In Italy an increasing number of postgraduate course are being offered in English, and Indian interest in Italy is up - to nearly 1000 Indian international students per year. Academic standards are high, with 18 Italian universities featuring in the Top 400 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-2016.
Italy is a parliamentary republic located on the Mediterranean in the South of Europe. Its’ capital, Rome, was for centuries the capital of the Roman Empire and a political and cultural centre of western civilisation. Italy’s economy is 4th largest among European Countries and 9th globally, and it is the 2nd largest manufacturing economy in Europe. The Human Development Index is 0.881 (OSCE, 2013), life expectancy is 81.4 years, and the country has a population of 60 million. Italy is one of the six Founder Members of the European Union, and a member of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the G7, G8 and G20. Italy boasts the greatest number of UNESCO world heritage sites in the world and it is also the home of the oldest European University - the University of Bologna, which was established in 1088. Many of Italy’s scientists have made an outstanding contribution to modern science, in particular in physics,chemistry material science and medicine. Art and culture play a very important role in a country where beauty, design, good taste and fashion are an everyday imperative. This coupled with a high quality of University education makes Italy an ideal place for living and studying.
EMBASSY OF ITALY
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Italy has played an important role in European higher education reform, providing its contribution to the ‘European Area of Higher Education’, which is being implemented across the European Union with a view to encouraging International student mobility. International student numbers are up, and Indian interest in Italy has increased, with UNESCO statistics showing close to 1000 Indian students travelled to Italy for tertiary level education in 2012. Structurally, the Italian education system comprises 96 public and private universities, 12 national research centres and 132 institutes for art and music. These institutions offer studies at 3 levels, in line with the Qualifications Framework for the European Higher Education Area. An increasing number of post-graduate courses are offered in English, although students are able to attend Italian language courses either at the state universities, such as the University for Foreigners in Perugia www.unistrapg.it or in Siena www.unistrasi.it or at other private institutions authorized to issue the required certification. Tuition fees vary considerably according to the type of institution (public or private) and type of course. As a very general guide, tuition fees in public universities start from 80,000 INR, while private Universities are more expensive. Living costs are somewhere in the region of 60,000 INR - though may be higher in big cities. Italy has a high standard of education and a total of 18 Italian universities feature in the Global Top 400 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2015-2016, of which Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (112) is the highest ranking. The QS rankings 2015/2016 also rank 7 Italian Institutes of Higher Education in the Top 400.
International students are entitled to the same student assistance services as Italian students including scholarships, dining hall services and housing. Scholarships may be available for Indian students from national and regional governments, and Italian universities and Higher Education Institutions. In Italy foreign students can avail themselves of scholarships offered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAEIC).
