Alumni Awards

We honour the excellence of our Alumni: five Medal awards named after five illustrious personalities from the University of Bologna’s past to reward the Alumni of the present.

Since 2019, the University of Bologna has every year awarded a Medal to honour the commitment, dedication, study, research and work of Alumni who work in civil society and contribute to enhancing the University’s reputation worldwide. 

Five Medals dedicated to highly renowned Alumni whose achievements have made the history of the University of Bologna: the poet and man of letters Francesco Petrarca in the Field of Humanities, the scientist Niccolò Copernico in the Field of Science, the jurist and glossator Accursio in the Field of Social Sciences, the inventor Guglielmo Marconi in the Field of Technology and the physicist Laura Bassi in the Field of Medicine. 

Alumni Awards 2025

Nominations open: play a part in selecting the Alumni of the Year!
If you know any Unibo Alumni who have distinguished themselves for their professional achievements or commitment to society, submit a candidate application on their behalf.

Alumni Awards Winners Wall

Alumni Awards 2024

Alumni Awards 2024

Fiorenzo Parrinello and Silvia Gaiani

Fiorenzo Parrinello, Director of Corporate Innovation at Sacmi, and Silvia Gaiani, CEO of VSystem | Marconi Medal 2024

Fabio Benfenati

Fabio Benfenati, Professor of Neurophysiology at the University of Genoa and Director of the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology | 2024 Bassi Medal

Paolo Buonvino

Paolo Buonvino, Italian composer and musician, author of film and theater soundtracks | 2024 Petrarca Medal

Andrea Berti

Andrea Berti, Senior Director of Business Development at Atlanta Corporation | 2024 Copernicus Medal

Linda Albonetti

Linda Albonetti, marine biologist, CESTHA | 2024 Bassi Medal

Michela Graziani

Michela Graziani, Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy, volunteer at ‘La Cordillera’ Association, founder of the 'Fisiopeñas' project in Bolivia | 2024 Young Alumni Award

Costanza Spocci

Costanza Spocci, multimedia journalist and radio host of Radio3 Mondo | 2024 Accursio Medal

Irene Boni

Irene Boni, Independent Director at Edizione (the Benetton family’s holding company), Safilo, and Laminam | 2024 Accursio Medal

Alumni Awards 2023

Alumni Awards 2023

Cecilia Cenciarelli

Cecilia Cenciarelli, Head of Research and Special Projects at the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna | 2023 Petrarca Medal

Luca Bettonte

Luca Bettonte, CEO of SQ San Quirico (ERG Group) | 2023 Marconi Medal

Valentina Fossati

Valentina Fossati, Research Investigator at the NYSCF Research Institute, New York | 2023 Laura Bassi Medal

Barbascura X

"Barbascura X, Italian science communicator, writer, YouTuber, and television host | 2023 Petrarca Medal"

Francesca Dazzani

Francesca Dazzani, Director of the Internal Medicine and Long-Term Care Unit at Lugo Hospital | 2023 Laura Bassi Medal

Agnese Agrizzi

Agnese Agrizzi | Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management | Founder of Ginger Crowdfunding | 2021 Accursio Medal

Carlo Cimbri

Carlo Cimbri | Degree in Economics and Business | CEO of Unipol and Chairman of UnipolSai Assicurazioni | 2021 Accursio Medal

Silvia Avallone

Silvia Avallone | Degree in Italian Linguistics and Literary Civilizations | Writer | 2019 Petrarca Medal

Marica Branchesi

Marica Branchesi | Degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics | President of the Scientific Council of the National Institute for Astrophysics | Copernicus Medal

Marco Mescolini

Marco Mescolini | Law Degree | Former Prosecutor of Reggio Emilia | 2019 Accursio Medal

Francesca Mirri

Francesca Mirri | Degree in Chemical Engineering | Senior Research Engineer at Saint-Gobain Research North America | 2019 Guglielmo Marconi Medal

Emanuela Palmerini

Emanuela Palmerini | Degree in Oncology | Oncologist at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in Bologna | 2019 Laura Bassi Medal