First students graduate from ADA University’s School of Agricultural and Food Science
The milestone was celebrated during the fourth edition of the Joint Certificate Programme with the University of Bologna
The week beginning 22 June marked an important step in the partnership between the University of Bologna and ADA University, as their strategic collaboration continued to deliver tangible results in teaching, research and internationalisation.
During the week, the two universities held the fourth edition of their Joint Certificate Programme, which this year focused on Next-Gen Microbial Fermentation: Advancing Sustainable Agriculture and Healthy Food. The programme involved four Professors from the University of Bologna – Rosalba Lanciotti, Diana Di Gioia, Davide Gottardi and Daniele Alberoni – providing participants with an international learning experience.
The week was also an opportunity to celebrate a significant milestone: the graduation of the first seventeen students of the Master in Agricultural and Food System Management, less than three years after the founding of the School of Agricultural and Food Science, led by Matteo Vittuari. From the second edition, launched in 2025, the Master is delivered as a double degree programme with the University of Bologna. In September 2026, the first fourteen Azerbaijani students will arrive in Bologna, while in January 2027 the first two Bologna students will undertake a period of study at ADA University.
Further strengthening the collaboration is also the first joint success in European project development. Thanks to the work of Elena Baraldi and Claudio Ratti, ADA University will participate, together with the University of Bologna, in the Horizon Europe project SUPPPORTVitis – Sustainable strategies and Practices to Prevent Outbreaks and Reduce Threats of hemipteran-borne diseases of grapevine (Vitis spp.).
In the previous weeks, an Italian language and culture course led by Valeria Baruzzo and the Department of Classical Philology and Italian Studies (FICLIT) introduced students interested in international mobility to Italian language and culture, while extending the partnership to more departments across the University.
With three Bachelor’s degree programmes in Agricultural Technologies, Food Technologies and Animal Science, in addition to the Master in Agricultural and Food System Management, in September 2026 the School of Agricultural and Food Science at ADA University will have more than 350 students enrolled. Less than three years after the initiative was launched, the project has already achieved remarkable results, reflecting the strength of the partnership between the University of Bologna and ADA University.
