# University of Catania

> Italian university

**Wikidata**: [Q1248821](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1248821)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Catania)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/university-of-catania

## Summary
The University of Catania is an Italian public university founded in 1434, making it one of the oldest universities in Italy and the world. Located in Catania, Sicily, it serves over 44,000 students and is part of the European University Association and other international academic networks.

## Key Facts
- Founded on October 19, 1434, making it one of the oldest universities in Italy
- Located in Catania, Sicily, with coordinates 37.5036° N, 15.0867° E
- Serves approximately 44,338 students (as of 2016)
- Official website: https://www.unict.it (available in Italian and English)
- Member of the European University Association and Mediterranean Universities Union
- Has 29 Wikipedia language editions and 29 sitelinks
- Identified by ROR ID: 03a64bh57 and GRID ID: grid.8158.4
- Uses Italian as its primary language of instruction
- Has multiple library branches across different scientific disciplines

## FAQs
### Q: When was the University of Catania founded?
A: The University of Catania was founded on October 19, 1434, making it one of the oldest universities in Italy and the world.

### Q: How many students attend the University of Catania?
A: As of 2016, the University of Catania had approximately 44,338 students enrolled.

### Q: Where is the University of Catania located?
A: The University of Catania is located in Catania, Sicily, Italy, with its main address at Piazza Università, 2 - 95131 - Catania.

## Why It Matters
The University of Catania represents a cornerstone of higher education in Southern Italy, providing academic opportunities to thousands of students in a region that has historically faced economic challenges. As one of the oldest universities in the world, it carries centuries of academic tradition while adapting to modern educational needs. Its membership in international associations like the European University Association connects Sicilian scholars to global research networks, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaborative projects. The university plays a vital role in the cultural and economic development of Catania and the broader Sicilian region by producing skilled graduates, conducting research across multiple disciplines, and maintaining extensive library and archival resources. Its long-standing presence since 1434 demonstrates remarkable institutional resilience and adaptability through centuries of social, political, and technological change.

## Notable For
- Being one of the oldest universities in Italy, founded in 1434
- Serving over 44,000 students in Sicily's second-largest city
- Maintaining extensive library networks across multiple scientific disciplines
- Active participation in European and Mediterranean academic networks
- Hosting numerous computer science and research faculty affiliated with the institution

## Body
### History and Foundation
The University of Catania traces its origins to October 19, 1434, when it was established as a public institution of higher learning. This founding date places it among the historic universities of Europe, with a tradition spanning nearly six centuries of academic service.

### Academic Structure
The university comprises multiple departments and specialized libraries, including the University Library of Catania and various departmental libraries covering mathematics, computer science, chemistry, agriculture, medicine, biology, law, and physics. This distributed library system serves the diverse academic needs of its student body and research community.

### International Affiliations
The institution maintains active membership in several prestigious academic organizations, including the European University Association, the Mediterranean Universities Union, and the European Open Science Cloud Association. These affiliations facilitate international collaboration, research exchanges, and participation in European educational initiatives.

### Digital Presence and Resources
The University of Catania maintains a robust digital infrastructure, including an official website available in both Italian and English, active social media presence on platforms like Twitter (@unict_it) and Facebook, and a YouTube channel (UCbVwJ74-bJbiBB0uW65u4jw) for educational content. The institution also participates in open-access publishing initiatives and maintains various digital identifiers including ROR, GRID, and ISNI numbers.

### Geographic and Cultural Context
Situated in Catania, the second-largest city in Sicily, the university serves as a major educational institution in Southern Italy. Its location in a historically significant Mediterranean city provides unique opportunities for research in archaeology, history, and cultural studies, while also addressing the educational needs of the local population.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "CollegeOrUniversity",
  "name": "University of Catania",
  "description": "Italian public university founded in 1434, located in Catania, Sicily",
  "url": "https://www.unict.it",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54919",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Catania"
  ],
  "foundingDate": "1434-10-19",
  "numberOfStudents": 44338,
  "location": {
    "@type": "Place",
    "name": "Catania, Sicily, Italy",
    "geo": {
      "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
      "latitude": 37.5036,
      "longitude": 15.0867
    }
  },
  "memberOf": [
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "European University Association"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Mediterranean Universities Union"
    }
  ]
}

## References

1. Directory of Open Access Journals
2. SIUSA
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. BnF authorities
6. Anagrafe delle biblioteche italiane
7. [Source](https://orcid.org/members/001G000001qlQMWIA2-universita-degli-studi-di-catania)
8. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231020113811/https://orcid.org/members)
9. [Source](https://eua.eu/about/member-directory.html)
10. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20220805081904/https://netval.it/chi-siamo/soci-netval/)
11. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20221123144401/https://www.auf.org/les_membres/nos-membres/)
12. [Source](https://eosc.eu/members/)
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. [Source](https://www.facebook.com/universitadeglistudicatania)
15. YouTube channel
16. website
17. [Source](https://www.unict.it/it/ateneo/chi-siamo)
18. GRID Release 2015-12-14
19. GRID Release 2016-12-06
20. Quora
21. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=2001:760:4804::/48&type=inet6num)
22. [Source](https://orcid.org/signin)
23. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
24. HAL
25. [Source](https://ror.org/03a64bh57)
26. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/University_of_Catania-Y3NXXG)
27. YouTube API
28. HMML Authority File