MILAN -- Marina Marzia Brambilla has been elected as the first female rector at the University of Milan as it celebrates its 100^th year. Formerly the vice-rector of Education and Student Services from 2018, Brambilla was elected with 1,651 votes against 644 to Luca Solari. 10 per cent of votes were left blank

  At the end of the counting ballots in the university’s main hall, Brambilla proclaimed: “It took 100 years, but we did it!” She will be at the helm of the university for 6 years, starting her role in October this year. 

  As a professor of German language and linguistics, Brambilla, 50, has been serving the educational world since 2003. President of the university’s Linguistic Centre, SLAM, which she helped to create, the new rector is responsible for numerous initiatives, involving collaborations with institutional partners such as the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan. 

  She served as the rector’s delegate for Erasmus between 2012 and 2014, then moved on to Orientation and Placement from 2014 to 2018. 

  Brambilla is also the project leader for Spoke 1 “Urban Regeneration” of the MUSA ecosystem innovation, and took on the role of Commissioner for National Scientific Qualification, evaluating numerous research projects. 

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