The University of Palermo (UNIPA) is a consolidated cultural, scientific and teaching presence in central-western Sicily. Its 5 Schools and 20 Departments cover the most important domains of contemporary scientific and technological knowledge. About 122 courses (first and second cycle) are yearly offered as well as 44 master and specialization and 23 PhD courses, targeted to the training of specific professional figures, often in cooperation with external institutions and companies - a galaxy which attracted 11,085 first-year students in 2013/2014 academic year. The University General Hospital is a local health corporation that works in synergy with the Faculty of Medicine. It provides beds, day-hospital beds, and a first-aid service.
UNIPA is also present in Agrigento, Caltanissetta e Trapani. There is a closed link between UNIPA and the labor market: 3rd students of 1st cycle degree courses and 2nd year students of the 2nd cycle experience practice periods within public or private companies and agencies. Palermo University has 20 Departments, where researchers study every day to find new solution to the questions posed by nature, science and society. From Information Technology to Biology, from Mathematics to Medicine, to Social Sciences and Preservation of Cultural Heritage, the University works to make its contribution of innovation and progress to the international scientific community and the world of production.
In the laboratories – many of which are open to the local community – the first step of collaboration between researchers in the academic world and in the business world are taken, basic and applied research is carried out, and young brains are given the chance to turn their intuitions to good account. Here scientific research finds its application in robotics, pharmaceutical industry, ecology, and medical diagnostics. Successful technological transfer implies the full synergy of innovative technologies, scientific expertise, production systems and processes. Actually, it is necessary to implement a full-fledged system including the “know-how”, production processes, goods, services and organizational and operational skills.
In order to contribute to achieve this goal, the University of Palermo has set up a network of University labs (UniNetLab) for testing and transferring new technologies to SMEs. UniNetLab is the natural evolution of single consolidation actions of some University labs. It aims at the technological innovation of enterprises for the economic recovery of Southern Italy. The University labs integrated system has been conceived to create synergies among the different types of expertise available. It is also meant to be a centre of reference for other activities of technological transfer of the Universities and research entities operating in our region, in view of using financial resources better and reaching the necessary critical mass of operators in the sector.
In 1806 Ferdinand III of Bourbon, King of Naples and the Two Sicilies, transformed the Palermo Academy of Studies into a university, granting it the power to bestow degrees in Theology, Medicine, Law, and Arts – a conquest the city had awaited for centuries. The seal on the decree bears the stamp that has become the present-day university’s institutional logo: the Trinacria flanked by Minerva, representing the arts, and by Mercury, representing sciences. But the events that led to the foundation of the university go back much further in time. In 1550 the Jesuit College was created, which was destined to achieve a role of absolute dominance in the reality of the times. Having constructed with extreme rapidity the imposing Collegio Massimo, now the seat of the Regional Library, which proved to be second only to that in Munich, the Jesuits obtained from the Pope the right to bestow degrees in Philosophy and Theology.
A new page opened on the first of December 1767, when the Jesuits were expelled from the Bourbon Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily and all their goods, including libraries, were confiscated. On 31 July 1778 the King set up a Deputation, which he charged with the task of reorganizing the Study in Palermo. The regulations of the new Academy were characterized by the fact that in addition to the teaching “of words”, the instruction “of things” was introduced, e.g. geometry, economics, agriculture, and commerce. This was the embryo of the future university.
The Academy awarded the “baccalaureate” at the end of two years’ study, the “licence” after the third year, and finally the degree on termination of the course of study, which lasted from three to five years. The Palermo Study achieved a number of successes, including the creation in 1790 of the Botanical Garden and the foundation of an Astronomical Observatory, with the result that Sicily was able to find its place in the circuit of European culture, making marked progress in higher education. The Academy’s first official set of regulations was approved in 1783, when it was allotted its own funds and given full didactic, administrative and disciplinary autonomy.
The constitution in Palermo of a full-scale University was ordained by royal despatch dated 3 November 1805, and the diploma signed by King Ferdinand III of Bourbon, which gave the Academy the title of Royal University of Studies, arrived on 12 January 1806.UNIPA’s great transformation came in 1860, when Garibaldi arrived on the scene. The present-day non-religious form of University was thus created, thanks to the Pro-Dictator Mordini, who also forged links with the European higher education system – this eventually led to the foundation of the School of Engineers and Architects.
This was the beginning of the process by which UNIPA became what it is today, a mega-university with twelve faculties distributed in various manner throughout the territory, with University Poles in other central-western provinces of Sicily.
Registration for admission tests to Laurea Magistrale degree courses in: Medicine and Surgery, Medicine and Surgery in the English language where offered by universities, Dentistry and Dental Prostheses, Veterinary Medicine, and for courses dedicated to the training of an Architect.The registration for the test is carried out online by the student and is not subject to the preliminary start of the pre-enrolment procedures at the diplomatic-consular Missions, which must, however, be initiated and formalized, as mandated, no later than the deadlines established by the calendars.
Institutions wishing to select candidates directly for their study courses prior to the university pre- enrolment procedure will be able to carry out their own preliminary evaluation of individual applications, requesting from the individual student a copy of academic qualifications and any other documents they consider useful for this preliminary evaluation (certification by official foreign bodies, certification issued by ENIC-NARIC centres, etc.). The institution will send the individual candidates, once found suitable for enrolment, a Letter of eligibility for enrolment, drawn up according to Form D4 attached to these procedures, which must be presented by the candidates to the diplomatic-consular Missions during the university pre-enrolment phase.
Candidates in possession of the Letter of eligibility for enrolment must present this document to the diplomatic-consular Missions during the university pre-enrolment procedures. The diplomatic-consular Missions, in the cases where the candidate presents a regular Letter of eligibility for enrolment, will verify all the elements related to the visa application for study purposes, with the exception of the academic evaluation concerning the qualifications for admission to courses, already carried out by the university institutions, agreeing on this point with the opinion expressed by the university, as per the current legislation, without prejudice to their assessment of whether or not to issue a visa.
The preventive acceptance by the institution does not in any case replace the actual pre-enrolment to the course. Once the pre-enrolment has been completed, all students must apply to the Italian diplomatic consular Mission of their country of residence for a university study/enrolment visa.
Documents drafted in a foreign language for consignment to diplomatic-consular Missions must be accompanied by an official translation into Italian. The Mission will return the original academic qualifications furnished with the consular legalization, except for those cases in which the Country where the qualifications were issued already applies the Apostille. The said documents will not be sent by the Missions to the Universities, but should be consigned directly by the student to the academic authorities during the period of completion of the enrolment procedures, following the methods and timelines adopted by the institution.
For the procedures of qualification evaluation performed by the institutions, the student can verify directly with the university applied to which kind of translation must be produced (sworn, certified etc.) and for which foreign languages said translation is, or is not, exempted.
In cases in which a foreign student already enrolled at an Italian University has abandoned his/her studies and requests a new enrolment at the same or a different University, he/she cannot use the specific student residency permit which was granted for the first enrolment. The decision to interrupt studies results in a shortcoming of the requisites stipulated for the stay in the national territory and, consequently, in the withdrawal of the authorizing permit.
Students interested in Laurea degree or Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico (single-cycle) degree courses:
Documents to be presented to diplomatic-consular Missions:
Documents normally requested by higher education institutions:
Higher education institutions are obliged to test the linguistic ability of students for access to courses. Each institution must organise a test of proficiency in the Italian language, obligatory for all Laurea degree and Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico (single-cycle) degree courses, except for those cases which are exempted as indicated in the paragraph below. This test is to be held preferably off- campus and before the visa application, thereby allowing for the certification of this proficiency during the request for a study visa, for an acceleration of such procedures and to lessen the pressure on the candidate.
The test of proficiency in the Italian language is not required for courses held in other languages, for which the individual universities can check for the possession of specific certification.
Exemption from the language proficiency test:
a) those students who have obtained certificates of proficiency in the Italian language with a grade not inferior to B2 level of the Council of Europe, awarded as determined by the CLIQ (Certificazione Lingua Italiana di Qualità) quality system, which unites in one association the current certification bodies (University for Foreigners of Perugia, University for Foreigners of Siena, Roma Tre University and the Dante Alighieri Society) and University for Foreigners “Dante Alighieri” of Reggio Calabria, as well as in convention with Italian Institutes of Culture abroad or other institutions. These certifications may be gained in the country of origin, in the approved exam centres found all over the world;
Exemption from the language test and quotas
For enrolment to Laurea degree and Laurea Magistrale a ciclo unico (single-cycle) degree courses, exemption is granted to, irrespectively of the number of reserved places:
For enrolment to Laurea Magistrale degree courses (should the University autonomously require the test) exemption is granted to those students holding the qualifications outlined in the previous letters d) and e).
Nobody may be admitted to further competitive or aptitude tests - if any - who has not passed the language test. As regards the Laurea Magistrale (non single-cycle) degree courses, independent decisions by the universities may mandate passing the test of proficiency in the Italian language. The following are exempted from the Italian language test, but subject to the limit of the specific number of places reserved for visa applicants and residents abroad: those students described in the following paragraph are exempted from the preliminary Italian language test and are enrolled independently of the fixed quota of places.
University of Palermo is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the medium-sized city of Palermo , Sicilia. This institution has also branch campuses in the following location(s): Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Erice. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca, Italia (Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, Italy), Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA) is a very large coeducational higher education institution. Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees in several areas of study. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.
The formal system for accreditation of State University programs in Italy began in 1933. This law accredits a set of Universities, faculties, and courses. It involves two separate but correlated programs that were instituted at the same time: First, each University went through a four-step process to adopt and approve its own Regolamenti Didattici di Ateneo (RDA). The RDA establishes the rules for the organisation of teaching at the university, including establishing the requirements and objectives of each degree program, the curricula, credits awarded and requirements and objectives of examinations.
The RDA's were developed in consultation with representatives of the individual university, the regional coordinating committee (CRC), employers and the National University Council and are ultimately approved by the Ministry of Education (MIUR). Second, a series of formal, objective standards was adopted as minimum requirements for approval of any programs.
Residenza Universitaria RUME (feminine) hosts Italian and foreign students and offers residential services (food, accommodation, laundry and ironing) and educational services (orientation, coaching and tutoring)aiming at the enhancement of merit and intercultural preparation. The admission takes place through an interview (also possible via skype) with cognitive and motivational purpose. Thanks to ERSU (the regional authority in charge of services concerning university students’ right to study), accommodation is available for about 1000 non residential students. Accommodation but also food, thanks to the four university canteens.
The University Medical Clinic (AMU), is an initiative of the University of Palermo in partnership with the University Hospital "Paolo Giaccone", to offer a free service of multidisciplinary outpatient medical assistance to students, PhD students, postgraduate students, fellows and University Scholars, as well as all foreign students attending the University according to specific agreements and programs.
Not just somewhere to study, but a complex community that provides services, offers incentives and opportunities for development, and support the students in the successive stages of their training – UNIPA presents itself to students who choose it as a place of study.
There are also foreign languages and IT courses at special rates, scholarships for the most meritorious, including those without sufficient economic means, contributions towards travels abroad, and cultural activities such as exhibitions, concerts and workshops.
The library facilities available to the students, (but also local inhabitants) are distributed in the five Schools and comprise more than 1,550,000 books and over 6500 periodicals.
