Italy - higher education system

The Italian higher education system is organised as follows:

• tertiary education offered by universities
• tertiary education offered by the High level Arts and Music Education system (Alta formazione artistica e musicale - Afam)
• higher technical education and training offered by the Higher technical institutes
• education offered by higher institutions

Only tertiary education offered by universities and Afam institutions will be dealt with in this chapter. In fact, only these two types of institutions offer programmes leading to first, second and third-cycle qualifications (ISCED levels 5 and 6).

Universities are the main place where free research and education are carried out together with free learning and critical development of knowledge. Universities work combining research and teaching according to principles of autonomy and responsibility. Universities adopt autonomous statutes establishing their governing bodies (e.g. rector, Senato Accademico, board of management) as well as their teaching and research structures.