University of Salento

The University of Salento (, called until 2007 Università degli Studi di Lecce) is a university located in Lecce, Italy. It was founded in 1955 by Giuseppe Codacci Pisanelli. The university of Salento commenced activities in the academic year 1955 1956 under the "Salentine University Council". In 1960, it became the "Free University of Lecce" and passed to Government authority in the 1967–1968 academic year. Since 2005, the University of Salento is a partner of the Euro Mediterranean Center for Climate Change (CMCC). University of Salento is ranked 251 275 among the top world's university and fifth in Italy, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings released on 2015. In 2018, it was ranked 501–600, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The University Sports Centre (in Italian Centro Universitario Sportivo CUS) houses all the sporting activities that take place for enrolled students at the University of Salento. All courses are taught by qualified and nationally certified instructors including a variety of disciplines, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, aerobics, funky, tennis, fencing, Latin American dance, swimming, aqua gym, body building, step, and breathing training. Body building can be found at the "Mario Stasi" sports centre in Via Vincenzo Cuoco, and there are also agreements with local swimming pools. The CUS takes part annually in the Italian University Games and appears annually on the list of National University Champions demonstrating a high level of participation. In addition to this the CUS Lecce also organises a series of game competitions, with individual end of course tournaments and le Cussiardi. Also for student members, it's also possible to take part in winter and summer camps with agreements with C. U. S. I. It possible to do alpine ski ing, ski jumping snowboarding and carving in the following localities, Fai della Pagnella (TN), Folgaria (TN), and Valzodana (BL) while it is possible to do windsurfing, canoeing, and sub aqua courses in Muravera (CA), Terasini (PA), and San Cristoforo Lake Caldonazzo (TN)