The University of Bologna is considered to be the oldest university in the Western world with its origins dating back to 1088. The list of UNIBO’s notable alumni is long, among them Nicolaus Copernicus, Laura Bassi, Albrecht Dürer, Umberto Eco, as well as several members of the Italian government. In a ceremony celebrating its eight centenary in 1888, the University of Bologna was recognized as the "mother of all universities" by the more than 800 representatives of the world's universities in attendance. The university also became well known in 1999 as the venue for the signing of the Bologna declaration, which was a result of the Bologna process that created the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
UNIBO's five campuses in Italy and its branch in Argentina provide world-class education and research facilities to more than 87,000 students. Besides the IU-led consortium "BCSP" of six U.S. higher education institutions, there are seven other American universities that established centers at UNIBO to further transatlantic student mobility programs.
University of Bologna (UNIBO)
#1Ranked best university in Italy in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022
12,5%The university's more than 6,500 international students represent 8.5% of all enrolled students
1,162,506 m²Size of the space on their four Italian campuses that the university's teaching and extra-curricular activities takes place on
Research
The multi-campus structure of the University of Bologna consists of five schools and 32 departments in charge of research, teaching and learning. Additionally, 11 interdepartmental research and training centers offer cooperation across disciplines.
The university is one of the top universities in Italy to attract European funding: 306 projects were funded within Horizon 2020, 50 within other European frameworks, and hundreds more that are locally and regionally funded. UNIBO's patent portfolio accounts to around 470 patent titles, with more than 175 new patent applications submitted in 2019 alone.
The University of Bologna plays a leading role within the EU regarding the skills provided and policies issued to support its researchers. UNIBO’s research foci are comprehensive and cover multiple disciplines. Besides close cooperation with local businesses, UNIBO is part of numerous international research networks and associations to expand its research scope even further. UNIBO is, among others, a member of European Innovation Partnerships (EIP) on the topics of Active and Healthy Ageing, Agriculture Productivity and Sustainability, Raw Materials, Smart Cities and Communities, and Water Challenges.
Engagement with IU
The University of Bologna signed one primary agreement and two sub-agreements with Indiana University. The agreements established exchange programs for graduate students and faculty. In addition, IU manages a consortium of six member and nine associate member institutions that send their students to Bologna through the sub-agreement that IU's Office of Overseas Study signed with UNIBO.
