The new Geovillage: international English-language school, university housing and tourist-sports center

Olbia's Geovillage complex will be revitalized by a socio-economic plan that will have three strategic assets:

• an International English-language School with hotel accommodation and attached sports facilities;
• a Campus with university housing and recreational spaces for students in degree programs in Olbia;
• a Center with sports facilities to serve the community.

The planning for the new Geovillage was presented on June 26 by the President of Cipnes Gallura, Gianni Sarti, the Director General of Cipnes, Aldo Carta; and the Mayor of Olbia, Settimo Nizzi.

The reacquisition of the Cipnes Gallura

The Geovillage complex, which covers 13 hectares inside Olbia's productive consortium district, belonged to the bankrupt company Sviluppo Olbia spa and was reacquired by Cipnes Gallura for public utility purposes (art. 63 of Law 448/1998 and Art. 2 of Regional Law 10/2008).

This was the first administrative measure aimed at saving a strategic asset for Olbia and Gallura; an act subsequent to the one by which - back in 2021 - Cipnes had bound that area to exclusive hotel, tourist and sports use. 

Contextually, and subsequently, other steps were taken in the direction of new programming for the Geovillage.

The proposal of a British foundation

An international foundation, based in the United Kingdom, "Salima PTC Limited, has submitted an investment proposal to Cipnes Gallura aimed at having the allocation of the Geovillage to build and run an International School in English language (master cycle from 5 to 18 years) there, with the presence also of spaces for university housing (the accommodations for off-campus students of degree courses held in Olbia by the University of Sassari).

⏩ The Salima Foundation project

On May 25, a preliminary agreement was signed between Cipnes and the "Anglo Language Mediterranean Academy srl - Benefit Society (in short A.L.M.A srl based in Olbia), a company that acts as the implementing party of the Salima Foundation, which entails a commitment to the conditional acquisition and enhancement in the public interest of the Geovillage.

An international call for bids

At the same time - as provided for in the rule on the evidential procedural discipline carried out in the light of the principles of negotiation of public contracting contemplated in Article 4 of Legislative Decree No. 50/2016 - Cipnes will make an appropriate and timely international public notice evaluative negotiated procedure to pursue the best social and economic valorization of the Geovillage.

The Olbia University Campus

The Salima Foundation's offer is therefore not only in line with Cipnes' mission to revitalize the Geovillage but also enhances even more the creation of the University Campus within it.

Cipnes, having acquired the Geovillage, had begun work to convert hotel rooms into housing for off-site university students. Now there is also an official act: in fact, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Ersu, Cipnes, the University of Sassari, the UniOlbia Consortium, and the Municipality of Olbia by which, for the academic year 2023/24, Cipnes will offer 53 lodgings/bed places in the Geovillage distributed between single-individual and shared-use rooms (double rooms).

53 accomodations for off-site students

A public notice for the allocation of the 53 places will be published in the coming days. All students with "off-campus" status, national and international (including students in international mobility "Erasmus"), regularly enrolled and attending any course of study active and/or activated by the University of Sassari (UNISS) in the academic year 2022/2023 (enrolled in the 1st year and/or subsequent years), students who intend to enroll (freshmen) in the 1st year of any degree course active and/or to be activated for the year a. a. 2023/2024, those enrolled in Courses/Schools of Specialization in Legal Professions and Courses/Schools of Specialization of Medical-Health Area, and doctoral students.

⏩ The Protocol with Ersu for housing

Cipnes will prioritize allocation of the above-mentioned beds to capable and deserving students, even if without means, regularly enrolled at the Olbia decentralized university hub as they are deemed eligible for the scholarship (based on a special public selective procedure of the ERSU of Sassari scheduled for the academic year 2023/2024).

Community sports facilities

Cipnes will also program - either directly or through tenders - sports facilities (tennis and paddle canmpi and soccer fields) that are not part of the Foundation's programming. This is to ensure the right to sports for the entire community.