Una entrevista al responsable de la Universitat de Milano-Biccoca

1.-Can you tell me a little bit about the history of your school? For how long optometry is being taught at your university?

Several universities are located in Milan, the newest one being the university of Milano Bicocca. The activities started in 1991, but the date of foundation is January 1^st, 1998. The course of Optics and Optometry was established in 2001 and there are nowadays about 30 graduated students. This course has been the first in this field in Italy, only recently followed by other ones all over the country.

2.- What are the weak and strong points of your school or university?
At the university of Milano Bicocca, the course in Optics and Optometry collects young and enthusiastic people. The course is interdisciplinary and there is a strong collaboration between optometrists, chemists, physicians, and physicists working at the department of materials science. There are also several active collaborations between the university and both industries and local enterprises.

New and well-equipped laboratories of optometry are available for the students. They can use the instrumentation both during the lessons, under the supervision of professors, and whenever they want in order to practice. Several assistants, who already obtained their degree in Optics and Optometry in Milano Bicocca, are often present to help the students in the laboratories, also outside the expected hours and days of lessons. Groups of students often use the laboratory to improve their knowledge of a particular instrument or for working together with other students.

The laboratories are divided in several boxes each containing the complete instrumentation for an optometry control. Additional boxes are devoted to special instruments devoted to the work for the final thesis of the students. Separated laboratories are especially devoted to contactology and to ophthalmic lenses. Computers are also accessible where students can download articles in electronic format directly from the library of the university.

We feel that our course in optometry and optics is particularly strong in the aspect of optometry related to materials, instruments and all physical aspects. The study of the medical aspects of optometry has a shorter history but it is rapidly progressing.

3.- Are there a lot of international students at your University? How is the life for an international student?
There are many Erasmus students in Milan, especially coming from Spain. Most of them are accommodated in the new “Residenza Universitaria” which is located inside the university area. Other students prefer to rent and share small apartments.

Also it is possible to find an accommodation in nearby cities like Como, Lecco and small villages located on lake Como. Our university is reachable within one hour train from those locations. The train station (“Milano Greco Pirelli”) is just inside the university area.

Incoming students are offered a course for beginners in Italian language where they can learn Italian and also meet other students. We provide them with information on how to move and where to go in Milan.
Milan is a very lively city for young people with lots of exhibitions, pubs, restaurants and discos.

4.- What can an international student find at your faculty?
Students find an interdisciplinary faculty, with 8 faculties and 11 different degree courses in the scientific faculty. The university is organized as a campus, with new structures, a high-level internet connectivity, and convenient logistic connections (trains, underground, buses, etc.). The rooms for the lessons (from 30 to 350 places) are well-equipped with audio and video facilities. A lot of place is available for students to study or to meet (700 places). The laboratories of optometry are open also out of the hours of lessons for the students to practice by themselves.

5.- Why would you recommend your university and your school to international students?

The course in Optics and Optometry at the university of Milano Bicocca has been the first in this field in Italy. Students find a new and interdisciplinary faculty, with new and well-equipped laboratories of optics, optometry, contactology. Both fundamental (physics and chemistry) and applicative courses are available. Many courses concern the properties of materials for applications in the fields of optics, optometry, contactology.