More and more international students are choosing the University of Bologna

The first data about a.y. 2020/2021 enrolments seems to confirm this trend: more and more international students are opting for the University of Bologna.

In the last five years, the number of non-Italian students choosing the University of Bologna has steadily increased. A.y. 2020/2021 appears to live up to the expectations of growth of the international student community according to the first data about new enrolments.

Looking at the enrolment applications the University has received so far, we can observe some significant spikes in the number of international students applying at Unibo. The degree programme in Pharmacy surely stands out: last year it received only 14 international applications, this year 261. The degree programme in Artificial Intelligence, presently, has 665 applications from international students, while last year it had 362 (+84%). We can observe a similar situation with the international applications for the degree programmes in Digital Humanities and Digital Knowledge and Advanced Spectroscopy in Chemistry. This year, the first received 188 international applications, 45% more than last year (130), the latter had 120 international students applying, doubling last year's numbers (60).

But we can observe encouraging growth in all subject areas. To name but a few: +20% of international applicants for the degree programme in Economics, +27% for the degree programme in Civil Engineering, while the degree programmes in Wellness Culture: Health, Sport, And Tourism and Genomics have seen an increase in the number of international applicants of 31% and 43% respectively. And there are more degree programmes experiencing significant growth of international applications: Advanced Cosmetic Sciences (+8%), Statistical Sciences (+18%), Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals) (+83%) and Legal Studies (+113%).

At present, the University of Bologna counts more than 6,500 international students representing 8.5% of all enrolled students. This percentage goes up to 11.5%, if we look at students enrolled in MA programmes. All in all, the University of Bologna manages to confirm internationality as one of its main selling points. All in all, the University of Bologna manages to confirm internationality as one of its main selling points. This consideration is also reinforced by Unibo's great outcomes within the Erasmus framework for both incoming and outgoing students in recent years. 

Next academic year (2020/2021) has in store 84 international degree programmes and several services for non-Italian students: tutoring, language support, multi-cultural activities and much more.

Moreover, Unibo is a partnering university of two international degree programmes that have been awarded the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree badge earlier this year. These are the MA in Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology (WOP) and the master’s in chemical Innovation and Regulation (CHIR). An Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD) is a prestigious, integrated, international study programme, jointly delivered by at least two European universities. The best candidates among the European and international students attending one of these programmes are eligible to receive EU-funded scholarships covering their expenses for international relocation which is a requirement of all EMJMDs.

Because of the coronavirus health emergency, during the first semester of a.y. 2020/2021, teaching activities will be delivered following a blended mode, both online and in-class. In this way, all students will be able to attend their lectures.

Published on: 06 August 2020