Opening new paths. Acting in the present, building the future. The Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa inaugurates the 2025/2026 academic year
“Opening new paths. Acting in the present, building the future”. A title that contains a very clear invitation: to look at who we are, with sincerity. And to build what we can become, with courage. With these key words, Rector Nicola Vitiello inaugurated the 2025/2026 academic year of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa: an opportunity to outline the programme guidelines that will guide the School in the coming years and to share future objectives.
The ceremony took place this morning, Thursday 4 December, at the Teatro Verdi in Pisa. Present were the Mayor of Pisa, Michele Conti, and the Councillor of the Tuscany Region with responsibility for Relations with Universities and Research Centres, Cristina Manetti.
The Lectio Magistralis was given by Dr Benedetto Vigna, Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari. During the ceremony, a message sent to the School by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto was read aloud.
Opening new paths. Rector Vitiello's opening address
Opening new paths means believing in education and research as pillars of social and cultural progress; it means recognising that the world around us is changing rapidly and demands ever-changing and innovative responses. Acting in the present is what an institution such as the Sant'Anna School must do: a present of hard work, results and responsibility. Building the future is the most challenging but certainly the most stimulating part: deciding the path that the School must take in the coming years to be a candidate for a strategic role in the country's development.
The new paths for the University outlined by Vitiello are: strengthening the quality of research, supporting students, investing in innovation, promoting scientific diplomacy as a tool for cooperation, dialogue and contribution to major global challenges, developing knowledge on emerging technologies and critical infrastructures, strengthening the Pisa University System, making Pisa not only a university city but a true ecosystem of knowledge. A vision that brings together the present and the future, responsibility and vision.
A true leader is never alone. The Lectio Magistralis by Benedetto Vigna
The main theme of the Lectio Magistralis given by Dr Benedetto Vigna was “A true leader is never alone”. CEO of Ferrari since September 2021, Vigna studied at the University of Pisa, where he graduated in subnuclear physics.
“It is a great honour for me to participate in the inauguration of the academic year at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, the city where I spent my university years,” commented Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna. 'I will share what I have learned in my professional experience and my belief that a true leader is never a loner, but someone capable of making others feel like protagonists. Their strength lies in listening, in being an inspiration and in keeping the pact with their team alive. This is how new paths are opened, learning from each other."
The message from Minister Guido Crosetto
In his message to the Sant'Anna School, which was read during the ceremony, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto reiterated the School's strategic role as a national and international benchmark for excellence in education, advanced research and the ability to respond to the needs of the country. He also emphasised the importance of fruitful collaboration with the School, the latest significant milestone of which was the 4th Veterans' Day, with the organisation of a conference dedicated to the role of scientific research, robotics, artificial intelligence and biomedical engineering in improving the quality of life of veterans with disabilities.
In a context marked by profound global changes, Minister Crosetto highlighted the need to invest in advanced skills to address the challenges posed by AI, big data and cyber security, strengthening the synergy between universities, institutions and the world of production and recalling the value of “technological humanism”, which combines innovation and the centrality of the individual.
“The inauguration of the academic year is an important opportunity for us to reaffirm the meaning of our work,” commented Rector Nicola Vitiello. 'Opening new paths means combining quality research, attention to people and the ability to dialogue with the local community, institutions and the world. The Sant'Anna School aims to increasingly become a place where knowledge translates into responsibility towards the country and openness to global challenges."
