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Types of higher education institutions

Italy

7.Higher education

7.1Types of higher education institutions

Last update: 16 June 2022
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Higher education in the broad sense is the set of different higher education systems:

  • the university system, that includes universities and other equivalent institutions 
  • the system of the Higher education for the fine arts, music, and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM)
  • the system of the Higher technical education (Istruzione tecnica superiore)

Universities and equivalent institutions, Higher education for the fine arts, music, and dance (Afam) issue first, second and third-cycle qualifications referred to the Bologna Process framework. ITSs offer short cycle programmes.

A list of all institutions is available on the website of the Ministry of university and research (MUR). In addition, the portal universitaly.it provides, beside the list of all institutions, all necessary information to access higher education in Italy.

University education

The university system is made up of 97 institutes, of which:

  • 67 are State universities
  • 19 are recognised non-State universities
  • 11 are recognised non-State online universities

(Source: Ministry of university and research, last visited in March 2022)

In addition to universities other institutes award qualifications equivalent to those issued by universities:

1) Higher schools for language mediators (Scuole superiori per mediatori linguistici, SSML) are private institutions offering three-year programmes and issuing qualifications equivalent to the first-cycle qualification on language mediation sciences released by universities (DM 38/2002).

2) Specialisation institutes for psychotherapists (Istituti di specializzazione in psicoterapia) are either public or private institutions that organise specialisation courses addressed to doctors and psychologist and issue qualifications equivalent to the third-cycle qualification (Specialisation) issued by universities in the broader field of psychology (law 56/1989).

Universities are autonomous bodies. They adopt their own statutes and establish their own governing bodies (such as the rector, senate, and board of management) as well as their teaching and research structures.

Other institutes offer 5-year single-cycle courses leading to a qualification equivalent to a second-cycle qualification issued by universities (DM 87/2009). Among them: the Higher institute for the conservation and restoration (Istituto superiore per la conservazione e il restauro) in Rome, the School of the Gemstone Factory (Scuola dell'Opificio delle pietre dure) in Florence, with its branch in Ravenna at the School of Restoration of the Mosaic (Scuola di retauro del mosaico), the Higher school at the Central institute for the pathology of archives and books (Istituto centrale per la patologia degli archivi e del libro) in Rome. These institutes fall within the responsibility of the Ministry of culture instead of the Ministry of university and research. Their offer will not be described into details.

Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Afam)

Institutes providing Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM) are 145, of which 82 are State insitutions:

  • 20 State and 18 recognised non-State Academies of fine arts (Accademie di belle arti), which main purpose is to prepare students for the practice of the arts, like painting, sculpture, decorating and scenery
  • 55 State Conservatoires (Conservatori di musica) and 18 recognised higher institutes of music which aim is teaching music
  • 5 State Higher institutes for Artistic Industries (Istituti superiori per le industrie artistiche, ISIA) that offer a specific training in the design field (graphic design).
  • 1 National Academy of Drama (Accademia nazionale di arte drammatica), in Rome, that offers training courses for actors and directors
  • 1 National Dance Academy (Accademia nazionale di danza), in Rome, which main purpose is to train dancers, soloists and choreographers
  • 27 institutes offering higher education in the arts sector, in particular design, music and fashion and authorised to issue equivalent qualifications

(Source: Ministry of university and research, last visited in March 2022)

AFAM institutes are autonomous bodies. They adopt their own statutes and establish their own governing bodies (such as the rector, senate, and board of management) as well as their teaching and research structures.

Higher technical institutes (ITS)

ITSs are specific types of foundations (half a way between associations and private foundations). The minimum organisational standards requirements foresee that ITSs should involve:

  • a vocational/technical upper secondary school situated in the same province of the foundation, which has the role of reference body and that issues the relevant qualification
  • a training institution which has been accredited by the Region for the purpose of high-level training and situated in the same province of the foundation
  • an enterprise belonging to the same productive branch of the ITS
  • a university department or any other body belonging to the technological/scientific research system
  • a local authority (municipality, province, extended urban area, etc).

The offer is available nationwide. At present, there are 118 ITSs (Source: www.indire.it/its/ last visited in March 2022).