It's sad that in Italy can happen this. The Pope (Ratzinger, Benedict XVI) was invited by the Rector of "La Sapienza" to inaugurate the Academic Year in the next Thursday, 17th, appearing in the first university of Rome ("La Sapienza" is the ancient university of Rome and one of the greatest in Europe).
Some professors both from human faculties and from scientific ones, have complained about the visit, writing a petition explicitly asking that the Pope "don't come to the university" as inappropriate person, because "today faith is contrary to science".
At the same time, dozens of students has started manifestating against the visit of Pope and publicing banners against the Church, always in the public university of Rome. Ratzinger has been considered "oscurantist", old visionist of a "religious restauration", and against the "knowledge".

After these polemics for the Pope visit the academic instituion, today, in the late afternoon, Vatican spokesman said that "the visit has been canceled". This is the first time that this happens, in an unprecedented event (the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger took over the Roman Catholic Church in April, 2005).
I think that any other university in Europe would be glad to receive such a honourable visit, in the ambit of the free speech and religious freedom.