University of Gastronomic Sciences Pollenzo: Slow Food's food school, the world's only one, in the UNESCO Langhe
Founded by Slow Food in 2004, the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo is the world's only university dedicated to gastronomic sciences. With 35% international students, campus in the medieval castle of Pollenzo in the Langhe (UNESCO), it trains future leaders of sustainable food, gastronomic tourism and world food culture.
UNISG: gastronomic sciences excellence in the Pollenzo castle, heart of the Barolo and truffle Langhe
The University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo is a globally unique institution: founded in 2004 by Slow Food — the international movement for food biodiversity founded by Carlo Petrini — it is the world's only university dedicated to gastronomic sciences in their cultural, historical, scientific and economic complexity. With approximately 700 enrolled students — of whom 35% are international from over 60 countries — UNISG is a small but extraordinarily unique institution with worldwide reputation.
The Pollenzo campus occupies the Palazzo Re Umberto — a 19th-century neo-Gothic palace in Bra (Cuneo), in the heart of the Piedmontese Langhe (UNESCO heritage) — in a setting of extraordinary landscape beauty: Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards, Alba white truffle, IGP hazelnuts and one of the world's most renowned food and wine districts. UNISG students live and study literally immersed in the landscape of quality food.
Degree programmes cover gastronomic sciences (food culture, food history, sensory sciences), gastronomic tourism, food economics, gastronomic communication and food management. Teaching is strongly practical — with study trips worldwide to learn local food traditions, producer visits and sensory workshops — and the faculty includes producers, Michelin-starred chefs, anthropologists and food scientists.
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From 2004 to Pollenzo: Slow Food, Carlo Petrini and the dream of a university of taste
The University of Gastronomic Sciences was born in 2004 from a vision of Carlo Petrini — founder of Slow Food in 1989 — who dreamed of a university capable of placing food at the centre as a cultural, historical, scientific and economic phenomenon, countering the reductive view of food as mere market product. The choice of Pollenzo — in the heart of the Piedmontese Langhe, a world-renowned gastronomic territory — was symbolic and foundational.
The Palazzo Re Umberto of Pollenzo — formerly a Savoy royal residence — was restored and transformed into a university campus, creating a unique European study environment: a historic palace surrounded by Barolo vineyards and Piedmontese territorial culture. UNISG's teaching approach — based on international study trips, producer visits and direct contact with local food traditions from around the world — was revolutionary in the Italian university landscape.
Today UNISG is recognised as the world reference for gastronomic training at university level, with alumni working as food writers, restaurant consultants, food sustainability managers, international gastronomic brand managers and food policy officers for institutions such as the UN and UNESCO.
FAQ — Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche – Pollenzo (Bra)
Study gastronomic sciences in Italy: useful resources
UNISG Pollenzo is the absolute choice for those wishing to study gastronomic sciences at the world's only university dedicated to this discipline, in the heart of the Piedmontese Langhe. For Italian universities and everything about living and studying in Italy.
