On the Ligurian coast of north-western Italy, the port city of Genoa has had degree-granting colleges since the 13th century, and Wikipedia gives 1481 as the founding year of the original university. A papal bull of Sixtus IV in 1471 had established the College of Theology, and Britannica gives 1471 as the founding year of the university.
Naval and economic studies entered the institution in 1870 with a Royal Naval School and a Royal School of Economic Studies, which became the faculties of Engineering and Economics of the Royal University of Genoa in 1936. The university today is organised into five schools: Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Physics; Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Social Sciences; Humanities; and the Polytechnic School, which covers civil, chemical, mechanical, naval, electrical and telecommunications engineering as well as architecture and design.
Teaching takes place in Genoa and at sites in Savona, La Spezia and Imperia. The university’s English-language homepage reports more than 36,000 students, while Wikipedia records 39,766 enrolled in 2021-22. Degree lists, admission rules and fee scales are published on unige.it.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Software Engineering, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of EUA, UNIMED. Strong links with the port of Genoa and maritime industries.
Research:
Marine and maritime technologies, Robotics and AI, Sustainable energy, Materials science, Environmental engineering.
Famous Alumnis:
Fabrizio De André (attended), Franco Malerba
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2500
Current students***:
30000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
150000
Pros
Strong in maritime-related fields and robotics, located in a historic port city, good research facilities in specific areas.
Cons
City’s economic situation can be challenging, some facilities are old, university is spread across the city.
Best For
Engineering with a focus on maritime and robotics, and comprehensive science programs.
University of Southern Denmark in Denmark is a public university noted in the pool for robotics, engineering and health sciences.
University of South-Eastern Norway in Norway is a public institution with maritime operations and micro and nano systems technology.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was the University of Genoa established?
Wikipedia gives 1481 as the founding year of the original university, although a papal bull of 1471 had created the College of Theology. Britannica gives 1471 as the founding date.
What are the origins of its naval engineering?
A Royal Naval School opened in Genoa in 1870 and was merged into the university in 1936 as part of the Faculty of Engineering. Naval engineering is still taught within the Polytechnic School.
How is the university structured?
It has five schools, including the Polytechnic School and the schools of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. The schools coordinate around two dozen departments.
Does teaching happen outside Genoa?
Yes, the university also teaches in Savona, La Spezia and Imperia, according to Wikipedia.
How many students study there?
The university's own homepage mentions more than 36,000 students, and Wikipedia gives 39,766 for 2021-22. Check unige.it for the latest enrolment report.
Where do applicants look for fees and entry requirements?
The official site unige.it lists degree courses, admission procedures and the contribution scale for each programme.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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