Udine, Italy, 29 June 2026 – A strategic alliance to turn Friuli into a cutting-edge laboratory that effectively combines professional sport, higher education and the enhancement of the region’s local areas. The University of Udine and Udinese Calcio have signed a memorandum of understanding that seeks to consolidate a long-standing bond to take on new national and international challenges.
The collaboration already has sound foundations and is the culmination of a long journey of shared achievements. The University of Udine and Udinese Calcio have long been working together on key issues such as sustainability, fostering internships, consulting and impact assessments for both cultural and sports events. Well-established experiences such as “Graduation Day” at Bluenergy Stadium, the “Programma studenti UniUD – Udinese Calcio” (with special solutions for season tickets and campus experiences) and the activities carried out by the “Udinese–UniUD Sport & Innovation Hub” are the pillars of a synergy which is now bound to grow even more. This bond will become even stronger on 30 November, as the Polisportiva Società Udinese di Ginnastica e Scherma, which is where the football club’s historical roots can be found, will turn 130.
Here is what Rector Montanari had to say: “This agreement seals and enhances a long-standing partnership, turning the vocation of the University of Udine towards the Third Mission of public outreach and the region’s development into tangible actions. We provide a cross-cutting wealth of scientific expertise, going from medicine to data science, with a key role being played by our hub in Gemona del Friuli. Our primary goal remains the development of young people: thanks to this partnership, we offer students educational and guidance opportunities on the ground, showing once again that sport and academia can team up to generate inclusion, welfare and social innovation.”
Udinese’s Managing Director also commented on the new partnership: “By signing this memorandum of understanding, Udinese Calcio and the University of Udine build on a long-standing partnership that already has deep roots in the region. This agreement is the result of shared values: a sense of belonging, seeking excellence and truly paying attention to our local community. Through this agreement, we can launch joint initiatives in strategic fields – ranging from the youth to performance analysis, from innovation to sustainability, as well as medicine and training – by bringing together high-level skills to benefit young talents and the region.”
The macroareas covered by the protocol
The protocol includes a shared vision where football and sport are not just about competition, but also engines of inclusion, health, well-being and innovation for the younger generations. The University of Udine provides the club and the community with a wide range of scientific skills: from sports science to medicine, from data science to economics, as well as sustainability and law.
The core of the document includes strategic macroareas that were devised to be turned into annual programmes and tangible actions, ranging from scientific excellence to enhancing local expertise.
From a purely scientific a medical perspective, the partnership combines research applied to sport and health, enhancing in particular the University’s hub in Gemona del Friuli in the fields of sports science, medicine and physiotherapy to prevent injuries, rehabilitation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles and diets.
This is also combined with a strong focus on technological innovation and data management: thanks to data science and the university’s IT systems, we will analyse the economic impact, audience flows and mobility related to sporting events, integrating these analyses with advanced strategies regarding environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and governance.
The agreement is also focused on the students’ professional prospects and the development of internal resources. Through internships and guidance, students will get the chance to learn directly on the ground, within a context that seeks to boost the university’s and the region’s international attractiveness. The last part of the protocol includes training activities, seminars and refresher courses for staff and professionals from both sides. The entire project will also be underpinned by a coordinated and synergetic institutional communication strategy.
Despite already having a wide array of activities, the protocol also leaves room for further collaborations that can be created in the future and added to this partnership between the University of Udine and Udinese Calcio.
Governance and headquarters at Bluenergy Stadium
Bluenergy Stadium will be the heart of all activities, along with some parts of the university. The Udinese Calcio facility will provide its training rooms and its auditorium for university activities.
A Joint Steering and Coordination Committee will oversee the partnership’s operations, with the task of defining specific goals for each project and drawing up an annual report of the activities that were carried out. Udinese Calcio’s contact people are Franco Collavino and Giancarlo Borhy, while those of the University of Udine are Andrea Cafarelli and Agostino Maio.