THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA TODAY
Data updated to November 2010
THE ALMA MATER IN FIGURES
5 Campuses based in Bologna, Forlì, Cesena, Ravenna, Rimini and one
decentralized location in Buenos Aires
About 83 thousand students enrolled, making this university one of the
largest in Italy (A.Y. 2009/10)
23 Faculties, 69 Departments, 20 Research Centres, 220 degree
programmes activated
51 PhD/Doctoral degree programmes, 70 Master's degree programmes, 52
higher training courses
3.098 permanent teachers and researchers, 3.151 TA units, some 2.000
contract teachers and over 2.200 contract collaborators involved to a
varying extent in research activities
934 thousand sqm surface area assigned to teaching, scientific and cultural
activities distributed among the 5 Campuses
430 institutional websites, 119 web services and about 100.000 online
contents are an integral part of the University Web Portal
ALMA MATER - THE STRUCTURES
5 Campuses in Bologna, Forlì, Cesena, Ravenna, Rimini and a
decentralized base in Buenos Aires. Other teaching structures are based in
Cesenatico, Faenza, Imola, and Ozzano.
23 Faculties, 69 Departments and 1 Research Institute, 20 Research
Centres, 12 Service Centres, 7 Special Structures, 65 Libraries and 17
Museum Structures.
A surface area of 934 thousand sqm is assigned to teaching, scientific
and cultural activities on the 5 Campuses.
THE MULTI-CAMPUS SYSTEM
The multi-campus system of Alma Mater
in the Romagna region - created in 2001 is today considered a model for
decentralization, allowing for deployment
of learning opportunities and activation of
a stable research activity across the
territory.
The
results
are
as
follows:
• About 28% of the first-year students enrolled in the A.Y. 2009/10 chose
Romagna campuses
• The quality of research at the Romagna campuses is the same as at
Bologna according to recent surveys (CIVR evaluation)
MULTI-CAMPUS – FORLÌ CAMPUS
The Campus of Forlì - the first product of the
decentralization process – kicked off in 1989 with
the establishing of a degree programme in Political
Science
(International
Political
Science
specialization) and the founding of an Advanced
School of Modern Languages for Interpreters and
Translators. In following years the gamut of
learning opportunities broadened with the setting
up of new Faculties and, in October 2001, a proper
Campus administration.
Faculties:
• POLITICAL SCIENCE
• ECONOMICS
• ENGINEERING (SECOND FACULTY)
• ADVANCED SCHOOL FOR INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS
(SSLMIT)
MULTI-CAMPUS – CESENA CAMPUS
The small city of Cesena can boast a long
academic tradition dating back to the 16th
century. Interrupted in 1800, academic
activities did not resume until 1989 but then
with renewed intensity. As of 2001, university
activities in Cesena have given rise to a
proper Campus as part of the University's
multi-campus system.
Faculties:
• AGRICULTURE
• ARCHITECTURE
• ENGINEERING (SECOND FACULTY)
• VETERINARY MEDICINE (CESENATICO)
• PSYCHOLOGY
• MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES
MULTI-CAMPUS – RAVENNA CAMPUS
In targeting the cultural activities and the
opportunities offered by the local territory, the
Campus of Ravenna is an excellent venue for
studies related to the cultural heritage, the
environment and environmental quality, but also
business law, relations with Eastern Europe and
Mediterranean Countries and, more recently,
territorial and town planning.
Faculties:
• INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY (FAENZA)
• CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION
• LAW
• ENGINEERING
• MEDICINE
• MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES
MULTI-CAMPUS – RIMINI CAMPUS
The first university activities of Rimini Campus date
from 1972 and developed largely in the 1980s, with
a main focus on tourist and IT for business. In the
following years other Faculties were established
here, making this a fully-fledged national-level
campus.
Faculties:
• ECONOMICS
• STATISTICAL SCIENCES
• PHARMACY
• ARTS AND PHILOSOPHY
• INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY
• GYMNASTICS AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES
• MEDICINE
• EDUCATION SCIENCES
BUENOS AIRES ADVANCED STUDIES CENTER
In 1998 the University of Bologna set up the
Buenos Aires center (Argentina), creating an
academic campus strongly integrated with the
Argentinian university system. The mission of this
university branch is to train students to operate at
an international level, especially in international
relations between the EU and Latin America.
To accomplish its mission, Alma Mater in Buenos Aires offers interdisciplinary
degree programmes related to:
• the integration process, and international economic relations between the
EU and Latin America
• new democracy issues and perspectives
• corporate structure and strategies of business internationalization
• negotiation and cooperation processes within the international context
• management of institutional and organizational change
SPECIAL STRUCTURES: ISTITUTO DI STUDI SUPERIORI
To promote interdisciplinary exchange and mobility of students/scholars from
different Countries, the Istituto di Studi Superiori (ISS) was founded in 2008,
merging the Collegio Superiore and the Istituto di Studi Avanzati.
Founded in 1998, the Collegio Superiore currently hosts 132 students.
It offers training and education at a high level to students selected on a
meritocratic basis, integrating Faculty curricula with advanced interdisciplinary
pathways and providing a dedicated residence structure.
The Istituto di Studi Avanzati - operating since 2001 - supplies researchers
and professors at the University of Bologna with the tools and resources to host
visiting professors and young scholars in order to spread new ideas and make
the exchange of knowledge possible.
SERVICE STRUCTURES: LIBRARIES
The University of Bologna incorporates a huge and complex bibliographic
heritage, which is integrated in the SBA - the University Library System.
The University Library System (SBA) is composed of:
• 85 service points
• 6 thousand posts for reading and investigations
• 3.5 million monographs
• 21 thousand online periodicals
• 250 databases
• 20 thousand electronic books
The Inter-Library Centre (CIB) supplies automation services and develops
new library services.
ALMA MATER - THE PERSONNEL
3.098 permanent teachers and researchers, 3.151TA units, some 2.070
contract teachers and over 2.200 contract collaborators involved to a varying
extent in research activities
The collaboration of these last comprises:
• 169 postgraduate or PhD scholarships (including the scholarships for
the specialization courses abroad)
• 1.110 research grants and post-doctoral grants (as long as funds
permit)
• 296 autonomous contracts for research programmes
• 644 special training contracts for doctors
ALMA MATER - TEACHING
In all about 83 thousand students are enrolled in the University, making it
one of the best attended universities in Italy (A.Y. 2009/10) accounting for
some 5% of the national total.
The learning packet is composed of 220 degree programmes (A.Y.2010/11),
including:
•
•
•
•
•
51 doctoral/PhD programmes (cycle XXVI)
42 specialization programmes (A.Y. 2009/10)
43 first-level master's degree programmes (A.Y. 2009/10)
27 second-level master's degree programmes (A.Y. 2009/10)
52 advanced training courses/continuing education programmes
(A.Y. 2008/09)
ALMA MATER - LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
In the A.Y. 2010/11 the University has activated 220 degree programmes: 101
first-cycle degree programmes, 108 second-cycle degree programmes, 11 singlecycle degree programmes.
The attractiveness of the University's learning packet is proved by (A.Y. 2009/10):
• the percentage of foreign students enrolled: 6 % (the Italian average is
3.2 %)
• the percentage of students coming from other Italian regions: 41.9 % of
students enrolled (the Italian average is 20%)
• the number of students enrolled in PhD/Doctoral degree programmes:
1.750, of whom about 12.6% are foreign students.
The efficiency of the teaching system is proved by (A.Y. 2009/10):
• the percentage of students enrolled in the second year with at least 40
credits: 57.7 % (the Italian average is 32.9%)
• the number of on-time graduates. In 2009, 15.550 students graduated,
42.5% of them finishing their degrees on time (the Italian average is
40.7%)
POST-GRADUATE EDUCATION&TRAINING
The University of Bologna has committed itself
to an innovative system of post-graduate
programmes and to the initiative of lifelong
learning, partly arranged through a specific
external body: the Fondazione Alma Mater.
In the A.Y. 2009/10 there are 881 students enrolled in first-level master's
degree programmes and 442 enrolled in second-level master's programmes.
Alma Mater offers 15 master's degree programmes in an international
language.
The University is also engaged in other joint ventures for higher education,
such as the Alma Graduate School, operating in the field of business
management education.
ALMA MATER - SERVICES TO STUDENTS
The University of Bologna offers its students a wide array of services to support them during
their academic career and on into civic life. The main services are:
• FINANCIAL AID: scholarships and other financial aid services to students obtaining
good results and with a low income.
• GUIDANCE AND TUTORSHIP: days of vocational guidance towards an academic
career, counselling services, degree programme-dedicated tutorship, tutors at student
residences and career service oriented to the job market (traineeships and internships);
• ONLINE SERVICES: online registration, enrolment and payment (Almawelcome);
University e-mail account and dedicated websites (AlmaZeta, student's Mio Portale,
teacher's web page); registration and application to sit exams, curricula, online learning
material; guide to the learning prospectus and to Bologna city facilities; newsletter, etc;
• CULTURAL ACTIVITIES and MUSEUMS: a dedicated programme of cultural activities
organized by the various university structures, including liaison with other local
authorities (Unibocultura); network of university museums: the SMA (University
Museums System), the Museum of Palazzo Poggi and European Museum of the
Students; special cultural agreements with cinemas, theatres and cultural institutions;
• SPORTS AND LEISURE TIME SERVICES: the CUSB (the University of Bologna
Sports Centre) promoting and organizing university sports activities and competitions,
as well as managing sports facilities.
ALMA MATER - RESEARCH
The research activity at the University of Bologna is characterized by its
international and interdisciplinary nature, as well as by its excellence; its
research personnel includes teachers, about 1,300 researchers, 1,800 PhD
students and over 1,000 research grant holders. The research activity has led to
the realization of:
• 3,000 products of high and very high quality (annual average)
• 73 patent families up to October 2010
• € 13 millions in financial resources distributed in 2010 among the different
Departments, also depending on their productivity and scientific quality
• 188 projects sponsored by PRIN 2008 (of which 66 as national coordinators)
and 612 PRIN 2009 projects submitted, allowing the University to have in the
2008 competition, a success factor equivalent to 5.44% (over the national
average of large universities, which is equivalent to 3.97%).
RESEARCH – EUROPEAN FINANCING PROGRAMMES
The University of Bologna has already undertaken the internationalization
process for a long time. Since the beginning of the Framework Programme 7 EU, Alma Mater has obtained the financing for over 150 projects for a total of
more than 45 millions Euros.
7 FP Funded Projects
Cooperation
27
Capacities
16
6
Ideas
5
120
People
Other international
programmes
RESEARCH – INTERDIPARTIMENTAL CENTER FOR
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
With a total of 7 Interdepartmental Research Centres the University will take
part into the technological poles provided by the network of high technology of
the Emilia-Romagna Region, benefitting from important European and regional
aids.
• Advanced Applications in Mechanical
Engineering and Materials Technology
• Buiding and Construction
• Energy and Enviroment
• Health Science and Technologies
• ICT
RAVENNA
• Advanced Applications in Mechanical
Engineering and Materials Technology
• Buiding and Construction
• Energy and Enviroment
Bologna
FAENZA
• Advanced Applications in
Mechanical Engineering and
Materials Technology
Ravenna
Faenza
Forlì
FORLÌ
• Aeronautics
• ICT
Rimini
Cesena
RIMINI
• Advanced Applications in Mechanical
Engineering and Materials Technology
• Energy and Enviroment
CESENA
• Agro-food
• ICT
ALMA MATER - INTERNATIONALIZATION
Internationalization has long
been considered a strategic
leverage instrument for the Alma
Mater development plan.
International learning prospectus:
• In the A.Y. 20010/11, 34 international degree programmes were activated –
first and second cycle – leading to double, multiple, or joint degrees, 12 of
which were held in English. Currently, the degree programmes offered
mainly deal with agriculture, economics, engineering, political science,
industrial chemistry and mathematics.
Educational internationalization:
• 85 projects activated in 2009 and 2010;
• The Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window initiative has been the
main success in 2010: the University of Bologna is the Italian university
winning most economic resources with about 4 million Euros, distributed
over 11 projects.
ALMA MATER - INTERNATIONALIZATION
University students abroad: Alma Mater ranks first in Europe for the number of
students participating in international mobility programmes. In the A.Y. 2009/10, the
mobility grants assigned comprised:
•
•
•
•
1.473 Erasmus scholarships
59 Erasmus Placement grants
164 Overseas grants
78 Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window scholarships
About a hundred teachers had at least one mobility experience abroad as part of
the Erasmus Teaching Staff Mobility or on monitoring visits.
Foreign students at the University:
• The number of foreign students regularly enrolled in degree programmes is
constantly growing: in 2009/10, there were 5.000, over 6% of all students enrolled
• 2.080 foreign students chose the University of Bologna in the A.Y. 2009/10
via international mobility projects, and 750 of these participated in
Summer Schools.
In all, the University of Bologna annually welcomes over 7 thousand students and
about 200 foreign teachers.
INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION AND RECOGNITION
Positioning of Alma Mater among the top international rankings (Year 2010)
• 176th position in the international QS - World University Rankings of the
world best universities, consolidating its position in the 200 top universities
together with Roma “La Sapienza” (at the 190th position)
• The fundamental objective of the CHE Excellence Ranking is not to make a
classification but to identify groups of excellence in a particular disciplinary
area, through the realization of a multidimensional ranking. In the 2010
edition, the Excellence Ranking exclusively focused on natural and
mathematical sciences and the University of Bologna proved to excellent in
the chemical area. In 2009, the Excellence Ranking has reviewed the
economic, political and psychological sciences, with the University of Bologna
distinguishing itself in all three areas. The results are published in the
prestigious Die Zeit weekly magazine
• Among the first 300 university in the world, the fifth position in Italy, in the
classification realized by Jiao Tong University of Shanghai
• 118th world position, third for Italy (ex-aequo with Padua), in the
Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities
(Taiwan)
• 86th world position, first in Italy, in the Webometrics classification
FOR FURTHER DETAILS
Web Portal of the University of Bologna
www.eng.unibo.it/PortaleEn
Research
www.eng.unibo.it/PortaleEn/Research
Learning Opportunities
www.eng.unibo.it/PortaleEn/Academic+programmes
Internationalization
www.eng.unibo.it/PortaleEn/International+Relations
Student-Oriented Services
www.almazeta.unibo.it
Alma Mater Support
www.unibo.it/Portale/Ateneo/FundRaising