Ca' Foscari University Venice elects Marco Sgarbi as new rector by ballot

Ca' Foscari University Venice chose its rector today - Thursday 21 May - at the end of the fourth day of voting: Marco Sgarbi is the 24th Rector of Ca' Foscari. Born in 1982 in Mantua, 43 years old, he is the youngest person to hold this position in the Venetian university. He was elected with 434 votes against the 303 obtained by Giacomo Pasini in the runoff. He succeeds the incumbent Rector Tiziana Lippiello. As of 1 October, he will lead the university for the six-year period 2026-2032. In addition to Sgarbi and Pasini, Carlo Bagnoli, Carlo Barbante and Filippomaria Pontani were also candidates in these elections. In the first three ballots, none of the candidates had reached the necessary votes to be elected. The top two vote-getters on the third day therefore went on to today's runoff.
These are the results The results of the day's runoff: Giacomo Pasini: 303; Marco Sgarbi: 434; white votes (weighted): 27.68.

Statement by Rector-elect Marco Sgarbi: 'I would like to thank all the voters and all those who have followed my path. From today, my commitment will be total for the Cafoscarina community. I do not want a university that chases the future, but a university that is capable of building it. Imagining it will not always be easy. We will have great challenges ahead of us, but these great challenges will give meaning to our commitment and our work. These challenges will be met if we manage to walk together along this path, to be united as a community. I want a university founded on people, rooted in the territory and open to the world, and above all a university that wants to value the younger generations, train them and nurture and cultivate talents."

Statement by Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of Ca' Foscari University: "I would like to congratulate Professor Marco Sgarbi, who was elected the next Rector of Ca' Foscari today; an important mandate awaits him: an extraordinary honour but also a great responsibility. I express my heartfelt thanks to all the staff of our University, who participated in large numbers in the vote; the high turnout recorded is the most beautiful sign of a community deeply attached to its institution and its values. My gratitude also goes to the important work of the Electoral Commission and to all the candidates in this election round, whose contributions and ideas have constructively enriched the debate on the future of our university. I hope that Ca' Foscari will continue to look ahead, strong in its identity and specificity; to Sgarbi, who will lead the University from 1 October next, I wish from now on to face with passion and determination the great challenges that await our community"

Voting was for the active electorate comprised of teaching staff (687), the Student Representative Assembly (30), technical-administrative staff (749) and collaborators and language experts (74). The turnout in the fourth round of voting was 88.34% for the teaching component, 83.33% for the eligible students and 77.52% for the technical-administrative staff and language assistants. The vote of technical-administrative staff and linguistic collaborators and experts is weighted at 25% of that of the teaching staff.