Presentation

Mission and a bit of history

The current Department of Psychology was established in October 2012 following the enactment of Law No. 240 of 2010, known as the "Gelmini reform." This new entity merged the former Department of Psychology and the Faculty of Psychology of the ALMA MATER STUDIORUM (University of Bologna) into a single entity. This merger symbolised the unification of two bodies distinguished by their excellence in the Italian landscape, respectively, in research activities and teaching in the area of psychology.

Building on these foundations, the Department's mission continues and aligns itself with the goals of the structures it integrates. It aims to replicate and improve upon the results and recognitions achieved so far in research and teaching.

The Department of Psychology was initially founded in 1981, at Viale Berti Pichat n. 5, within the walls enclosing the historic town-centre. It was established following the transformation into a Departmental entity of the former Institute of Psychology, headed by Professor Renzo Canestrari. Its building, constructed in 1956 by architect Magri, houses a collection of instruments used in experimental psychology from the 1930s to the present day. Since July 2020, the Department has been named after the Emeritus Professor of Psychology Renzo Canestrari (Rectoral Decree n. 743 of 24/06/2020).

Before the reform, faculty and researchers from five different faculties were affiliated with the Department: Letters and Philosophy, Medicine and Surgery, Psychology, Educational Sciences, and Sports Sciences.

The Faculty of Psychology, established by the Rectoral Decree n.1919/416 of September 30, 1996, began its activities in the 1996/1997 Academic Year. Previously, there was a Degree Course in Psychology within the Faculty of Education, later renamed Faculty of Educational Sciences, which started in the 1990/1991 Academic Year.

In 2012, before ceasing its existence as a Faculty and merging with the Department of Psychology, it topped the "Le Guide di Repubblica: Università" rankings for the seventh consecutive year and, for the eighth time in its short history, was recognized as the best Faculty of Psychology in Italy.

Given its history, the Department of Psychology, arising from these two previous structures, features two Operational Units: the Bologna Operational Unit (Viale Berti Pichat, 5, corresponding to the former Department of Psychology) and the Cesena Operational Unit (P.zza A. Moro, 90, corresponding to the former Faculty of Psychology).