Italy: EIB provides €22 million to expand University of Camerino campus

• The EIB funds will contribute to the construction and renovation of over 11 000 m² of academic and administrative space, together with the creation of 110 places in student housing.
• The EIB has provided over €710 million to finance the modernisation of Italian universities in the last ten years.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the University of Camerino have signed a €22 million finance contract with the main goals of supporting the expansion, renovation and modernisation of the university’s campus, bringing it into line with the highest teaching, research and environmental sustainability standards.

In concrete terms, the project will involve the construction and renovation of over 11 000 m² of academic and administrative space, together with the creation of 110 additional places in student housing. The EIB-financed initiatives will meet the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, and will also include the development of a solar power plant to provide renewable energy, helping to make the Camerino campus more energy independent.

The finance contract announced today brings total EIB financing for Italian universities over the last ten years to over €710 million. This project is also part of the €500 million Italian public university financing programme launched by the EIB in 2022 to back investments in building, renovating and expanding academic, research, sport and university accommodation facilities.

“Investing in university infrastructure – including student accommodation – is key to ensuring that Italian universities can attract and train the talented individuals of tomorrow, thereby supporting growth, innovation and social and economic development in Italy,” said EIB Director General of Operations Jean-Christophe Laloux.

University of Camerino Rector Graziano Leoni added: “On behalf of the entire university community, I thank the EIB for backing projects of fundamental importance to the development of our institution, from the expansion and improvement of student accommodation and shared spaces to the energy community and the new STRIC reconstruction research centre. The centre will have a major positive impact on the region and, together with the other three laboratories opened in the other seismic crater regions, will form a research infrastructure network to support the socioeconomic recovery of central Italy. Students have always been at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to ensure they receive high-quality services including sustainable housing in addition to first-rate training and teaching.”

 Background information

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It provides long-term financing for sound investments that contribute to EU policy. The Bank finances projects in four priority areas: infrastructure, innovation, climate and environment, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In the past five years, the EIB Group has provided more than €58 billion in financing for projects in Italy.