Founded in 1962, the University of Trento has focused on building alliances and partnerships with Italian and foreign institutions and organizations. In 1982, the Free University of Trento was transformed into a state university, with a statute that guaranteed self-governance.

The Milan Agreement, signed in 2009 between the government and the Autonomous Province of Trento (together with that of Bolzano and the Region), on the modification of the Special Statute of Autonomy in terms of financial regulations, gave the province new powers with regard to the university and represented a further important stage in the development of the university, guaranteeing certainty and appropriacy in the allocation of financial resources.
 

The first 50 years of the University of Trento

Since 1962, when the Istituto Universitario Superiore di Scienze Sociali was founded by Bruno Kessler, the University of Trento has taken many steps forward.

In 1972, the Faculty of Science was added and in 1973, after Trento became a Free University, the Faculty of Economics and Commerce was established. In 1983 the Free University transformed into a state university and in the following two years created three more faculties: Humanities and Philosophy, Law, and Engineering. 

The last to be created was the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences in 2004.

The most recent change dates back to 2012: the faculties and research departments disappeared to make way for structures that combine teaching and research: there are 11 departments and 4 university centres.

50 years is just the first step of a journey full of possibilities. There are many challenges for the future: monitoring and evaluating teaching and research activities in order to progressively increase the level of competitiveness, focusing on research and teaching excellence, increasing the level of internationalization.