Circle U. met students, families and citizens in the heart of Pisa during BRIGHT-NIGHT 2026, the European Researchers’ Night, which brought research, innovation and university life into the city’s streets and squares on 25 September.
At Logge di Banchi, one of the main venues of the event, Circle U. welcomed the many visitors passing through the festival at a dedicated EU Corner, presenting the Alliance, its activities and the opportunities it offers to students and the wider university community.
Representing Circle U. were Alessio Cavicchi, Rector’s Delegate for the European University Alliance “Circle U.”, student Ambassador Mattia Canale, and members of the University’s Circle U. Office, Elena Baudinelli, Claudia Molfetta and Raiza Rocha.
Throughout the afternoon and evening, dozens of people stopped by the stand to learn more about Circle U. and talk directly with its representatives. The event offered an opportunity to explain what it means for the University of Pisa to be part of a European University Alliance and to showcase the possibilities that Circle U. creates for studying, learning, collaborating and connecting across Europe.
The EU Corner also hosted EELISA – European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance, the other European University Alliance represented in Pisa through Scuola Normale Superiore and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna. The joint presence offered a glimpse into the broader European Universities initiative and the increasingly important role of transnational university cooperation.
BRIGHT-NIGHT provided an ideal setting for this encounter. Every year, the European Researchers’ Night brings universities and research closer to society, inviting people of all ages to discover research through experiments, demonstrations, talks, workshops and performances. In Pisa, the 2026 edition featured around 200 events across the city, with more than 2,000 school students involved in dedicated activities.
For Circle U., taking part in BRIGHT-NIGHT was above all a chance to bring the Alliance closer to the local community: to meet people outside the university’s usual spaces, share its opportunities and initiatives, and show how European cooperation can become part of everyday university life.
