Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Enrico Francia, I am an associate professor of Agronomy and field crops at the Department of Life Sciences – University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. In UNIMORE, I am the coordinator of the master’s degree program in ‘Integrated Sustainability of Agricultural Systems’, member of the recently activated joint Ph.D. program in ‘Agri-Food Science, Technology and Biotechnology’, and deputy director of the Interdepartmental Center BIOGEST–SITEIA for industrial research and technology transfer in the agrifood sector.
My scientific interests and experience focus on agronomic and genomic factors for sustainable, high-quality production in small-grained cereals and horticultural crops; molecular and physiological response to abiotic stresses; use of innovative biostimulants (e.g. hydrolysates and beneficial soil microorganisms) for sustainable intensification in high- and low-input agricultural systems.In UNIgreen, I am member of the Scientific & Pedagogical Council, and I am engaged in WP3 – Research, where I coordinate the Joint Research Centre 7 – ‘Plant Breeding’.
Which added value or benefits of UNIgreen would you like to highlight, and why?
As a transnational university alliance, UNIgreen connects various realities across the European continent, and this represents a unique opportunity of interaction and collaboration. In UNIgreen, researchers, professors and students can play an effective role towards an increased sustainability in agriculture. One key benefit of UNIgreen is its role in developing climate-neutral and resource-efficient practices that will lead the green transition across different regions.
Please tell us what UNIgreen means to you and use one word to describe it.
To me, the best word to represent UNIgreen is synergy.
The UNIgreen alliance is a vibrant network of universities, and to me it means collaboration — bridging expertise, resources, and passion from multiple countries to tackle global agricultural and environmental challenges together.
