Welcome 2024, USI welcomes first-year students

Over 900 first-year students in Lugano and 170 in Mendrisio have been welcomed by Università della Svizzera italiana with various events. These include official presentations, campus tours, introductions to university services, guest speakers, and social gatherings in preparation for the "Enjoy Lugano" event, organised by the City of Lugano and involving USI, SUPSI, and FUS, which is scheduled for 26 September.

The autumn semester of 2024-25 is the start of the academic year at USI for many Bachelor's and Master's students. To introduce the university to new students, the USI Welcome 2024, now in its fifth year, was held on the Lugano and Mendrisio campuses on Thursday, 12 and Friday, 13 September.

The Rector, Luisa Lambertini, welcomed them for the official greetings and shared with students the normal feelings in these situations: enthusiasm, curiosity and even a hint of anxiety. Università della Svizzera italiana, continued the Rector, can count on passionate teachers, talented researchers and a community of students eager to share their experiences. The wish is to remain open to change and to the people around us with diverse experiences: inclusion, respect, and diversity are core values at USI. In this regard, the Rector invited the students to read USI's Code of Ethics, a document approved last academic year.

The Rector also reminded them of the importance of having a well-rounded university experience and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunities provided by USI and the surrounding environment. Starting this year, the House of Sustainability in Airolo will be a great place for students to learn about sustainability and enjoy the beautiful landscapes.

The Pro-Rector for Education and Students' Experience Gabriele Balbi emphasised the importance of university education, highlighting four key elements: individual and social value, the opportunity to drive change, the cultivation of critical thinking, and the presence of mutual exchange and goals. Additionally, the Pro-Rector outlined seven central elements of USI's educational philosophy and highlighted some unique aspects of our university.

As in previous editions, Ticino Turismo welcomed first-year students from all over the world, inviting them to discover the beauty of our region. After last year's first edition, the collaboration with the Museo d'Arte della Svizzera italiana (MASI) was proposed once again, offering a free ticket to all. An orientation session took place afterwards, during which the activities of the Student Corporation, academic tools and IT services were presented. New this year was the presence of some guest speakers: in addition to the speaker Nicolò Casolini, Bernardino Regazzoni (Swiss ambassador abroad who has lived in many different countries in the course of his career) and Marco Baron (former ice hockey player of Canadian origin now living in Ticino) spoke. In the afternoon, the students continued their activities according to the various study programmes and then had the opportunity to attend sessions devoted to administrative services and the University Library and to be taken on a guided campus tour.