On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the Flavio Vespasiano Theatre in Rieti hosted the Opening Ceremony of the academic year 2024-2025, the 722nd since its foundation. For the first time, this institutional event, which officially marks the start of the annual academic activities, was held outside the university city.

Rector Antonella Polimeni opened the event with her speech entitled Territori della conoscenza e della convivenza, followed by speeches by Director General Loredana Segreto, and by Nausicaa Mellano, a student on the degree programme in Medicine and Surgery at the Latina campus. The Rector's Counselor for Artistic, Historical and Cultural Heritage Alessandro Zuccari delivered his Lectio brevis entitled Inter arma silent Musae? Arte e cultura della pace.

The ceremony culminated with the solemn act of inauguration of the new academic year. Music by the classical MuSa Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Demetrio Moricca,  accompanied the event. The programme included GaudeaMuSa (with the participation of tenor Zhang Shiyuan), the March num. 1 in D major from ‘Pomp and Circumstances’ and the Chanson de Nuit, opera 15 num. 1 by Edward Elgar.

More information on the Italian version of this page.