06/10/2026
🌍 In the last week of September, a delegation from the Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Sustainable Development and Environmental Engineering, carried out an Erasmus+ mobility in Catania, Italy, together with President Pietro Grimaldi of COIFA – Comitato Internazionale Fotogrammetria Architettonica.
🎓 The delegation was coordinated by Rector Prof. Dr. Cosmin Alin Popescu, Director General Administrative Prof. Dr. Adina Horablaga, Head of Department Prof. Dr. Mihai Herbei, and Vice-Dean for International Relations Prof. Dr. Laura Smuleac, together with teaching staff of the department.
🤝 During the mobility, the delegation participated in a series of academic and professional meetings aimed at strengthening international cooperation and developing new opportunities for education, research and professional exchange.
📐 One of the key activities was a meeting with the College of Geometry of Palermo, attended by President Geom. Rosano Santo and other representatives. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between the university and professional bodies representing surveyors, as well as on education and professional training in areas such as cadastral surveying, topography, real estate valuation, environmental engineering, remote sensing, energy and environmental studies, rural construction, and access to European funding.
🏛️ The delegation also met with representatives of the College of Geometry of Catania, including President Geom. Agatino Spoto, Vice-President Dott. Geom. Salvatore Pino, and Secretary Geom. Domenico Mazzaglia. The discussions addressed research and training infrastructure, laboratories, opportunities for developing academic and professional partnerships, and continuing professional development.
🔬 An important part of the mobility was the study visit to the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Catania, Osservatorio Etneo. The visit included presentations and discussions on urban seismic monitoring, early warning systems, ground motion assessment, structural monitoring, and the use of multiparametric technologies for infrastructure monitoring.
🏗️ Within the presentation of the CMSU – Urban Seismic and Infrastructure Monitoring Center, Domenico Patanè, Claudio Martino and Giuseppe Occhipinti presented current approaches and technologies for integrating engineering seismology with structural engineering. Discussions covered Early Warning systems, ShakeMap, Structural Health Monitoring, Rapid Damage Assessment, and Digital Twin technologies.
🌋 A significant part of the visit was dedicated to the activity of the Osservatorio Etneo and the monitoring of Mount Etna. The delegation was introduced to GNSS observations, volcanic edifice deformation monitoring, inflation/deflation processes, and the analysis of magmatic intrusions.
📊 The visit highlighted the importance of integrating geodetic, seismic, volcanological and structural data for natural hazard assessment, risk management, and rapid operational decision-making.
🎓 The delegation also participated in Researchers’ Night, organized by the University of Catania, providing an excellent opportunity to meet academic colleagues and researchers working in related fields and to exchange ideas on current research directions and future collaboration.
🌍 This Erasmus+ experience represents an important step in strengthening international partnerships, promoting academic and professional exchange, and supporting innovative research and education in sustainable development, geomatics, environmental engineering, geodesy and related fields.
