Published on: January 20th, 2026 Immagine notizia Immagine Paragrafo The University of Insubria inaugurates its twenty-eighth academic year, 2025–2026, on Monday 16 February at the Teatro Sociale in Como, at 10.30 a.m. This is the second ceremony presided over by Rector Maria Pierro, who has already announced the date for next year: 5 March 2027, again at the Teatro Sociale in Como, as part of the events marking the centenary of Alessandro Volta's death.The programme for 16 February will open with institutional greetings from the authorities present, followed by a speech by Rector Maria Pierro, a speech by the President of the General Student Council, Asia Martina Di Lorenzo, and a speech by the Director General, Antonio Romeo. During the ceremony, the Rosa Commacina, the University's highest award for a local personality, will be presented by Vice-Rector Umberto Piarulli. Fourteen University Medals will be awarded to professors who have become full professors in the last year. As per tradition, the hymns and Gaudeamus Igitur will be sung by Chorus Insubriae, the university choir directed by Maestro Pietro Colnago. Immagine The highlight of the morning will be the awarding of an honorary degree by the Department of Economics. The recipient will be Andrea Carcano, a 42-year-old from Varese who now lives in Silicon Valley. He is an expert and international leader in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and in 2013 he co-founded Nozomi Networks.The ceremony will be introduced by Professor Alberto Onetti, followed by a lecture by Andrea Carcano entitled «From Zero to One: Insubria-Silicon Valley and back». «The story of Nozomi Networks - explains Onetti - is the exception that proves the rule of an Italy (and a Europe) that produces research of the highest level but struggles to transform it into business. The fact that Carcano had to go to Silicon Valley to climb the ladder confirms how strong the potential is but how weak the entrepreneurial infrastructure of our country is».The motivation for the honorary degree in Global Entrepreneurship Economics and Management, Ibe (International Business & Entrepreneurship) curriculum, reads: «A graduate in Computer Science from the University of Insubria, Andrea Carcano has developed entrepreneurial skills and managerial expertise that have led him to create, straddling Europe and the United States, one of the world's most interesting technology companies in the field of cybersecurity, capable of finding validation in Silicon Valley. Carcano was chosen among the personalities to meet in Silicon Valley during President Mattarella's official visit in 2019. Since its foundation in 2013, Nozomi Networks has raised over $250 million from international venture capitalists, acquired “unicorn” status (valued at over $1 billion) and achieved exit through acquisition by Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Electric».Andrea Carcano obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in Computer Science at the University of Insubria, working on the development of malware designed to attack critical infrastructure. He then completed a PhD in Computer Science, developing the first defence system designed to block this type of attack. He has also addressed these issues as the author of numerous scientific publications. In his master's and doctoral theses, he was supervised by Professor Alberto Trombetta, who supported him on a non-standard path, giving him the opportunity to gain experience in the Netherlands at the University of Twente and to collaborate with Eni while still a student, thus contributing to two significant chapters in his history.This is the twelfth honorary degree awarded by the University of Insubria since its foundation on 14 July 1998. The list of recipients includes: Uto Ughi in 2002, Mario Monti in 2004, Walter Bonatti in 2005, in 2006 Joaquín Navarro-Valls and Robert C. Gallo, in 2007 Michele Parrinello and Niles Eldredge, in 2008 Alfredo Ambrosetti and Cornelio Sommaruga, in 2012 Evandro Agazzi, and in 2019 Gerardo Severino.The ceremony is open to the public and the entire academic community, with the opportunity for staff, lecturers, students and interested parties to attend by registering on Eventbrite at the following link: https://www.uninsubria.it/prenotazione-inaugurazione-aa