The University of Svizzera Italiana USI begins a new phase in its institutional history. The USI Council has appointed Professor Claudio Bassetti as the university's new Rector. He is scheduled to take office on September 1, 2026, marking the official handover following the interim rectorate led by Gabriele Balbi.
The selection concludes a public selection process that attracted high-profile candidates from the academic world. The winner was one of Switzerland's most respected neuroscience specialists, with a career spanning research, teaching, clinical practice, and leadership roles.
An international journey with Ticino roots
Born in Bellinzona in 1958 and raised in Ticino, Claudio Bassetti graduated from the University of Basel in 1984. He subsequently specialized in neurology between Bern and Lausanne, also completing research in experimental neurophysiology and sleep medicine both in Switzerland and the United States.
His academic career has seen steady progression. In 2000, he was appointed professor of neurology at the University of Zurich, and a few years later he returned to Ticino to lead the Neurology Department at Lugano Regional Hospital. In 2009, he founded the Neurocenter of Italian-speaking Switzerland, a facility that has helped consolidate the presence of specialized neurology in the canton.
Since 2012, he has been working in Bern, where he became a full professor and director of the Department of Neurology at the Inselspital. Over time, he has also held increasingly senior positions within the University of Bern, ultimately becoming Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Since 2024, he has also been Director of Research and Teaching at the Inselspital, with strategic responsibilities for the development of academic and scientific activities.
Research, teaching and leadership
Bassetti stands out for his particularly extensive scientific output. Throughout his career, he has published over 660 scientific papers and ten specialist volumes, garnering international recognition in the fields of neurology, stroke, and sleep disorders.
His experience, however, is not limited to research. Over the years, he has held important positions in major European scientific organizations, including the presidency of the European Academy of Neurology, the European Sleep Research Society, and the Swiss Neurological Society. He also spearheaded the Swiss Federation of Clinical Neurosciences.
In 2018, he joined the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences, and he currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Cantonal Hospital Authority and the Foundation Board of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine.
A strategic choice for the university
According to USI Council President Monica Duca Widmer, the appointment is the result of a particularly competitive selection process and allows the university to rely on a personality who combines scientific authority and managerial skills.
The stated goal is to strengthen the university's ability to address the challenges of the coming years through a shared vision and solid governance, in an increasingly international and competitive university environment.
The interim rectorate phase ends
Claudio Bassetti's arrival also concludes the transition period led by Gabriele Balbi, interim Rector since January 2026.
Over the past few months, USI has advanced several strategic projects. These include the approval of the principles of the academic staff reform, the introduction of new research support measures, the selection of the university's future Chief Operating Officer, the organization of the university's thirtieth anniversary celebrations, and the management of cost-containment measures.
Balbi emphasized how the work done together with the Rector's Office and the university community has allowed the institution to navigate a delicate phase while maintaining continuity in ongoing activities and projects.
The challenges that await the Rector Claudio Bassetti
Claudio Bassetti's arrival coincides with a significant moment for the University of Italian Switzerland. Thirty years after its founding, the university is challenged to consolidate its growth, strengthen the competitiveness of its research, and further develop collaborations with the local community, the healthcare system, and major Swiss and international academic centers.
Bassetti's extensive experience in managing complex university and hospital facilities is one of the factors that guided the USI Council's decision. His return to Ticino thus marks the beginning of a new phase for the university, which, starting next September, will be led by a figure with deep ties to the Canton but a consolidated reputation in the European academic landscape.
