Universities, Cities and Sustainability

The aim of the article is to discuss the involvement between universities and the cities that host them, analyzing the physical and functional relationships that are established between them. Universities not only experiment with sustainability, but they also promote, educate, research, and actively collaborate with the community. However, their role within the cities is influenced by their physical characteristics and how they interact with the city. In this article, we will focus on "universities integrated with the city", those dispersed within the urban fabric rather than concentrated in a campus, highlighting some pros and cons of implementing sustainability. We will begin by discussing how sustainability has become a guiding principle for universities and how it is - or should be - applied within them. We will then examine and evaluate the role of universities within their respective cities or towns. In addition to providing examples from other institutions, the University of Sassari will be analyzed as a specific case study.