University of Bologna (Alma Mater): the oldest in the world, QS 138, timeless excellence
Founded in 1088, the Alma Mater Studiorum is the oldest university in the world still in operation. With 90,000 students, 250 degree programmes, 138th place in the QS 2026 ranking and an 87% employment rate, Bologna is today one of the most complete, international and globally recognised Italian universities.
The Alma Mater: almost one thousand years of history, modern excellence
The University of Bologna — the Alma Mater Studiorum — is the oldest university in the world still in operation, founded in 1088, and today one of the largest, most complete and most international Italian universities. With around 90,000 enrolled students, 250 degree programmes and campuses in Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini, the University of Bologna covers every area of knowledge and ranks 138th in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
Its CENSIS 2025-2026 score is 87.7/100 (2nd among large state universities), with recognised excellence in facilities, employability and internationalisation. 10% of enrolled students are international — around 9,000 foreign students from more than 100 countries — and the University of Bologna is among Europe’s leading institutions for Erasmus+ mobility. Many programmes are delivered entirely in English at all levels.
The employment rate of master’s degree graduates is 87%, among the highest in the Italian university system. The university excels in multiple subject areas according to the QS Rankings by Subject, from law to linguistics, from physics to political science. Research is a fundamental pillar, with European-level laboratories and dozens of projects funded by the European Union.
Bologna is one of the most beautiful and lively university cities in Italy: its porticoes (UNESCO World Heritage), Emilian cuisine, cultural life and nightlife create a stimulating and unique environment. The University of Bologna is the choice for those who want the best of the Italian university system with global recognition.
Academic Areas
250 degree programmes across 33 departments and 5 campuses in Emilia-Romagna
The University of Bologna in numbers
From 1088 to the Bologna Process: almost one thousand years at the heart of European culture
The University of Bologna was founded in 1088 when a group of students gathered around the jurist Irnerius to study Justinian’s Corpus Juris Civilis. This moment conventionally marks the birth of the first Western university, preceding Oxford and Paris by almost a century.
Among its most distinguished students and professors: Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca, Niccolò Copernico (who studied astronomy and law in Bologna). In the 17th century, the extraordinary Elena Cornaro Piscopia received here the first degree awarded to a woman in history. In 1999, the declaration that gave rise to the Bologna Process was signed in Bologna, the reform that created the European Higher Education Area with the 3+2 system now adopted throughout Europe.
Among its 20th-century alumni: President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano, Romano Prodi, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Carlo Goldoni and Guglielmo Marconi. The Alma Mater is today an institution that combines almost one thousand years of history with modern research and international excellence.
FAQ — University of Bologna
Study in Italy: useful resources for your university journey
The University of Bologna is one of the best Italian universities for those looking for an institution with history, quality and uncompromising international recognition. With around 70 programmes in English and one of the most active Erasmus+ networks in Europe, it is a natural choice for international students. To explore Italy’s academic offer, consult the guide to master’s degree courses in Italy. If you are planning your move, the living and studying in Italy section guides you through visas, accommodation and university life. Finally, discover how admissions to Italian universities work and begin your journey at the institution that invented the university itself.
