ESE Rome: international business school, courses and admissions
European School of Economics, based steps from Piazza Navona, trains students from over 80 nationalities in fully English-taught programs. A "school without borders" model: start in Rome and continue at another network campus.
About European School of Economics
European School of Economics (ESE) is a private international business school headquartered in the United Kingdom with a network of campuses across several European capitals, including Rome, Milan, Florence, London and Madrid, plus a location in New York. The Rome campus is located on Via di Sant'Pantaleo, steps from Piazza Navona, in the heart of the capital's historic center. ESE offers Bachelor's Degree, Master's MSc, MBA and Short Course pathways entirely in English, with the distinctive option to start studies at one campus and continue at another during the same academic pathway, under a model described as a "school without borders."
The academic offer ranges from Business, Marketing and Finance to more specialized fields such as Fashion & Luxury Brand Management, Sports Management, Media, Events and Human Resources. The school welcomes students from over 80 different nationalities, with small class sizes that foster personalized attention. Degrees are awarded in partnership with recognized British academic institutions, including Richmond, The American International University in London. ESE is accredited in the UK by ASIC with Premier Institution Status and registered on the UK Register of Learning Providers, and is also recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education.
Main academic areas
Bachelor's Degree, Master's MSc, MBA and Short Courses in Business, Marketing, Finance, Communication, Management, Fashion & Luxury, Sports Management, Media & Events, Human Resources
ESE Rome statistics and indicators
42% of graduates hold managerial roles and 8% executive roles at multinational companies. Accredited in the UK by ASIC (Premier Institution Status) and the British Accreditation Council.
European School of Economics's history
European School of Economics was founded in Italy in 1994, with the goal of creating a new model of higher education capable of combining academic excellence, internationality and professional pragmatism, overcoming the traditional boundaries between European education systems. A pivotal moment in the school's history came in 1997, when Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, delivered a speech to ESE students at the "Peace is Economy" conference in Rome, officially opening the academic year and giving the young institution immediate international visibility.
Over the following years ESE progressively expanded its network, opening campuses in other major European cities, including London, Milan, Florence and Madrid, eventually reaching New York, consolidating its multi-campus model that allows students to move between locations during the same course of study. The school has over time built academic partnerships with various British universities for the awarding of its degrees, including in the past the University of Hertfordshire, Nottingham Trent University and the University of Buckingham, and today mainly with Richmond, The American International University in London. In 2021 ESE received significant recognition, ranking first for "Student Experience" in an international survey involving over 4,000 universities worldwide, confirming the effectiveness of its pragmatic, internationally-oriented educational model after more than 30 years of activity.
What people say online about European School of Economics
Reviews on EDUopinions are very positive, with an overall score of 4.5/5.
Students highlight the numerous practical experiences during the academic year, including pitch sessions, the quality of faculty (often high-level industry professionals), the broad network of contacts with agencies and media, and supportive administrative staff.
The volume of independent reviews is very limited, reflecting the institution's modest scale compared to large public universities.
- Distinctive multi-campus model: choice between Milan (fashion and luxury), Florence (luxury real estate, hospitality, events) and Rome (international relations, politics, sport) based on personal interests
- Declared employment rate above 95%, confirmed by industry sources as a distinctive strength
- "Best Quality of Student Life 2021" recognition and first place for "Student Experience" in a survey of over 4,000 universities worldwide
- Network of over 1,500 partner organizations for internships, including many Fortune 100 companies
- Small class sizes with strong personalized attention
- Not present in the main official international academic rankings such as QS or THE
- Limited volume of independent reviews on general-purpose platforms like StudentCrowd
- Modest scale compared to larger business schools, consistent with a strongly practice-oriented model
FAQ — European School of Economics Rome
ESE Rome embodies the "school without borders" model founded in 1994: a compact yet strongly international institution that focuses on tangible internships and mobility across European campuses rather than traditional academic rankings.
