The University of Padua is a profiled university of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The University of Padua is the only Italian university, besides the Bocconi University and the University of Pavia, to become a profiled university of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.This globally recognised non-profit organisation has been committed for over twenty years to promoting circular economy designed to reduce waste, resource consumption and pollution, favouring closure of the loop.

“A new important result, on the international scene, for our University concerning its commitment to sustainable development,” says Francesca Da Porto, pro-rector responsible for sustainability at the University of Padua. “This comes after the ANVUR assessment of “excellent and extremely relevant” for our sustainable UniPadova project, proposed as best practice and model at national level. The courses on circular economy profiled by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation are carefully selected. The one offered by the University of Padua stands apart for its strong technical-scientific component in a multidisciplinary context that obviously includes the presence of socio-economic, management and legal disciplines. This enables graduates to manage the transition towards circular economy models in a complete and informed manner”.

This is a well-deserved and important recognition for our university, which, in recent years, has been engaged in concrete and relevant sustainability programmes and, specifically, in the area of circular economy. Such extensive joint actions led to the creation of an international Master’s degree in Sustainable Chemistry and Technologies for Circular Economy, and a study centre dedicated to Circular Economy – Waste, Materials and Sustainability, with the contribution of twelve departments of the University.

The so-called “profiled universities” are in a unique position to influence positive change in the field of circular economy. The University of Padua has distinguished itself for its commitment to applying circular economy principles to five key areas: teaching, research, campus management, student-led projects, influence and leadership.