European University Institute: doctoral studies in Fiesole
The European University Institute (EUI) is an international research and doctoral training center, based in the historic Badia Fiesolana above Florence. An intergovernmental organization dedicated exclusively to doctoral and postdoctoral studies in Economics, History, Law and Political Science.
About the European University Institute
The European University Institute (EUI) is an international research and doctoral training center, located on the hills of Fiesole, just above Florence, within the historic Badia Fiesolana. Founded by the member states of the then European Communities, the EUI is an intergovernmental organization dedicated exclusively to doctoral and postdoctoral studies in Economics, History and Civilization, Law, and Political and Social Sciences.
Each year it hosts a multinational community of around 550 PhD researchers and over 125 postdoctoral fellows, from more than 60 countries, with no single nationality dominating. The institute is also home to the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, dedicated to interdisciplinary research on European integration, governance, markets and world politics.
Admission to doctoral programs is extremely selective, with only 160 new researchers admitted each year among candidates from the world's leading universities.
Main academic areas
4 fully developed PhD departments + postdoctoral programs · no undergraduate or traditional Master's courses
EUI statistics and indicators
The EUI's history
The idea of founding a European university institute has its roots in the 1948 Hague Congress and the subsequent European Conference on Culture in Lausanne, but the project only materialized in 1972, when the six founding states of the European Communities formally established the EUI in Florence, based in the historic Badia Fiesolana. The choice to locate the institute in Italy, and in the Florence area in particular, reflected the desire to anchor the European project to one of the cradles of European humanist civilization.
From its founding, the EUI has stood out for a unique model, focused exclusively on doctoral and postdoctoral research, with no undergraduate or traditional Master's courses. Over the years the institute has grown to include four fully developed departments and the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, becoming a global reference point for research on European policy.
With over fifty years of history, the EUI has trained generations of researchers, many of whom went on to pursue careers in academia, European institutions or the private sector, contributing significantly to the debate on integration, governance and European law.
What people say online about the European University Institute (EUI)
Opinions on the EUI are largely very positive, both from researchers/PhD candidates and staff, with some practical criticism related to its geographic location.
89% would recommend the work environment; quality colleagues, strong commitment to democratic discourse.
Value of benefits (health insurance, pension, childcare subsidies) and a library of over 600,000 volumes.
Some criticism about the site's logistics and a recent salary reduction viewed negatively.
- High-quality colleagues and a vibrant environment
- Strong commitment to democratic discourse and higher education
- Competitive salaries for professors
- Solid benefits: health insurance, pension, childcare subsidies
- Library with over 600,000 volumes
- Logistics of the hilltop Fiesole location, not always convenient
- Relatively high cost of living in Florence
- A recent salary reduction viewed negatively by staff
FAQ — European University Institute (EUI)
The EUI stands out in the European research landscape: an intergovernmental institution dedicated exclusively to doctoral training, shaping generations of policy-makers, academics and European institutional leaders.
