[Pollenzo, September 2024] — The University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo (UNISG) is proud to announce the formation of the UNISG Alumni Association, a global initiative aimed at bringing together over 3,800 alumni from around the world who have studied in Pollenzo. The creation of an alumni association, though independent, is essential for a university, as it represents a bridge between the institution’s past and present. It offers alumni both physical and digital channels to stay connected, exchange knowledge, and collaborate on projects of common interest, extending their passion for gastronomy beyond Pollenzo’s borders.
The New UNISG Alumni Association
The establishment of the UNISG Alumni Association marks a significant step forward. Previously, former students — gastronomes with extensive knowledge and experience in the food sector— could rely on UNISG’s internal Alumni office for the network coordination, but lacked a central, independent and representative organization able to focus exclusively on facilitating effective connections, collaboration, and achieving greater impact on the global food system. This association was created to fill that gap.
The Alumni Association goes beyond the concept of a simple network, positioning itself as a tool for change. It offers an opportunity to efficiently and collaboratively channel the energy, skills, and ideas of alumni, directing them toward shared goals and projects that influence the food system and its various economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions.
A Vision for the Future
The UNISG Alumni Association is based on a clear and strategic vision: to support and unite its community of alumni, promote professional networking, encourage continuous education, and collaborate closely with the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo to strengthen the institution’s global presence and visibility.
The primary objective is to strengthen the bonds within the alumni network and create opportunities for better mutual understanding, fostering the creation of fruitful projects and collaborations. The integrated approach to the food system, taught at the university and applied in the everyday lives of its members, is recognized as a privileged channel for enabling meaningful interventions in large-scale economic, political, and environmental dynamics that would otherwise be difficult to access individually.
A Call to Action for All Alumni
The UNISG Alumni Association invites all former students to join and actively participate in shaping its future development. The association adopts an inclusive approach, avoiding ideological or partisan categorizations, and instead promotes a spirit of cooperation aimed at the organic and equitable development of the food universe.
The association is guided by a vision that considers gastronomy and gastronomic sciences as privileged fields for human and cultural communion, as well as for innovation and collective progress. It aims to facilitate the transition from a purely utilitarian and mechanistic vision of the food system to a more conscious gastronomic system, integrating study and expertise into the process.
The mission of the association is to influence the food landscape as a consolidated network of gastronomy professionals. It seeks to promote unity, organization, and effective action, not only for the professional development of its members but to generate a significant impact on food production and distribution systems.
Join the Association
All former students of the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo are invited: the time to act is now. Joining the UNISG Alumni Association represents an opportunity to contribute to an influential network committed to generating a positive impact on the global food system.
Membership Fee: €100 for one fiscal year (from January 1 to December 31). For those who join in 2024, the fee will cover the remainder of the year and all of 2025.
Discount for New Graduates: €50. New graduates will have the opportunity to join the association with a 50% discount for the first year. This discount is also applicable to all alumni who graduated in 2024.
Membership Benefits: Joining the UNISG Alumni Association offers numerous benefits, including:
- Free access to the UNISG+ network, a digital content platform that includes short courses and insights in the field of gastronomy, whose value exceeds the annual fee;
- Participation in a personalized mentoring program, with individual professional training provided by expert alumni in the chosen field;
- Access to an exclusive calendar of conferences, webinars, and events;
- Opportunities to collaborate on industry projects within the Association’s Shared Interest Groups;
- The chance to contribute to the development of the organization with personal ideas and visions, actively participating in the growth of the alumni network’s potential from the outset.
For more information or to join the UNISG Alumni Association, please visit @unisgalumni or contact info@unisgalumni.com.
About UNISG
The University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo, founded in 2004 by the international non-profit organization Slow Food, is the world’s first university entirely dedicated to Gastronomic Sciences.
Its goal is to create an international center for research and training for those working to renew agricultural methods, protect biodiversity, and build an organic relationship between gastronomy and agricultural science.
The university trains gastronomists—food specialists with multidisciplinary skills in the fields of science, culture, politics, economics, and the ecology of food—working to apply them to sustainable production, distribution, and consumption.
UNISG students, who come from all over the world, gain dynamic experience in both artisanal and industrial food production, thanks to complementary education in both sciences and humanities, sensory training, and practical learning during study trips across five continents.
To date, more than 3,800 students from 98 countries have studied or are studying at UNISG.