Dear all,

I am delighted to welcome you back to the European Forensic Institute, or to welcome you for the first time. In the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to meet most of the members of our faculty and staff, as well as exchanging some words with students that participated to our event “From Crime Scene to Court”. The passion, the intellectual curiosity, and the way they have embraced their career inspire me, just as they have done in the past four years.

In the past two years, our Institution has moved forward on a number of fronts, from upgrades to our digital infrastructures, to the creation of a cohesive student community, to several initiatives and projects that I will be able to introducing soon.

As we start this Academic Year, we face a great deal of promise because of the high quality of our incoming class of students, the ongoing research activity of our outstanding faculty and the impressive performance of our talented staff.

We also continue to face challenges: the pandemic is still ongoing and we see and read words and actions that undermine democracy. The invasion of Ukraine has not stopped, with terrible trans-national, if not international, consequences. Although, the opportunity to make a difference is clear: by creating and sharing needed knowledge and skills, universities can serve our societies well. At the European Forensic Institute, achieving excellence in our interconnected combination of teaching, research, and practical sessions encourages us to take on the biggest public issues of our time.

At every opportunity, the leadership of our Higher Education Institution has expressed its commitment to the academic excellence, not only to maintaining it, but to moving us to ever greater aspirations and accomplishments. I begin this academic year with a renewal to that commitment, and with a deep pride that reflects the brilliance of the students and faculty members who have chosen to be part of EFI.

I trust that all of you, like myself, are eager to face the fresh challenges and prospects this year will bring. We will discuss and exchange ideas, we will take forward our projects and discover new initiatives.

You have my best wishes for a rewarding and productive year,

Andreas Melinato
Head of Institution