The University of Trento was founded by Bruno Kessler in 1962 as a Higher University Institute for Social Sciences and, since then, the University has made great strides forward.

In 1972, the Faculty of Sciences was founded and, in 1973, after the University had become a “Libera University” (Free University), the Faculty of Economics was founded. In 1983, the “Libera Università” became a Public University, and in the next two years, three Faculties were founded: Humanities, Law and Engineering. The last Faculty to be founded was the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences in 2004.

The last change made was in 2012, when the Faculties and Research Departments were replaced by organisations that bring together teaching and research: they are 11 Departments and 4 University Centres.

50 years are just the first step in a direction that offers great hopes for the future. There are many propositions for the future: to monitor and evaluate teaching and research in order to increase even more the level of competitiveness, to concentrate on the excellence of research and teaching, and to expand internationalisation.

To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, the University organised a series of study and research events that retrace those years, beginning from the analysis and the story of the University’s origins, using documentary sources. These events have been posted on a website: 50 years of Unitn and on a Facebook page.

Rectors

since 2021	Rector Flavio Deflorian
2014 - 2021	Rector Paolo Collini
2013 - 2014	Rector Daria de Pretis
2014	Interim deputy Rector Aronne Armanini
2004 - 2013	Rector Davide Bassi
1996 - 2004	Rector Massimo Egidi
1990 - 1996	Rector Fulvio Zuelli
1978 - 1990	Rector Fabio Ferrari
1977 - 1978	Rector Ezio Clementel
1972 - 1978	Rector Paolo Prodi
1970 - 1972	Director Guido Baglioni
1970	Director Norberto Bobbio
1968 - 1970	Director Francesco Alberoni
1962 - 1968	Director Mario Volpato