely, Reggio Emilia, Cesena, Faenza, Rimini and Imola. Recently, the Faculty headquarters have been transferred to a new building at the CAAB – the Centro Agroalimentare of Bologna (Food and Agriculture Centre).

The studies and teaching activities have progressively grown to encompass new areas, such as the food and industry sector, the safeguarding and development of the environment, modern biotechnologies, and so on.. These undertakings have shown the Faculty’s capacity to follow the evolution of the agricultural business and its various branches.

Within the scope of the recent University reform, the Faculty has managed to outline a new teaching provision based on a wider selection of skilled human resources, accruing from its long-established academic tradition and its excellent reputation both at the national and the international level, and on the availability of modern facilities and relevant supporting amenities. The well-structured and broad range of study courses seeks to guarantee an adequate cultural and educational training for students and to provide cohesive and ad hoc answers to job market demands in the diversified sectors of the agricultural business, which is of great importance both today and in the future.

Further information on the web site: www.eng.unibo.it