Italy sees slow growth in international student numbers

Italy’s universities are slowly increasing their attractiveness to international students, but a small number of institutions accounts for most of that increase, a report has found.

The overall number of international students coming to Italy is also low, by comparison with other countries, according to the report, published on 6 June by the Consorzio Interuniversitario AlmaLaurea, a group of universities. AlmaLaurea’s director Marina Timoteo presented the report during a conference on universities and the job market in Rome.

The data in the report showed that 11.3 per cent of Italian students graduating in 2018 gained some experience abroad during their university years—which is associated with better job prospects. However, students coming to Italy from abroad accounted for only 3.5 per cent of the total number of graduates in 2018.