Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Greek students in Modena to study climate risks: Erasmus mobility between Unimore and Harokopio University of Athens gets underway

Twenty students from the Harokopio University of Athens, enrolled in the Master’s degree programme in “Climate Crisis, Risks and Disasters”, will be in Modena from 4 to 9 May 2026 as part of an Erasmus+ traineeship mobility. They will be accompanied by two members of academic staff, including Professor Efthimios Karymbalis, currently serving as Visiting Professor at the Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences.

The initiative forms part of an established framework of international collaboration between the two universities and represents a significant opportunity for field-based learning and academic exchange on natural hazards and climate change.

The week’s programme includes lectures, field trips and thematic sessions, with the involvement of Unimore students from the Bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences and the Master’s degree programmes in “Geosciences, Geo-risks and Geo-resources” and “Science Education and Communication”. It provides a valuable opportunity for cultural and scientific exchange among students of different nationalities.

Activities will commence on Monday 4 May with an official welcome at the Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, followed by a seminar on the Gaiato landslide, focusing on geomorphological aspects and climate-related risks. On Tuesday 5 May, students will take part in a field excursion to the Gaiato landslide area in the Modena Apennines.

On Wednesday 6 May, following a visit to the Unimore Gemma Museum, a lecture will be delivered on the 1963 Vajont disaster. On Thursday 7 May, a field visit to the Vajont landslide site in the north-eastern Alps will take place, led by Unimore academic staff and experts from ENEL.

The programme will conclude on Friday 8 May with a cultural visit to Modena Cathedral and the Ghirlandina Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The initiative, coordinated by Professor Paola Coratza, Professor Mauro Soldati and Professor Vittoria Vandelli of Unimore, further consolidates the university’s role as an international leader in the study of geo-risks and in education on sustainability and climate resilience.

The Director of the Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, Professor Mauro Soldati, expressed his pleasure at hosting the Greek staff and students, stating: “This represents an important opportunity for collaboration and exchange between academics and students from two universities in the Mediterranean region, both of which have a long-standing tradition in the study and teaching of the relationship between climate change and natural hazards.”

Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng