University of Bologna

Over the years, the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, the oldest university in the Western world, has paved the way for innovation thanks to an increasingly rich programme catalogue, cutting-edge research, a convincing third mission strategy and a growing international perspective.

Since its foundation in 1088, the University of Bologna has been student-centred, and, thanks to its five campuses (in Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini) and its Buenos Aires branch, it offers its student a varied course catalogue that is tailored to the needs of present-day society: over 250 degree programmes within its 31 departments and 5 schools.

Its community of more than 90,000 students makes the Alma Mater one of Italy’s largest universities, ranking first in Italy in terms of number of its students in exchange programmes abroad and within the top 5 universities in Europe in terms of number of exchange students. Moreover, the University of Bologna is among the top 5 Italian universities in major international rankings (Shanghai, Times Higher Education, GreenMetric).

The University of Bologna is deeply committed to sustainable development and actively contributes to the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. As a comprehensive research university, the Alma Mater invests in multidisciplinary cross-cultural approach to research and teaching, which are considered as inseparable parts of the same unit. In the European landscape of research and academic cooperation, the University of Bologna is surely among the most active institutions. Indeed, it has shaped and maintains alliances with industries as well as public/private organizations, and also represents a crucial hub for international networks with its lively relations with America, Africa, Asia and Australia, that add up to its great networks in Europe. In fact, it is one of the founders of the prestigious Una Europa alliance, which is striving to build the integrated university of the future.

Fill the shoes of a first-year international student and live his journey to the University of Bologna through our podcast Unibo Global - LifeBites. Enjoy your listening while exploring international students’ hopes, best memories, thoughts and fears on the podcast Unibo Global - LifeStories. And finally, read the stories of our international Student Ambassadors and get to know better the University of Bologna and its community.