On 30 June 2025 at the Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences of NCU, Umberto Grande, MSc, a doctoral student at the Academia Copernicana Interdisciplinary Doctoral School and the International Doctoral School at the UNESCO Chair ‘Environment, Resources and Sustainable Development’ at the Parthenope University of Naples, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation entitled ‘Goal Functions and the Assessment of Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services’. The doctoral programme was completed as a double doctorate degree.

The doctoral thesis was supervised by an international team of supervisors: Prof. Agnieszka Piernik from the Department of Geobotany and Landscape Planning at Nicolaus Copernicus University, Prof. Piero Paolo Franzese and Prof. Elvira Buonocore from the Faculty of Science and Technology at Parthenope University in Naples.

The doctoral student conducted part of his research and teaching activities at both partner universities, in accordance with the requirements of the double degree programme.

Following the decision of the Biological Sciences Discipline Council of the NCU in Toruń to award the doctoral degree, Umberto Grande will receive doctoral diplomas from both universities – Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Parthenope University in Naples.

Congratulations and we wish further academic and professional success!