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Institution: University of Padua
Location: Padua, Italy
Focus area: Sustainable chemistry and technologies for circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature.
Established in 1222, the University of Padua (Padova in Italian), is one of the world’s oldest universities and the second oldest university in Italy. The University of Padua continues to be one of the most prominent universities in Italy and Europe, offering a broad portfolio of programmes across eight different Schools and runs a host of centres, research organisations and science and technology hubs that are affiliated with the university.
Teaching and Learning
The University of Padua offers a Master’s degree in Sustainable Chemistry and Technologies for Circular Economy, a two-year programme (120 ECTS) offered jointly with 12 different departments of the University. The programme, (taught in English), provides students with interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and competencies covering the whole value chain of the circular economy, enabling them to make independent decisions within a sustainable context based on circular economy principles.
The first year provides students with the knowledge of the most common methods for green chemistry and related industrial processes, thermodynamics and catalytic processes, renewable energyrenewable energyEnergy derived from resources that are not depleted on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales. technologies and the use and management of waste and water resources from a circular economy perspective. In the second year, students are expected to choose between two different paths: Resources and product design and recycling (focusing on material-related topics), or Energy conversion and storage (focusing on renewable energy topics and issues). Students are also required to complete an internship in a company to apply their knowledge within a real industrial context.
The University of Padua also offers a Circular Economy summer school. The main objective of the Summer School is to provide participants with technical and soft skills whilst presenting and discussing topics related to circular economy. The Circular Economy summer school will be offered in person, (Monday to Friday) and structured around three courses:
Legal and business communication aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility: a multidisciplinary approach for Circular Economy (3 modules - 26 hours):
Forest and Agricultural derived biomasses for circular economy (2 modules - 8 hours)
The Sustainability reporting process.
Applied Research
At the University of Padova, there are around 150-200 faculty members from across 20 departments working in the field of the circular economy, sustainability, the bioeconomy and other related fields.
The Circular Economy of Waste Materials and Sustainability (CEWMS) Research Centre is a hub for over 60 university professors from different scientific sectors with the aim of promoting the circular economy on both a local and international scale, through close collaboration and projectswith companies and institutions.
The centre is also a think tank in which different student associations participate, such as ‘SustainAbility’ or ‘UNIZEB’ (learn more about the research centre).
Campus Management
The University of Padua has launched the Sustainable UniPadova project, which aims to give greater visibility of the University’s sustainability actions and acting as a catalyst for initiatives, involving the entire academic community, from students and staff to government bodies. Through the ‘Waste and resources’ working group, the university collects, disseminates, and applies circular economy practices to raise awareness on the issue of sustainable waste management and promoting behaviours aimed at preventing its production in the first place.
Student-led initiatives
The ‘SustainABILITY’ project aims to provide students and staff with information on three main areas of concern: waste, food consumption and transportation, as well as suggestions to move towards more sustainable solutions.
The ‘UniZEB’ project was created to design and implement a “zero energy building” using innovative technologies and materials. UniZEB is the result of a collaboration between sixty students from different departments of the University of Padua, all of whom wish to share their knowledge and skills in a multidisciplinary setting.
Connect with
Silvia Gross, Coordinator of the Committee of the Graduate program in Sustainable Chemistry & Technologies for Circular Economy. circular.economy@unipd.it
Francesca Da Porto, Vice Rector for Sustainability.
Maria Cristina Lavagnolo, Coordinator of the Research Centre CEWMS-Circular Economy of Waste Materials and Sustainability.
Find out more
University of Padua website
Master’s degree in Sustainable Chemistry and Technologies for Circular Economy
University of Padua - Circular Economy summer school
