Events

The conference “Responsible Production and Consumption of Food from Farm to Fork: Tech, Policy, Behavior, Education” will be held at the University of Pavia on November 24th and 25th, 2025. The conference will be the occasion to present some of the research results and synergies developed by the University of Pavia and its affiliated partners within two PNRR projects funded by the European Union (NextGenerationEU): the extended partnership PE 10, called ONFOODS - Research and innovation network on food and nutrition sustainability, safety and security working ON FOODS, spoke 7 (Policy, behaviour and education), and the Innovation Ecosystem NODES - Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile, spoke 6 (primary agroindustry, VINO project). The event, organized and coordinated by Professor Carola Ricci of the Department of Political and Social Sciences and her research group (Anna Facchinetti, Aldo Piccone, Andrea Iurato, and Domiziana Carloni), addresses the issues of food, agriculture and landscape protection from the perspective of international law, opening to other disciplines and to the important contribution of representatives of international organizations, the third sector and businesses. The event has been also included among the initiatives offered during the Sustainability Education Week by the National Committee for Sustainability Education - AGENDA 2030, under the patronage of UNESCO.   The event is accredited for 2 training credits by the Pavia Bar Association and participates in the continuing professional development programme for Agronomists and Foresters for 0.781 CFP with reference to CONAF Regulation no. 162/2022. Participation in the conference is valid as recognition of training credits for members of the Association of Agricultural Experts and Graduate Agricultural Experts and the Register of Agricultural Technicians and Graduate Agricultural Technicians.   In particular, on November 25th, the conference will focus primarily on the themes of the NODES project, spoke 6 (VINO project). It will address the protection and valorization of tangible and intangible heritage in the wine sector of the Oltrepò Pavese, as well as strategies for mitigating the effects of climate change. The panels will assess not only the impact of regulatory changes, but also, and above all, the technical possibilities offered for identifying new vineyard management methods. The aim is to open a late-morning discussion with industry experts.  The conference will conclude with a discussion with stakeholders, opened by some scheduled presentations.   To register please fill this registration form  

Confagricoltura and the University of Pavia are organizing the conference “Vineyards and Abandonment: Tools for Mapping” to present the results of the industrial PhD project in which they are involved.   The doctoral project is titled Innovative Evaluation and Study of the Vine according to New Agronomic Scenarios for the Oltrepò Pavese (VIVO) and is being carried out by PhD candidate Giovanni Marchese under the supervision of Massimiliano Bordoni and Valentina Vaglia (both from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Pavia) and Alberto Lasagna (Director of Confagricoltura Pavia), in collaboration with the group led by Chiara Toffanin (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, University of Pavia). PhD candidate G. Marchese is at the end of his second year at the University of Pavia and is about to begin his third year at Unagri srl, the initiative’s industrial partner.   Also speaking at the event will be Marta Sempio, President of Confagricoltura Pavia, and Lucia Marazzi, Head of the Third Mission Service at the University of Pavia and Deputy Manager of NODES Spoke 6.   Agenda 9:00 a.m. Reception and participant registration   10:00 a.m. Institutional greetings and introduction – Dr. Marta Sempio, President of Confagricoltura Pavia   10:20 a.m. “The PNRR project, NODES – North-West Digital and Sustainable: Innovation, sustainability, digitalization, and territorial development” – Eng. Lucia Marazzi, Third Mission Service, UNIPV   10:30 a.m. “Case studies of collaborations in applied research activities within the NODES project for the Oltrepò Pavese” – Prof. Massimiliano Bordoni – Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNIPV; Prof. Chiara Toffanin – Dept. of Industrial and Information Engineering, UNIPV; Valentina Vaglia, PhD – Administrator, Soc. Agr. Regenerating Villa Fortuna and formerly RTDA PNRR NODES   11:00 a.m. “Presentation of the project: Mapping vineyard abandonment” within the project Innovative Evaluation and Study of the Vine according to New Agronomic Scenarios for the Oltrepò Pavese (VIVO) – Dr. Giovanni Marchese, PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNIPV   Discussion and conclusions Networking event to follow   Free event   Date and venue: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – Centro Riccagioia, Via Riccagioia 48, 27050 Torrazza Coste (Pavia)

This Spoke 6 event is organized to celebrate the Students Challenges 2025 winners!   Moreover, Spoke 6 invites local SMEs in the primary agro-industry to propose marketing challenges to the students of the Advanced Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia.      The Students Challenges offer students the opportunity to interact with the corporate world, public bodies, associations and third sector bodies of the NODES project territories through the “learning by doing” method and provide an opportunity for companies to meet young talents and discover innovative solutions applicable within their realities.   Agenda  17:00 Introduction to the Students Challenges of University of Pavia    17:15 Awards ceremony Students Challenges 2025   Challenge proposed by Az Agr Anna Frigerio Challenge proposed by Ax Agr Bonizzoni Challenge proposed by il Sabbione di Alice Zanaboni     Date and address:   Thursday 6 November 2025, 17:00 - Aula Disegno - Università degli Studi di Pavia (Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci, 5)   A unique opportunity to discover how local SMEs can benefit from Spoke 6’s Students Challenges!   Register here!          

he exhibition Cultivating the Future: Agriculture, Energy, Community originates from the work of Research Module 1 of the flagship project FORMIDABILÆ, within Spoke 6. Curated by Carlo Berizzi and Nadia Bertolino (Architecture and Urban Design Research Lab, University of Pavia), the exhibition presents drawings and models that explore the role of the contemporary farmstead as a laboratory of innovation, sustainability and energy, bridging tradition and the future of the Po Valley rural landscape. The project, the result of the joint work of the research teams in Architectural Design and Electrical Engineering, proposes a reflection on the reactivation of Cascina Vialone, a traditional Lombard farmstead reinterpreted as an experimental model of the farm of the future—capable of combining environmental sustainability, energy autonomy, and community relations. The preview will take place at the former rice mill of Tenuta Vialone, during the 2025 Rice Festival, and will be accompanied by a roundtable discussion and a guided tour with the curators. Programme At 3:00 pm, before the guided tour, the roundtable “The Sustainability of the Farm” will open with institutional greetings by Ivana Maria Cartanì, Mayor of Sant’Alessio con Vialone. This will be followed by contributions from Stefano Lamberti (Tenuta Vialone) and Daniele Campari (Pro Loco Sant’Alessio con Vialone), who will illustrate the transformation of the former rice mill into a space returned to the community thanks to the PNRR. Carlo Berizzi and Nadia Bertolino will discuss architectural strategies and design scenarios for rethinking the farmstead as a community hub, while Norma Anglani (Laboratory of Electrical Energy, University of Pavia) will present an experimental approach to the use of clean energy in rural contexts. The roundtable will conclude with Marta Sempio, President of Confagricoltura Pavia, who will introduce the Spighe Verdi programme, promoted by Confagricoltura and FEE Italia, which recognises rural municipalities committed to sustainable land management policies. On this occasion, the Municipality of Sant’Alessio con Vialone will receive the Spighe Verdi 2025 Award, a recognition of the good practices implemented in the territory. At 4:30 pm, the guided tour of the exhibition will follow, led by the curators. Next dates After the preview in Sant’Alessio con Vialone, the exhibition will be open from 23 to 27 September 2025 at the Palazzo del Broletto in Pavia. The event is part of the Sharper Night Pavia programme and will be accompanied by a week of initiatives promoted by the research team, including meetings and public discussions on sustainability, agro-industry, and new energies.  

Spoke 6 invites local SMEs in the primary agro-industry to propose marketing challenges to the students of the Advanced Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia. The goal is to develop innovative digital marketing plans to enhance the quality and authenticity of local products, improving consumer awareness and engagement both at an Italian and international level. The Students Challenges offer students the opportunity to interact with the corporate world, public bodies, associations and third sector bodies of the NODES project territories through the “learning by doing” method and provide an opportunity for companies to meet young talents and discover innovative solutions applicable within their realities.   Agenda  17:00 Welcome and introduction to the call Students Challenges 2025   Prof Hermes Giberti, PM NODES SPOKE 6 Dr Elisa Conz, course leader “Advanced Digital Marketing”   17:15 Awards ceremony Students Challenges 2024   Challenge proposed by Calatroni Vini Challenge proposed by Api dei Monti Challenge proposed by Rossetti e Scrivani   18:15 networking drinks   Date and address:   Thursday 16 January 2025, 17:00 - Aula Disegno - Università degli Studi di Pavia (Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci, 5)   A unique opportunity to discover how local SMEs can benefit from Spoke 6’s Students Challenges!   Register here!          

As part of the ASvis 2024 Sustainable Development Festival and the sustainability and circular economy projects active at the University of Pavia, an informational and convivial meeting titled "Rice for Your Teeth: Pavesian Rice from Field to Table" will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Castello di Lardirago. This event celebrates the second anniversary of the Master’s Degree in Agrifood Sustainability at the University of Pavia.   The event, closely tied to the research activities of Spoke 6, invites reflection on rice cultivation in the Pavesian territory, with a particular focus on the "Carnaroli di Carnaroli Pavesiano" variety, as well as others such as Baldo and Rosa Marchetti. These varieties are to be protected and promoted by bringing together consumers, producers, and stakeholders who support these local excellences. However, ongoing climate change, with droughts and extreme weather events, may threaten these crops and render them less viable.   To address these concerns, climatologist Luca Mercalli will discuss the impact of climate change on Padana crops. Following this, geobotanist and lecturer Graziano Rossi and researcher Valentina Vaglia from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Pavia, both involved in the NODES project within Spoke 6, will explore the characteristics of Pavesian rice.   The event will conclude with a lunch featuring tastings of Carnaroli di Carnaroli Pavesiano risotto with pink asparagus from Cilavegna, vegan rice salad made with Baldo organic semi-whole rice from Cascine Orsine, and Rosa Marchetti rice fritters from Azienda Tavazzani, prepared according to the historic recipe of Bartolomeo Scappi, cook to Pope Pius V.

On October 6th, in the Foscolo Auditorium, the University of Pavia is ready to present funding opportunities available through cascade funding calls, with a special focus on LINE B, and the services offered to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the North-Western region of Italy.   This event is primarily dedicated to SMEs with operational headquarters in Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, or in the provinces of Pavia, Como, Varese, Bergamo, Brescia, Milan, Lodi, Piacenza, Cremona, and Mantua, as well as their suppliers. This event will provide a unique opportunity to understand how businesses can benefit from the funding provided by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).    The detailed agenda includes the following key sessions:    10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Welcome coffee and registration   11:00 AM – 11:15 AM: Introduction to the NODES Ecosystem and Spoke 6 activities  11:15 AM – 11:30 AM: "Cascade Calls for Businesses." Presentation of funding opportunities for companies, with a particular emphasis on Line B  11:30 AM – 1:00 PM: Practical examples of financeable services – Brief presentations by NODES researchers involved in Spoke 6, interviewed by Carlo Gariboldi  1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Networking lunch  2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: "Line B – How to Submit Your Application?" – Information on attachments, financial eligibility, and the practical use of the Telemaco system, with the involvement of Unioncamere   3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Personalized one-on-one meetings with the Technology Transfer Office of the University of Pavia, aiming to provide tailored support for accessing funding within the PNRR NODES framework.    Participation requires registration.     The event will take place in the Foscolo Auditorium, with the entrance located at Corso Strada Nuova 65, Pavia."   Sign-up