Notices
PoliTO actions during the pro-Palestine protest
July 8th, 2024
Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada
Last Saturday Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada halls were vacated and, as of today, actions are already underway to return these spaces to full use by the entire polytechnic community.
In particular, inspections in Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada halls have shown that these occupied spaces have been left without significant damage to either the structures or the equipment they contain. Our University is already working to ensure and restore the full use of these spaces in time for the start of the degree session and graduation ceremonies.
However, within this framework, legality and safety have not been totally restored in all University’s premises as requested by the Academic Senate since a departmental classroom has not yet been vacated by the student occupiers and is therefore unavailable for University activities.
July 4th, 2024
Academic Senate’s extraordinary session about "Peace initiatives"
The Academic Senate’s extraordinary session held today to discuss "Peace initiatives" has been introduced with a description of the activities carried out by the "Research Ethics" Working Group which was officially required by the Academic Senate to create an effective communication channel for dialogue with Politecnico di Torino students’ representatives who are taking part in the student occupation.
The group worked favoring exchange of ideas within a collaborative framework and agreed on a path to incorporate ideas that would enrich the University Action Plan (link) on “peace, ethical awareness and transparency” initiatives and lead to restore legality and security by returning all occupied spaces.
As the Senate Working Group reported, specific elements agreed and gathered were not accepted by the student occupiers’ Assembly and consequently no shared path has been started.
In view of the above,, the Senate was called upon to express its opinion on two motions that came up for deliberation.
The first motion, submitted by the AlterPolis students’ representative in the Academic Senate entitled “Claims of Politecnico di Torino student occupiers’ Assembly” was rejected, receiving 24 votes against, 3 abstentions and 1 vote in favor. The main reasons for opposition concerned three aspects. The first aspect, which is substantive, is related to the fact that the university institution is based on openness to dialogue and relations, which are fundamental for the construction of a society of peace, while the motion's contents are divisive and “locked”. The second aspect, which is a procedural one, since it is part of the claims already included in the Senate motion of 7 May and the subsequent Action Plan. The third aspect, which is formal, is related to fact that it has been considered inappropriate that the Academic Senate can be required to express its opinion about the claims by the student occupiers’ Assembly that is outside institutional legitimacy.
The second motion, submitted by the Research Ethics Working Group was approved, receiving 26 votes in favour, 1 abstention and 1 vote against. The Senate then approved the following:
“The Academic Senate of Politecnico di Torino, confirming the path’s direction undertaken within the extraordinary session held on 7 May 2024 (link) and the subsequent launch of the action plan (link), in view of the evolving international situation and the situation inside Politecnico’s premises, as well:
June 27th, 2024
Dialogue with student occupation's representatives
The “Research ethics” Working Group, appointed last 22 May, has been officially required by the Academic Senate to create an effective communication channel for dialogue with Politecnico di Torino students’ representatives who are taking part in the student occupation. The group worked hard and gathered four times in a week favoring exchange of ideas within a collaborative framework: significant points of view converged between the working group and the student occupiers, which could have led to a fruitful discussion at a future Senate session. However, yesterday, 26 June, the exchange came to an abrupt halt due to the refusal of the student occupiers to advocate for the return of all occupied spaces and the restoration of legality within Polito facilities, which was agreed as necessary condition to proceed with further action on the points being discussed at the table. The Working Group is keeping a communication channel open.
June 21st, 2024
Senate Working Group "Research ethics"
In accordance with the Academic Senate of last Friday, June14th, next monday, June 17th, the Senate Working Group "Research ethics" will be launched: a team aimed at opening a dialogue with some representatives of the students involved in the current occupation.
June 17th, 2024
Peace Initiatives
Given the official decision of May 7th, 2024, the Academic Senate working groups launched a series of "Peace Initiatives". More details available at this link.
June 14th, 2024
Firm condemnation of the "roman salute"
Politecnico di Torino firmly condemns the extremely serious episode happened yesterday during student protests: press reports and social media videos showed a security agent addressing students with the “roman salute”. Politecnico strongly dissociates itself from this fact, which seriously affects our institutional foundations and the democratic principles of the Italian Constitution.
Due actions were immediately requested to the providing company. Politecnico is also proceeding with due actions to protect itself and its image. Politecnico stands for the vital legal values that are needed for its community wellbeing.
Rector and Senators meeting report
Politecnico di Torino's Academic Senate convened by the Rector this morning and shared the following
June 12th, 2024
Rooms and wharehouse break-in charge
Politecnico submitted a charge for two effractions (last Friday and yesterday night). The first break-in involved the forcing of a room lock located at PoliTO Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, the room being then occupied by protesters. The second one involved the door of a maintenance warehouse that was forced to steal some tools, cables and equipment. The charge against unknown suspects is based on security camera videos and pictures which are now being examined in the investigation process. As for the previous facts reported to the competent authorities, Politecnico is quantifying the tangible and intangible damage suffered.
May 30th, 2024
PoliTO Students conference of May 29th
Yesterday PoliTO helt a student conference on peace. A unique event among Italian Universities, organized by PoliTO Academic Senate students representatives and Board of Governors, with the whole community support.
Students shared their perceptions with Politecnico's faculty, Rector, and Governing bodies. 177 Participants came in presence and 115 via online streaming. 53 students gave their speeches showing their views, accompanied by horror at what is happening in Gaza and by the desire to seek peace.
May 29th, 2024
Rector's answer to "PolitoForPalestine Assembly"
Click here to read the full text (Italian only).
May 28th, 2024
PoliTO Students Conference, in numbers: 65 speeches, room R3 (300 seats, sold out); entrance from 5.15 p.m., start at 6 p.m. Streaming available to all PoliTO community.
May 26th, 2024
Appreciation letter to PoliTO Senators and Board of Governors
The Rector has just sent to Politecnico's Senators and Board of Governors an appreciation letter for the relevant support shown with regards to last friday's initiative.
Click here to read the full text (Italian only).
May 24th, 2024
Warning Request
Politecnico's Rector, in coordination with the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, given the announced islamic prayer session at PoliTO main campus, has promptly submitted to Turin's Prefect and Police Commissioner an official warning addressed to any involved religious authorities from performing functions and activities at Politecnico's venues. The Rector and Minister firmly reiterate Universities' principles of independence and secularism.
PoliTO Academic Senate and Board of Governors validate Rector's action
27 Senators and 8 Board of Governors members (including all of the internal members) have promptly expressed their support and sharing about the warning request, strongly stressing Politecnico's secularity.
May 23rd, 2024
CRUI: Ceasefire and no to boycott of Israeli Universities
Today, the CRUI (Conference of Italian University Rectors) Assembly clearly reiterated its call for a ‘ceasefire’ and its no to closing relations with Israeli universities; universities are places of openness, whose role is to maintain and create bridges of open and continuous dialogue through scientific debate.
PoliTO Academic Senate approved the participation to the National Ph.D. Board on "Peace Studies"
Yesterday, the Academic Senate designated Politecnico's faculty members involved in the National Ph.D. Board on "Peace Studies", which is promoted by the Network of Italian Universities for Peace (RUniPace) with the aim of promoting and disseminating interdisciplinary training and research on conflict and peace issues.
Forced entry charge
Politecnico submitted yesterday the charge against unknown suspects, supported by documentary evidence, for the break-in at PoliTO Corso Einaudi 40 entrance door, occurred last Saturday, May 18th.
May 22nd, 2024
Establishment of Senate Working Groups on Peace initiatives
During today's session of the Academic Senate, Wednesday May 22nd, Senate Working Groups have been established to give effect to the University Action Plan on Peace initiatives, in implementation of the Senate resolution of May 7th.
Registration for the Politecnico di Torino Student Conference
Starting tomorrow, Thursday May 23rd, students will receive by e-mail instructions on how to participate and intervene in the first Politecnico di Torino Student Conference on Peace, scheduled for May 29th.
May 21st, 2024
Note of support for the motion on peace issues
Today, the members of the Board of Governors members of the University have formally expressed to the Rector their full support for the motion on peace issues approved by the Academic Senate on May 7th 2024, endorsing the spirit of the University in promoting dialogue and confrontation, in a democratic and peaceful way, among all the voices and souls of the Politecnico community. They also strongly expressed their support for the initiative of the first "Politecnico di Torino Student Conference", scheduled for May 29th.
May 20th, 2024
Request for tents removal from the exit routes of ground floor classrooms at PoliTO main campus
The tents' owners have been asked to remove them as soon as possible from the exits routes of the classrooms' corridors at PoliTO main campus, ground floor. The immediate tents removal is meant to avoid the application of safety measures that would limit teaching activities with considerable inconvenience to our student community.
PoliTO main campus and teaching activities reopening
The usual Monday opening of PoliTO main campus took place together with regular in-person teaching activities within all PoliTO venues.
May 19th, 2024
Since the beginning of the protests involving many universities in our western democracies, Politecnico di Torino has guaranteed, with full willingness, free and peaceful expression within all its spaces.
However, shortly before 10:00 pm on Saturday, May 18th, a major infraction occurred, with one of the entrances being forced and around forty protesters - unrelated to Politecnico di Torino - breaking into our University.
The Rector summarized the situation and expressed Politecnico's position in this letter sent to the whole PoliTO community.
On Monday 20 May, classes will be regularly held at all PoliTO venues.
However, given the Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada occupation, the following events scheduled for the first days of the next week have been postponed - new dates to be defined:
May 17th, 2024
At today's meeting on Friday May 17, the student representatives of the Senate and Board of Governors, together with the Rector, Prorector and Vicerector for Community, agreed to hold a CONFERENZA STUDENTI DEL POLITECNICO DI TORINO about issues of peace on May 29 at 6 p.m., with in-person participation upon reservation subject to availability exclusively for the student community and streaming connection. Speeches by students are scheduled, with Politecnico di Torino’s community listening. The aim of the Conference is to have a moment fully dedicated to the student community, giving space for the expression and listening to all its sensitivities on the issues of peace. Instructions with reservation details will follow.
May 16th, 2024
As part of the ongoing nationwide student protests, a march will take place tomorrow, May 17th, with Politecnico di Torino as possible destination. To ensure the safety of Politecnico’s student community, the PoliTO Governance in agreement with the PoliTO Academic Senate and Board of Governors’ student representatives deemed it appropriate that teaching activities scheduled for tomorrow at the main Campus and in the Cittadella will be delivered remotely or rescheduled in the following days.
The same representatives, together with the Rector, the Deputy Rector and the Vice Rector for Community also gave effect to what agreed in previous meetings, planning, by the end of May, a POLITECNICO DI TORINO STUDENTS’ CONFERENCE, organized as an occasion of democratic sharing of ideas and positions to make room for expressing and pay attention to all voices and souls of the student community of our University student community.
May 15th, 2024
Following today's meeting between PoliTO Academic Senate and Board of Governors’ student representatives with the Rector, the following shared statement is published:
“The opportunity of the student community to peacefully and civilly demonstrate even with dissent expressions is a fundamental element of university life, which is enriched through the liveliness of debate and diversity of opinions in the mutual respect to thw community's right to freely and regularly experience and benefit from all educational activities”.
Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada
Last Saturday Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada halls were vacated and, as of today, actions are already underway to return these spaces to full use by the entire polytechnic community.
In particular, inspections in Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada halls have shown that these occupied spaces have been left without significant damage to either the structures or the equipment they contain. Our University is already working to ensure and restore the full use of these spaces in time for the start of the degree session and graduation ceremonies.
However, within this framework, legality and safety have not been totally restored in all University’s premises as requested by the Academic Senate since a departmental classroom has not yet been vacated by the student occupiers and is therefore unavailable for University activities.
July 4th, 2024
Academic Senate’s extraordinary session about "Peace initiatives"
The Academic Senate’s extraordinary session held today to discuss "Peace initiatives" has been introduced with a description of the activities carried out by the "Research Ethics" Working Group which was officially required by the Academic Senate to create an effective communication channel for dialogue with Politecnico di Torino students’ representatives who are taking part in the student occupation.
The group worked favoring exchange of ideas within a collaborative framework and agreed on a path to incorporate ideas that would enrich the University Action Plan (link) on “peace, ethical awareness and transparency” initiatives and lead to restore legality and security by returning all occupied spaces.
As the Senate Working Group reported, specific elements agreed and gathered were not accepted by the student occupiers’ Assembly and consequently no shared path has been started.
In view of the above,, the Senate was called upon to express its opinion on two motions that came up for deliberation.
The first motion, submitted by the AlterPolis students’ representative in the Academic Senate entitled “Claims of Politecnico di Torino student occupiers’ Assembly” was rejected, receiving 24 votes against, 3 abstentions and 1 vote in favor. The main reasons for opposition concerned three aspects. The first aspect, which is substantive, is related to the fact that the university institution is based on openness to dialogue and relations, which are fundamental for the construction of a society of peace, while the motion's contents are divisive and “locked”. The second aspect, which is a procedural one, since it is part of the claims already included in the Senate motion of 7 May and the subsequent Action Plan. The third aspect, which is formal, is related to fact that it has been considered inappropriate that the Academic Senate can be required to express its opinion about the claims by the student occupiers’ Assembly that is outside institutional legitimacy.
The second motion, submitted by the Research Ethics Working Group was approved, receiving 26 votes in favour, 1 abstention and 1 vote against. The Senate then approved the following:
“The Academic Senate of Politecnico di Torino, confirming the path’s direction undertaken within the extraordinary session held on 7 May 2024 (link) and the subsequent launch of the action plan (link), in view of the evolving international situation and the situation inside Politecnico’s premises, as well:
- It endorses the Crui statement (link), condemning the 7 October attack and the massacre of civilians that- since that date - has been perpetrated in the Gaza Strip; it expresses its solidarity with the Palestinian population and condemns the crisis management by Hamas and the Israeli Government; it calls on the parties to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2735 of 10 June 2024 (link), urging an immediate, full and complete ceasefire, the release of hostages, the restoring of international law and the launching of a reconstruction plan that can lead to a stable peace; it calls on the Rector to promote this position to the CRUI so that it can be extended to all institutional contexts
- It demands the immediate restoration of legality and security within the University.
- It demands that all currently occupied spaces be vacated immediately and returned to full use by the entire polytechnic community for the exercise of their functions."
June 27th, 2024
Dialogue with student occupation's representatives
The “Research ethics” Working Group, appointed last 22 May, has been officially required by the Academic Senate to create an effective communication channel for dialogue with Politecnico di Torino students’ representatives who are taking part in the student occupation. The group worked hard and gathered four times in a week favoring exchange of ideas within a collaborative framework: significant points of view converged between the working group and the student occupiers, which could have led to a fruitful discussion at a future Senate session. However, yesterday, 26 June, the exchange came to an abrupt halt due to the refusal of the student occupiers to advocate for the return of all occupied spaces and the restoration of legality within Polito facilities, which was agreed as necessary condition to proceed with further action on the points being discussed at the table. The Working Group is keeping a communication channel open.
June 21st, 2024
Senate Working Group "Research ethics"
In accordance with the Academic Senate of last Friday, June14th, next monday, June 17th, the Senate Working Group "Research ethics" will be launched: a team aimed at opening a dialogue with some representatives of the students involved in the current occupation.
June 17th, 2024
Peace Initiatives
Given the official decision of May 7th, 2024, the Academic Senate working groups launched a series of "Peace Initiatives". More details available at this link.
June 14th, 2024
Firm condemnation of the "roman salute"
Politecnico di Torino firmly condemns the extremely serious episode happened yesterday during student protests: press reports and social media videos showed a security agent addressing students with the “roman salute”. Politecnico strongly dissociates itself from this fact, which seriously affects our institutional foundations and the democratic principles of the Italian Constitution.
Due actions were immediately requested to the providing company. Politecnico is also proceeding with due actions to protect itself and its image. Politecnico stands for the vital legal values that are needed for its community wellbeing.
Rector and Senators meeting report
Politecnico di Torino's Academic Senate convened by the Rector this morning and shared the following
- Given the essential reinstatement of legal and safety measures, needed to rebuild the general wellbeing, and once outlined a common path to end the occupation and return the occupied spaces to Politecnico, the Academic Senate makes itself available to open a channel of listening and dialogue also involving the occupants, via the Working Groups already instituted within the Senate. A dialogue occasion that will lead to a relevant sharing on the concrete development of the “Peace” initiatives envisaged by the official decision of May 7th and their following implementing guidelines.
- The Senate will also promote via Politecnico’s channels a communication plan addressing PoliTO community and occupants, to share the numerous actions already happening or planned on peace issues.
June 12th, 2024
Rooms and wharehouse break-in charge
Politecnico submitted a charge for two effractions (last Friday and yesterday night). The first break-in involved the forcing of a room lock located at PoliTO Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, the room being then occupied by protesters. The second one involved the door of a maintenance warehouse that was forced to steal some tools, cables and equipment. The charge against unknown suspects is based on security camera videos and pictures which are now being examined in the investigation process. As for the previous facts reported to the competent authorities, Politecnico is quantifying the tangible and intangible damage suffered.
May 30th, 2024
PoliTO Students conference of May 29th
Yesterday PoliTO helt a student conference on peace. A unique event among Italian Universities, organized by PoliTO Academic Senate students representatives and Board of Governors, with the whole community support.
Students shared their perceptions with Politecnico's faculty, Rector, and Governing bodies. 177 Participants came in presence and 115 via online streaming. 53 students gave their speeches showing their views, accompanied by horror at what is happening in Gaza and by the desire to seek peace.
May 29th, 2024
Rector's answer to "PolitoForPalestine Assembly"
Click here to read the full text (Italian only).
May 28th, 2024
PoliTO Students Conference, in numbers: 65 speeches, room R3 (300 seats, sold out); entrance from 5.15 p.m., start at 6 p.m. Streaming available to all PoliTO community.
May 26th, 2024
Appreciation letter to PoliTO Senators and Board of Governors
The Rector has just sent to Politecnico's Senators and Board of Governors an appreciation letter for the relevant support shown with regards to last friday's initiative.
Click here to read the full text (Italian only).
May 24th, 2024
Warning Request
Politecnico's Rector, in coordination with the Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, given the announced islamic prayer session at PoliTO main campus, has promptly submitted to Turin's Prefect and Police Commissioner an official warning addressed to any involved religious authorities from performing functions and activities at Politecnico's venues. The Rector and Minister firmly reiterate Universities' principles of independence and secularism.
PoliTO Academic Senate and Board of Governors validate Rector's action
27 Senators and 8 Board of Governors members (including all of the internal members) have promptly expressed their support and sharing about the warning request, strongly stressing Politecnico's secularity.
May 23rd, 2024
CRUI: Ceasefire and no to boycott of Israeli Universities
Today, the CRUI (Conference of Italian University Rectors) Assembly clearly reiterated its call for a ‘ceasefire’ and its no to closing relations with Israeli universities; universities are places of openness, whose role is to maintain and create bridges of open and continuous dialogue through scientific debate.
PoliTO Academic Senate approved the participation to the National Ph.D. Board on "Peace Studies"
Yesterday, the Academic Senate designated Politecnico's faculty members involved in the National Ph.D. Board on "Peace Studies", which is promoted by the Network of Italian Universities for Peace (RUniPace) with the aim of promoting and disseminating interdisciplinary training and research on conflict and peace issues.
Forced entry charge
Politecnico submitted yesterday the charge against unknown suspects, supported by documentary evidence, for the break-in at PoliTO Corso Einaudi 40 entrance door, occurred last Saturday, May 18th.
May 22nd, 2024
Establishment of Senate Working Groups on Peace initiatives
During today's session of the Academic Senate, Wednesday May 22nd, Senate Working Groups have been established to give effect to the University Action Plan on Peace initiatives, in implementation of the Senate resolution of May 7th.
Registration for the Politecnico di Torino Student Conference
Starting tomorrow, Thursday May 23rd, students will receive by e-mail instructions on how to participate and intervene in the first Politecnico di Torino Student Conference on Peace, scheduled for May 29th.
May 21st, 2024
Note of support for the motion on peace issues
Today, the members of the Board of Governors members of the University have formally expressed to the Rector their full support for the motion on peace issues approved by the Academic Senate on May 7th 2024, endorsing the spirit of the University in promoting dialogue and confrontation, in a democratic and peaceful way, among all the voices and souls of the Politecnico community. They also strongly expressed their support for the initiative of the first "Politecnico di Torino Student Conference", scheduled for May 29th.
May 20th, 2024
Request for tents removal from the exit routes of ground floor classrooms at PoliTO main campus
The tents' owners have been asked to remove them as soon as possible from the exits routes of the classrooms' corridors at PoliTO main campus, ground floor. The immediate tents removal is meant to avoid the application of safety measures that would limit teaching activities with considerable inconvenience to our student community.
PoliTO main campus and teaching activities reopening
The usual Monday opening of PoliTO main campus took place together with regular in-person teaching activities within all PoliTO venues.
May 19th, 2024
Since the beginning of the protests involving many universities in our western democracies, Politecnico di Torino has guaranteed, with full willingness, free and peaceful expression within all its spaces.
However, shortly before 10:00 pm on Saturday, May 18th, a major infraction occurred, with one of the entrances being forced and around forty protesters - unrelated to Politecnico di Torino - breaking into our University.
The Rector summarized the situation and expressed Politecnico's position in this letter sent to the whole PoliTO community.
On Monday 20 May, classes will be regularly held at all PoliTO venues.
However, given the Aula Magna and Sala Emma Strada occupation, the following events scheduled for the first days of the next week have been postponed - new dates to be defined:
- PoliTO Music Festival | organized by Polincontri and PoliTO with student musicians, scheduled for May 20th, 2024 at the Aula Magna ‘Giovanni Agnelli’
- Lezione-spettacolo ‘Guarigioni” | organized by Just The Woman I Am, scheduled for May 21st, 2024 at the Aula Magna ‘Giovanni Agnelli’
May 17th, 2024
At today's meeting on Friday May 17, the student representatives of the Senate and Board of Governors, together with the Rector, Prorector and Vicerector for Community, agreed to hold a CONFERENZA STUDENTI DEL POLITECNICO DI TORINO about issues of peace on May 29 at 6 p.m., with in-person participation upon reservation subject to availability exclusively for the student community and streaming connection. Speeches by students are scheduled, with Politecnico di Torino’s community listening. The aim of the Conference is to have a moment fully dedicated to the student community, giving space for the expression and listening to all its sensitivities on the issues of peace. Instructions with reservation details will follow.
May 16th, 2024
As part of the ongoing nationwide student protests, a march will take place tomorrow, May 17th, with Politecnico di Torino as possible destination. To ensure the safety of Politecnico’s student community, the PoliTO Governance in agreement with the PoliTO Academic Senate and Board of Governors’ student representatives deemed it appropriate that teaching activities scheduled for tomorrow at the main Campus and in the Cittadella will be delivered remotely or rescheduled in the following days.
The same representatives, together with the Rector, the Deputy Rector and the Vice Rector for Community also gave effect to what agreed in previous meetings, planning, by the end of May, a POLITECNICO DI TORINO STUDENTS’ CONFERENCE, organized as an occasion of democratic sharing of ideas and positions to make room for expressing and pay attention to all voices and souls of the student community of our University student community.
May 15th, 2024
Following today's meeting between PoliTO Academic Senate and Board of Governors’ student representatives with the Rector, the following shared statement is published:
“The opportunity of the student community to peacefully and civilly demonstrate even with dissent expressions is a fundamental element of university life, which is enriched through the liveliness of debate and diversity of opinions in the mutual respect to thw community's right to freely and regularly experience and benefit from all educational activities”.