Italy as a study destination for foreign students: facts and myths related to HE in the belpaese

1. Italy as a study destination for foreign students: facts and myths related to HE in the belpaese Dario Consoli MIP-Politecnico di Milano consoli@mip.polimi.it Scuola di Management per le Università, gli Enti di ricerca e le Istituzioni Scolastiche TEA TEAM: Training Educational Advisers To Enhance Academic Mobility, Zagreb, June 25th-27th, 2008

2. Agenda • Italy and HE; an introduction • The Bologna Process and its impact on Italian HE system • Pros and Cons about studying in Italy; analysis of the market • Italian institutions that are recruiting worldwide • Approach of Students Counsellors towards Italian HE Institutions and Italian diplomatic representatives • The Italian Application Procedure • The Politecnico di Milano case

3. Italy and HE; an introduction Il belpaese

4. Italy and HE; an introduction • 89 Universities (55 State Universities, 3 Technical Universities, 17 Private-Recognised Universities, 2 Universities for foreigners, 12 Higher Institutes for Special Disciplines, 2006 data) • 1,8 Million Italian Students in Higher Education • Moderately-high Mobility of Italians Studying Abroad, mainly as Erasmus Students (close to 3%) • Lower Mobility of Foreign Students in Italian Institutions (close to 2%) • 14 Italian Universities with over 4% of Foreign Students (05/06) Trieste (8,4%), Bocconi di Milano (5,9%), Trento (5,8%), Firenze (5,6%), Politecnico di Milano (5.3%), Bologna (5,2%), Brescia (5,0%), Verona (4,7%), Padova (4,4%), Politecnica delle Marche (4,4%), Camerino (4,3%), Politecnico di Torino (4,2%), Modena e Reggio Emilia (4,2%), Genova (4,0%)

5. 3rd levelDottorato Di Ricerca • Ph.D. 2nd LevelLaurea Magistrale • Master of Science 1st level Laurea • Bachelor Italy and HE; Bologna in Italy II Level Master I Level Master • 13-years education

6. The Bologna Process and its impact on Italian HE system: Before Bologna 5 year degree system • 300 ECTS Credits, Thesis • Lower graduation rate than current system • Few students actually graduating in 5 years, late entry into job market All courses in Italian • Difficulty for foreign students to enrol • Low possibility for internationalisation at home Archaic Admission Procedure • Late admissions decisions as compared to other countries • Out-of-touch with international higher education admission practices • Necessity for foreign candidates to apply through Italian Embassy Late announcement of admission, heavy bureaucracy • Admissions Decisions made in September for the same academic year • Dichiarazione di Valore needed (Italy hasn’t ratified the Lisbon Convention) • Translation of documents, heavy expenses for students from developing countries

7. The Bologna Process and its impact on Italian HE system: Post Bologna Language • No longer necessarily a barrier • Master programs throughout Europe internationalizing, offering English as the medium of instruction • Pioneers: • Sweden • The Netherlands • More and more international students interested in attending programs offered in the host country language Standard system throughout Europe: vertical mobility a realistic option for many more students • Credit Transfer less of a problem • Students no longer dependent on Erasmus acceptance in order to change countries Separated degrees • Option to enter workforce earlier, or begin work and return for second degree (allows for an increase in the practical experience of students/entrants into the workforce)

8. Pros vs Cons about studying in Italy; analysis of the market – Good News • Italian Universities start understanding the need to internationalise themselves as a way to keep best students (“internationalisation at home” concept) • Fewer Funding from Ministry of Education (MIUR) means funding through other sources (i.e. recruiting students abroad), therefore: • International students are starting to be percieved as a resource, not as an additional problem • Eastern Europe and Balkans are natural markets for Italian HE Universities. Some banks offer special loans to students from these areas • Foreign Students in Public Universities are subsidised by the Italian Government: ALL students, regardless of nationality (students pay according to family income) • Small, but Growing Number of Universities provide Programs in English, Courses of Italian Language for Foreigners • Growing Number of Italian Companies Need International Students formed in Italian Universities (i.e. Fiat Group, Pirelli, Telecom Italia Mobile, ENI, Italcementi, Merloni-Indesit, Unicredit etc.)

9. Pros and Cons about studying in Italy; analysis of the market – Bad News • Italian Universities offer Very Low Level of Services (especially if compared with Anglo-Saxon Model) • Best Universities are in Worst Locations (for students life): Milan, Rome (High Cost of Living, Municipalities not Well Organised) • University Staff out of Internationalisation Offices still not too welcoming International Students • Talks to Start Increasing Tuitions Fees for Non-European Students • Public Expenditures on Education in Italy lowering, without Private Investments Picking up at the moment • SME companies very slow in internationalisation, low recruitment of Foreign Students • Application procedures for non European students

10. Italian institutions that are recruiting worldwide Through Vertical Mobility and Students Exchanges: • Bocconi, Politecnico di Milano, Politecnico di Torino, Cattolica (Milan), Luiss, Uni Camerino, Uni delle Marche, Universities for foreigners (Perugia, Siena, Urbino, Reggio Calabria, Catania etc), Schools of Design (usually not recognised at university level; only exception NABA) Through Students Exchanges: • Trieste, Trento, Firenze, Bologna, Brescia, Verona, Padova, Politecnica delle Marche, Modena e Reggio Emilia, Genova

11. Approach of Students Counsellors towards Italian HE Institutions and Italian diplomatic representatives • Application procedures for non European students to Italian universities is slow, burocratic, costly and complicated • Embassy staff dedicated to visa issues is usually unprepared and unfriendly (with few but significative exceptions) • Knowledge of Italian language certified on an informal base (usually), chances for errors and misinterpretations high Therefore: • Make sure to make contacts with the university staff: when you target the right people there, they will help you with the embassies • Define your role in the most effective way; agents are not usually known or welcomed in Italian universities. If you have other administrative/academic titles/roles, use them • Follow up with embassies linking them to university staff: sometimes you’ll be the first to do so

12. Pol. di Milano Admission Procedure Application to Politecnico (Jan. 17 – Apr. 28, 2008) Credential Evaluation and application processing Faculty Evaluation Committee review University decision communicated to applicants by mid-May Accepted candidates must apply for visa through Embassy (April 23 – May 23) Scholarship Committee meets (early June) Successful candidates informed about scholarships Archivation and collection of official, legalized documents for enrolling student through Italian Embassies/Consulates Involvement of accommodation office, student support services from July onward Students arrive in September, have 2-week intensive italian lessons before semester The Italian application procedure for non EU • Traditional Italian Admission Procedure • Student must apply for admission and visa through Embassy (April 23 – May 23). • Embassy sends application materials to University in late July • No one at University in August, so applications are reviewed in September • Students notified of admission or requested to present themselves IN PERSON for an interview in late-September. • Admissions decision made weeks before the beginning of the school year. • Students already have visa and have arrived before decision made in many cases,, so if the University doesn’t accept them, what happens?

13. The Politecnico di Milano and Internationalization

14. Politecnico di Milano: The process of Internationalization 2005 - present • UniversityPriority = Funding • Increasing the internationalprofile and attractivenessof the Universitythrough promotion and scholarships • Changing the evaluation and admission procedure Languageconsiderations • On campus • On website • Facilities • Future Alumni • Increasing the numberofprograms in English • Increasing the numberofinternationalstudentsstudying in Italian

15. 2005/2006 Como/Lecco Campuses Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering (CO) Computer Engineering (CO) Mechanical Engineering (LC) Building Engineering (LC) Milano Campuses Urban Planning (Leonardo) Product Service System Design (Bovisa) Computing Systems Engineering (Leonardo) 2006/2007 Como/Lecco Campuses Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering (CO) Computer Science Engineering (CO) Environmental Engineering (CO) Mechanical Engineering (LC) Building Engineering (LC) Civil Engineering (LC) Milano Campuses Urban Planning and Policy Design(Leonardo) Product-Service-System Design (Bovisa) Engineering of Computing Systems (Leonardo) Architecture (Leonardo) Materials Engineering (Leonardo) Politecnico and Internationalization: Vertical Mobility Masters of Science in English 2005/2006 & 2006/2007

16. International Scholarship Scheme and distribution 2005/2006 • Scholarship scheme possible thanks to the collaboration of the Italian foreign trade organization (ICE and Unioncamere) and the Chambers of Commerce of Milano, Como, and Lecco. • In 2005, 140 scholarships were awarded to students of excellence from over 50 countries. • In 2006, 2007, 2008, over 170 scholarships available, another 10 targeted at specific non-EU countries. • The vast majority of the these students enrolled in programmes where English was the medium of instruction.

17. International Recruitment – Politecnico di Milano University • 1° Italian state university to recruit internationally • Markets of particular emphasis: • Asia (China and India in particular) • Middle East (Egypt and Lebanon in particular) • Eastern Europe (financing strategies available) • Brazil • Active recruitment and branding push worldwide through: • Fairs • Agents • Advertising (newspapers) • Italian Foreign Trade Commission (ICE) • Collaboration with Embassies/Consulates for promotion – a bridge to the admissions process

18. GRAZIE! Dario Consoli consoli@mip.polimi.it