Publishing date: 1 September 2026 Immagine notizia Immagine Paragrafo There was a huge turnout this morning at the University of Insubria for the launch of the open semester for Medicine and Surgery and Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics. There are 596 students enrolled to date – and a further ten or so may join – and all have chosen to attend: around 400 students in Varese, 50 in Como, in the Aula Magna on Via Valleggio linked to Varese, and 150 online, to follow the first day’s lectures in Physics and Biology. Immagine Professor Francesca Rovera, President of the School of Medicine, welcomed the students, conveying greetings from the University, from the Rector, Maria Pierro, and from Matteo Tozzi, Chair of the degree programme in Medicine and Surgery: ‘It is always a great thrill to mark the start of this course of study, because the choice you have made is a life choice. I know that today, your first steps towards this wonderful profession may feel a little uncertain, because the open semester does not yet give you the certainty that you will be able to continue. But my hope is that, starting today, you will begin to prepare yourselves for what may become your lifelong profession. You are choosing a path – Medicine, but also the healthcare professions – that will lead you to defend life in all its forms. That is why I ask you to commit yourselves right from the start. We, as the Insubria School of Medicine, will endeavour to offer you not only a solid academic and professional education, but also a vital health education. Because out there, there are many patients waiting for you, healthcare professionals, whatever specialism you choose.’Professor Daniela Dalla Gasperina, the Rector’s delegate for teaching, added: ‘I want you to know that this will certainly be a challenging period: you will have to study and work hard, because that is what will be expected of you. But it will not be a wasted period, whether you continue on this path or have to change direction. Please be assured that no one is left behind: the University, with all its courses, is ready to welcome you and also to help you make choices. It is also possible that this period may be a time for you to look within yourselves, to decide, if necessary, to take other paths. I hope that the University becomes your home.” Immagine For the 2026/2027 academic year, the number of places to study Medicine and Surgery at Insubria University has increased: there are now 247 places, representing a 12.3 per cent rise compared with the 220 places available the previous year; the number of places for the single-cycle Master’s degree programme in Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics remains unchanged at 21.The first semester comprises the three modules: Biology, Chemistry and Introductory Biochemistry, and Physics, totalling 18 university credits. Among the new features for the 2026 intake are a greater number of teaching weeks and two national examination sessions, scheduled for 10 December 2026 and 11 January 2027, both at 11.00 am. The results of the examinations will be published on 23 December and 20 January respectively. Furthermore, in the event of multiple attempts at the same examination, the highest mark achieved will automatically be taken into account for the purposes of the ranking.All lectures in the open semester at Insubria can also be attended in the Aula Magna on Via Valleggio in Como, which is linked via videoconference to the main campus in Varese. Lectures will therefore also be available in person at the Como campus, with the support of a subject tutor available to students.For those who do not secure a place to continue their studies in Medicine or Dentistry, the open semester offers the opportunity to continue their studies on one of the so-called related degree programmes. At Insubria University, these include Biotechnology, Biological Sciences, Vocational Education, Nursing, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, and Biomedical Laboratory Techniques, as well as the brand-new Pharmacy course launched in Como. Credits earned during the open semester may be recognised towards the related degree programme.