Italy

Italy, officially known by its alternative names of Italia, the Italian Republic or Repubblica Italiana, is an independent country in south-central Europe. It occupies a peninsula of a peculiar shape which projects deeply into the Mediterranean Sea. The country shares its northern borders with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia with the Alps serving as a physical barrier. Italy has a rather large coastline which borders on the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea, as well as the Ligurian Sea. The capital of the country is Rome, which is also one of the sovereign state’s main tourist destinations as well as major cities.

Italy is among the frequently-considered and often-visited locations when it comes to studying abroad. This is due to several factors such as the country’s rather long history of providing higher education, the number of available universities and subjects as well as other reasons such as tuition fees and the ability to practice skills such as understanding foreign languages. Italy, as already mentioned, has a rather long history of providing higher education. For instance, one of the oldest universities in Europe, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088, can be found in this country. Similarly, the universities of Padua (1222), Naples Federico II (1224), Siena (1240), Macerata (1290), Rome (1303), Perugia (1308), Firenze (1321), and Pisa (1343) can be found in this sovereign state. Many of the universities in the country have also been the Alma Mater for many historical figures including Albertus Magnus, James Gregory, Nicolaus Copernicus, and others. In addition, the country currently has between 200 and 250 universities with international recognition and accreditation which offer a broad range of subjects such as Arts, Culturology, Economics, Law & Jurisprudence, Administration, Business, Philosophy, Philology, History and Humanities. Furthermore, students can practice foreign language skills such as English and Italian. However, one should bear in mind that tuition fees can vary greatly.