100th Anniversary of the Federico II School of Aerospace Engineering

In 2026, the School of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Naples Federico II will celebrate a particularly significant milestone: an entire century dedicated to education, research, and innovation, closely intertwined with the country’s scientific, technological, and cultural development.

The three-day event, scheduled for October 13–15 at the Piazzale Tecchio campus, serves both as a celebration and as an opportunity to reflect on the journey taken, the energy driving the present, and the challenges facing the aerospace sector in the coming decades.

This centennial is not merely an institutional anniversary. It is an opportunity to recognize the value of a community that, through generations of faculty, researchers, technicians, students, and alumni, has built a wealth of knowledge and expertise of great significance. Over the past hundred years, aerospace engineering has undergone radical transformations: from the birth of modern aviation to the new frontiers of space, from the rise of major industrial supply chains to the development of digital, autonomous, and sustainable technologies. The Federico II School has successfully navigated these changes, keeping alive the balance between scientific rigor, the quality of education, and a focus on the needs of the local community and the industrial sector.

The first day, “A 100-Year History,” will be dedicated to the School’s origins and legacy. Following the opening remarks, the program will trace the key milestones in the evolution of aerospace education and research in Naples. It will be an opportunity to remember those who shaped this institution: the professors who pioneered new fields of study, the generations of students who brought their expertise to universities, institutions, and businesses, and all the people who contributed to the day-to-day life of the School. Testimonials from key figures will bring this retrospective to life, showing how the institution’s history is made up not only of dates, facilities, and academic programs, but also of personal experiences, relationships, and shared decisions. Looking back at the past will thus allow us to grasp the profound meaning of continuity: the ability to preserve an authoritative tradition while, at the same time, renewing itself in response to the demands of research, society, and the professions.

The second day, “The Present: Between Research and Innovation,” will offer a concrete picture of the vitality that characterizes the School today, particularly in relation to the Campania region. The booths dedicated to research activities and spin-offs will provide an opportunity to learn about projects, technologies, and expertise emerging from Federico II’s laboratories and finding application in various fields of aerospace. University research is thus presented not as an activity separate from the outside world, but as a resource capable of generating innovation, collaboration, and development. The roundtable discussion with organizations and partners in the sector will provide a unique opportunity for dialogue among universities, institutions, research, and industry. The challenges facing the aerospace sector—from sustainability to advanced mobility, from Earth observation to communications, and on to space technologies—require interdisciplinary expertise and sustained cooperation among diverse stakeholders. In this context, the Federico II School of Aerospace Engineering reaffirms its role as a qualified partner, capable of bridging higher education, advanced research, and industrial innovation.

The third day, “Toward the Next 100 Years,” will focus on the future. The voices of key figures from recent history will provide an opportunity to take stock of the journey thus far and to reflect on the prospects that lie ahead for aerospace engineering. An important role will be reserved for student associations, whose presence demonstrates how university education is also about participation, initiative, and collaborative work. Through project-based, cultural, and outreach activities, students help make the School a vibrant community, capable of linking theoretical knowledge to experimentation and preparing the next generation for the professional and civic responsibilities that await them. One essential point will be emphasized: the School’s future is built upon the legacy it has received, but it will depend above all on its ability to educate young people who are competent, curious, and ready to tackle increasingly complex and interdisciplinary problems.