The main higher education programs, as part of the regional ecosystem of research and innovation of the Emilia-Romagna Region, are offered by the Universities and by the Higher Technical Institutes (ITS) and AFAM-Higher Artistic, Musical and Dance Training with different types of programs.
For more information on the higher education system in Italy:
- The Italian Higher Education System
- Procedures for enrollment in higher education courses in Italy
- The Italian higher education system: the universities
- Qualifications of the Italian university system
THE UNIVERSITIES IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA
The regional university system is made up of six Universities offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses, masters, specialization courses, and doctoral courses. Every year public funds are allocated for University scholarships.
University of Bologna (with campuses in Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini)
The University of Bologna has very ancient origins that indicate it as the first University in the Western world. The excellence of teaching, research at the forefront, presence in the territory, international openness, and information services: in these and in many other areas, the Alma Mater promotes and continues today on the path of innovation.
For more information:
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
The University is located in the two cities of Modena and Reggio Emilia, among the national leaders in education and industrial fields. They boast strong and long-lasting relationships with local companies, including world famous automotive producers and producers of typical products such as balsamic vinegar or Parmigiano Reggiano.
For more information:
University of Ferrara
Ferrara is a student-friendly university city, listed by UNESCO among World Heritage Sites. Ferrara University campus offers a varied educational offer suitable for facing the new challenges of a globalized world.
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University of Parma
The University of Parma promotes the creation, transfer and progress of knowledge to meet the needs of higher education and research of the companies or of the industrial sector, including at international level. The city is also home to the European College which aims to train experts on European Union issues and to provide a unique contribution to the construction of a European and international society.
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Cattolica University (Piacenza branch)
The Catholic University of Sacro Cuore (UCSC), founded in 1921, is a private Italian University, with headquarters in Milan and other offices in several Italian cities: Brescia, Cremona, Piacenza and Rome. The Piacenza branch offers study programs in the agro-food and socio-economic and legal fields, and in formal-training and education.
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Polytechnic University of Milan (Piacenza branch)
The Polytechnic University of Milan is one of the most prestigious universities in Italy and one of the most recognized in Europe in the scientific and technological field, founded in 1863. The fields of study and research include three macro-areas including engineering, architecture and industrial design. It is based in the city of Milan and has decentralized branches in several Italian cities and in the city of Shanghai, China, in collaboration with Tongji University. In Emilia-Romagna the headquarters of the Polytechnic University is located in Piacenza.
For more information:
Networks of universities, research centres and businesses
Promoted by the Emilia-Romagna Region, MUNER and FOODER are two hubs that bring together universities, research centres and leading companies in the automotive and agri-food sectors, respectively. Their aim is not to replace universities, but to create academic and training courses and projects shared between the academic and industrial worlds, promoting the excellence of the region and attracting students and researchers from all over the world.
MUNER
MUNER-Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna is a higher education centre that brings together the region's universities – the University of Bologna, the University of Ferrara, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and the University of Parma – and the most important car manufacturers and companies in the automotive sector. Promoted by the Emilia-Romagna Region and created to enhance the industrial and academic excellence of Motor Valley, the association offers highly specialised international training courses with the aim of attracting and training professionals in the sector. MUNER offers innovative master's degree courses and postgraduate programmes in English. The educational offering is designed in close collaboration between the academic world and businesses, ensuring a teaching approach based on learning-by-doing, which includes theoretical lessons, workshops and curricular internships directly at the companies' premises. This model allows students to acquire technical and cross-disciplinary skills, preparing them to respond to the technological challenges of a constantly evolving sector, with a particular focus on electric vehicles, autonomous driving, motor vehicle engineering and high-performance car design.
You can consult the educational offering and find out all the details by visiting the Motor Valley University website.
FOODER
Fooder is an initiative promoted by the Emilia-Romagna Region for higher education that brings together universities, research centres and leading companies in the region's agri-food sector. The project was created with the aim of establishing a highly specialised training hub to attract and prepare highly qualified professionals to respond to the complex challenges of innovation, sustainability and digitalisation in the sector. Through collaboration between the main regional universities – the University of Bologna, the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, the University of Ferrara, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and the University of Parma – research centres and the most important companies in the Food Valley district, FOODER offers training programmes and research activities to address global challenges related to food safety, quality and the ecological transition of the agri-food system.
The educational offering includes master's degrees, master's programmes and doctorates designed to integrate academic knowledge with practical experience and company internships. capable of addressing global challenges related to food safety, quality and the ecological transition of the agri-food system.
All information about the courses offered and the project can be found on the Fooder website.
INSTITUTES OF HIGHER ARTISTIC AND MUSICAL EDUCATION (AFAM) IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA
The Institutes of Higher Artistic and Musical Education (AFAM) carry out training, production and research activities in the fields of visual arts, music, dance, drama and design.
The AFAM educational system is divided into three cycles:
- The first cycle consists of the first level Academic Diploma courses (three-year duration), which requires a secondary school diploma or another qualification obtained abroad, and an admission exam
- The second cycle consists of the second level Academic Diploma courses (two-year duration), which requires a first level academic diploma or another qualification obtained abroad, and an admission exam
- The third cycle consists of academic diploma courses in research training (minimum three-year duration), which requires a second level academic diploma or other recognized foreign qualification.
For more information:
ITS FOUNDATIONS
In Emilia-Romagna there are seven ITS foundations, based in the main cities of the region. Discover the educational offer.
- ITS Tourism and well-being
- ITS for sustainable mobility and logistics Academy
- ITS MAKER Academy
- ITS Tech & Food Academy
- ITS Academy Adriano Olivetti
- ITS Biomedicale Academy
- ITS TEC Academy
THE HIGHER TECHNICAL INSTITUTES (ITS) IN EMILIA-ROMAGNA
The Higher Technical Institutes (Istituti Tecnici Superiori-ITS) are top-class centers highly specialized in technology, closely linked to the production system, which aim is to train high level technicians in strategic areas for economic development and competitiveness in Italy.
They offer two-year post-diploma courses and issue a diploma of Higher Technician-V° EQF level, valid at national level, which also allows access to public sector selections and to university. For more information on ITS in Italy:
- INDIRE–National Institute for Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research
- ITS System
- Polytechnic networ
ONLINE COURSES
Edvance
Edvance is the first digital training center for higher education dedicated to advanced digital literacy.
Through this platform, students, teachers, and professionals can access more than 200 free online courses (MOOCs), covering key topics such as artificial intelligence, data management, and digital sustainability. In addition, courses are complemented by micro-credentials and open badges, enabling users to earn formal certifications to enhance employability in an ever-changing world of work. For more information: Edvance.it.
