The University of Parma is a State University. As such, it is self-governing and has administrative, organisational, and accountancy autonomy, while providing tailored services for students
History
Its centuries-old history dates back to 13th March 962, when Emperor Ottonian I conferred on Uberto, the Bishop of Parma, the initiation of the University in the Diploma this document, which granted the Bishop the power to order and elect legal leaders was the foundation for an educational institution that would last centuries later, and is still preserved in the Bishop's Archives in Parma today.
Education
The University holds 9 Departments, 39 First Cycle Degree Courses, 6 Single Cycle Degree Courses, 41 Second Cycle Degree Courses (5 of which entirely held in English), as well as many Postgraduate schools, Teacher Training courses, several Master Programmes and PhDs.
Research
The International Research Office handles the administrative, financial, and organisational burdens related to international research projects. In particular, the key activities of the office are:
The dissemination of information on the various calls for proposals for international projects via a dedicated service (F1RST-UNIPR) and a weekly newsletter;
Technical and administrative advice on preparing proposals within H2020 and other programmes
Support with the financial management of H2020 projects;
The organisation and development of training courses, seminars and workshops related to Horizon 2020 and the main European funding programmes (e.g., LIFE, Creative Europe, Interreg, etc).
Career
The Careers counselling office is open to assist both high-school and postgraduate students in choosing the best faculty according to their wishes and abilities or in making decisions about their professional career.
The office provides information about the courses offered by the University of Parma, as well as about all the other available services. It also provides guides and brochures about all Faculties. It organises individual interviews by appointment, as well as visits to the Faculties. It cooperates with the faculties lecturers to organize careers counselling meetings at high schools. It also works with high schools for the organization of careers counselling activities.
University of ParmaKey Statistics & Highlights
#601Ranking
869Academic Staff
27,015Students
1,621Students (int'l)
15,399Students (female)
University of ParmaOverview
University of ParmaRankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 14.2%Italy
Top 8.3%Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
601
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Dropped 100 places compared to 2025
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
2024
2025
2026
501
501
601
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
739
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 119 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
2025
2026
2027
596
620
739
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
1001
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
951
1001
1001
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2027 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
601
601
-
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
The Student registry office deals with the administrative part of student careers (admission/enrolment, exams registration, certificates, transfer requests, requests for admission to final examinations, etc.).
Housing services
The HousingAnywhere service is a free housing platform for international students where demand and supply of short term accommodation can come together.If you are an outgoing student, you can use the service to:
Rent or sublet your accommodation in Parma exactly during your time abroad
Looking for an accommodation in your host country
If you are an incoming student, you can use the service to book one of the accommodation that outgoing students released temporarily
Library services
The literary resources of the University of Parma are kept in the many libraries. The implementation of web information services, including bibliographic data and electronic magazines, has significantly increased the range and quality of the services offered by the University Libraries, that offer literary resources up to around 1,000,000 books and 8,000 magazine subscriptions.
ICT services
Computer laboratories are available to students in most university buildings.
The Wi-Fi service allows the connection to the University net in almost all areas and it's accessible to staff and students through e-mail and password.
The University provides several internet stations, which are available to all students for study purposes.
Medical services
The National Health Service provides a number of free or payment (so-called "ticket") services to both Italian and foreign citizens, through public structures or agreements with private structures.
Parma is served by a public hospital and private clinics.
Campus life
The different locations of the University allow students to study in comfortable, efficient structures even near green areas, such as the Campus: a 77-hectare area in the south of the city hosting scientific departments, modern and well-equipped lecture halls, comfortable study areas, technologically advanced laboratories, and a CNR centre - as well as several sports facilities, a conference centre, and a canteen.
In the heart of the city, the University's central building houses the rector's office, administrative offices and Law. The Medical school is also in the city, located in the Hospital, while Economics and the Political Sciences are next to the Parco Ducale.
Sports facilities
Physical activity is an integral part of education. The University of Parma thus provides opportunities to combine sport with study through its CUS.
The University CUS manages the sport facilities, amateur and competitive sports activities, and provides sports services to the students of the University of Parma.
Student clubs
The University of Parma promotes cultural, sports and recreational activities for students, also by setting up services and facilities in cooperation with public or private bodies and students’ associations.
Associations or groups of students may apply for funding of cultural and social activities.
Accreditation
It is accredited by Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, Italia.
great program with great teachers many ressourcs to study from and also funded programs and competitions, working with the teacher who developped matlab fsda toolbox is great and we use it in our data science courses
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
4/5
good
a historic, established uni but not well organized as it is the case with all italian universities. good programmes with a lot of variety and a reputable establishment that is well known in italy. i recommend
Posted byAnonymous
Studied fromUnknown
Posted onAug 2026
3/5
No title
My experience at the University of Parma has been generally positive, especially in terms of academic content and exposure to data science concepts. The courses are interesting and cover relevant topics, helping me build a strong foundation in analytical thinking and technical skills. I also appreciate the international environment, which allows interaction with students from different backgrounds. However, there are some areas that could be improved. At times, communication about schedules, exams, and administrative processes can be unclear or delayed, which can be challenging for international students. Additionally, better organization and more structured support services would improve the overall experience. Overall, it has been a good learning experience, and I believe it has contributed positively to my academic development.
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