The University of Naples was established in 1224 and it remains one of the oldest universities to be founded by a head of state after Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily, decided to create an educational institution that was not significantly influenced by the Pope. The foundation of the university was carried out within the framework of an administrative reform pursued by the emperor with the objective of training bureaucrats to pursue his policies and counteract papal influence. After Frederick’s death, the university lost most of its splendor and faced a period of severe instability being shut and re-founded by the successive rulers. However, it was not until 1987 that the university was renamed Federico II, an acknowledgement of its founder. You can read the whole history of the University Federico II on the web site www.international.unina.it/
Today the university consists of three semi-independent divisions – the Division of Science and Technology, the Division of Life Sciences and the Division of Social and Human Sciences which are responsible for the research and teaching of 13 schools and 82 different departments. Over the years the University of Naples has had several venues but today there are three major campuses, one in central Naples, one in the Fuorigrotta district in the west and one on the hill of Camaldoli in the north, with the latter also hosting the School of Medicine.
In the long history of the University of Naples Federico II there have been some very influential alumni, including philosopher and theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas who not only studied but later taught at the university. Other notable alumni include former Italian presidents Giovanni Leone, Enrico De Nicola and Giorgio Napolitano, Estee Lauder CEO Fabrizio Freda and astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti and Luca Parmitano.
The faculty of Law of University of Naples Federico II is located in the city centre.
The Dean’s office, Faculty Library and a number of lecture halls, including the Enrico Pessina Hall and Francesco De Sanctis Hall, are located in the central facility in Corso Umberto I (A).
Most departments and lecture rooms are divided between via Porta di Massa n. 32 (B), purchased by the university in the late 1980s to meet the needs of the Law Faculty, and the recently acquired centre in via Nuova Marina n. 33 (C) which also houses the student’s administration centre.
