Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies – Pisa

About Sant’Anna School

Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies is a public university institute - with special autonomy - working in the field of applied sciences: Economics and Management, Law, Political Sciences, Agricultural Sciences and Plant Biotechnology, Medicine, and Industrial and Information Engineering.

It is a residential university and offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses (Master of Science, PhD Courses and Seasonal Schools). Established in 1987 is now affirmed as a dynamic and strongly innovative institution dedicated to foster and enhance talent and merit.

The School promotes the internationalization of didactics and research with innovative paths in the fields of university education, scientific research and advanced training.

A research university, a school of talent, for a more sustainable and inclusive world

Strategic themes for the future of the world - such as climate change, environmental sustainability, justice and social inclusion, new procedures for international relations, health and connected technologies, big data and the impact on economic systems and technologies - are areas in which the School wishes to invest its talent, at all levels and in all its parts. As a public university institution required to create value for the community, through research, training and the social impact, the School wishes to leave a signature and to make a difference for future generations, and it wishes to work for attaining culture and scientific development and contributing to build the common good.

Training

As a public institution, the Sant'Anna School plays its role in favor of the community, proposing as a center of reference for avant-garde training, with paths of excellence that are divided into four main areas: the first level training aimed at students of the courses of I and II level; the Seasonal Schools, training paths of excellence with a strong interdisciplinary character; advanced training through MSc degree courses, PhD programmes and Master's programmes; Higher Education.

Research

Thanks to interdisciplinarity and interaction with the social, cultural, scientific and economic world, the research activity of Sant’Anna School aims to address complex issues to drive the innovation and change that the world needs. Research at the School addresses strategic issues for our future such as sustainability and social inclusion, health, data science and artificial intelligence.

Outreach and Impact

Sant’Anna School undertakes to upgrade its ability to produce value for the community, acting as a driving force for social and economic, cultural and technological development, through and beyond research and education. The general strategic reference for the School is represented by the United Nations 2030 Agenda, with its 17 objectives, 169 targets and 240 indicators. The School carries out public engagement initiatives, partnership activities, placement and support to institutions, pursuing a close synergy with education and research.

International profile

The internationalization strategy of the Scuola Sant'Anna supports and increases mobility opportunities for students, teachers and researchers. For this reason, The School recognizes international mobility as a tool for the development of scientific and cultural knowledge. One of our goals is to build network agreements and institutional partnerships with foreign universities and research institutes to promote academic cooperation in the didactic-scientific field and to carry out mobility and exchange programs for teachers, researchers and students.

EELISA project

Sant’Anna School is partner of EELISA, European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance, the European project with the aim of defining and implementing a shared model of European engineer rooted in society. According to its Governing Board declaration, approved on April 19, 2021, the vision of EELISA European University is to “develop European degrees heralding the next generation of European “Renaissance” engineers capable of pursuing their career and leading sustainable change in a multidisciplinary, diverse, multilingual, and global environment, leveraging the European values”.
The new European engineers will be professionals and committed citizens ready to work within interdisciplinary, multilingual, diverse, and pan-European environments, facilitating the transformation of Europe into a fair and prosperous society with a modern resource-efficient economy.

Where we are

The main building of the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna is located in Pisa in an ancient monastery surrounded by gardens and green spaces.  Over the years, the School's building complex has steadily expanded and now has more than 30 facilities for training and research activities in line with the prerogatives of a strongly characterised residential and research university.

Collegiality is a founding value of the School. The students exchange experiences, support each other, study, toil and rejoice together, creating strong bonds that are part of their experience at the School and that will accompany them throughout their lives.