Internationalization strategy

The University of Pavia confirms its leadership in internationalization, ranking first for “Internationalization of large Universities” in the CENSIS ranking of Italian universities for the academic year 2024/25.

UNIPV has been one of the pioneering Italian universities in implementing internationalization processes within its academic system. Since the late 1980s, the University of Pavia has been among the first Italian ERASMUS host institutions available for international students and, within the Coimbra Group (an association of long-established European universities with high international standards), it has contributed to numerous projects aimed at Europeanizing the university system (e.g., the implementation of the ECTS credit transfer system), which later became standard practice across European university systems.

Building on this pioneering position, UNIPV has continued to believe in the necessity of creating international career opportunities for its students, offering international scholarships for deserving students and fostering competitive research environments by funding projects for local researchers and attracting scholars from all over the world.

Thanks to the numerous academic contacts developed over the years, the University of Pavia has built an extensive network of international collaborations, currently including at least 500 universities and research institutions worldwide, further consolidating its prestige in the global academic landscape.

At the same time, UNIPV has directed part of the proceeds from international funding towards developing countries, creating the University Center for Cooperation and Development (CICOPS). Founded in 1984, CICOPS promotes cooperation with developing countries and stimulates relations between the University of Pavia and academic institutions in these countries. Its main goal is to strengthen human and institutional development through the provision of scholarships for young researchers, the creation of international cooperation agreements, and the organization of scientific and cultural training activities.

Since 2017, UNIPV has been part of the EC2U alliance (European Campus of City-Universities), a network of ten historic European universities (Coimbra, Iasi, Jena, Linz, Lviv, Pavia, Poitiers, Salamanca, Turku, Umea) characterized by a strong connection to their regions and a clear international vocation. The goal of the alliance is to create a true pan-European campus by strengthening student mobility, developing a shared governance model, and implementing innovative projects in the areas of education, research, and knowledge transfer.

In recent years, the University of Pavia has focused its efforts on three main objectives: attracting students and faculty from abroad; creating international excellence pathways; and increasing mobility opportunities for studying, internships, teaching, and training abroad. These objectives have led to the development of innovative teaching strategies aimed at maximizing the value of cultural diversity within the classrooms.

Among the most significant initiatives undertaken is the expansion of the international educational offer in English, making the programs more accessible to students from all over the world. In addition, the University has streamlined enrollment procedures to make access for international students more direct and smooth.

At the same time, the role of the Welcome Office for International Students has been strengthened as a key reference point for welcoming international freshmen. Regarding international visibility, the University has worked to improve its reputation through participation in international fairs and presence on specialized online platforms.

UNIPV has also actively participated in major European mobility and academic cooperation programs, implementing projects funded under Erasmus+ (Key Action 1, Key Action 2, Key Action 3, Jean Monnet Actions), Digital Europe, CERV, EuropeAid, Horizon Europe, and Interreg Europe. With a focus on inclusion for mobility participants, the University has promoted "virtual" mobility experiences organized in collaboration with foreign university partners. Thanks to Erasmus Blended Intensive Programmes, the University of Pavia has expanded its range of prestigious curricular experiences, with the aim of strengthening the transversal skills of students, faculty, and staff, as well as their knowledge and understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In addition to these initiatives, the University has promoted the "Visiting Staff" program to attract high-level international faculty and researchers, thus contributing to enriching the quality of teaching and research within the university.

Finally, UNIPV’s international collaborations have been strengthened through the increase of double degrees and joint degrees with European and non-European universities, contributing to consolidating the University’s position as a reference hub in global higher education. The continuous review of bilateral agreements and entry into international excellence consortia are signs of a constant push towards sustainable growth and a stronger international positioning.

All these initiatives, aimed at enhancing the teaching, research, and management capacities of universities, testify to the University of Pavia’s commitment to internationalization and innovation.

The International Relations Service and the Center for Global Strategic Engagement (GLOBEC) are responsible for designing and implementing the internationalization processes at the University of Pavia, following the guidelines set by the University's Governance and coordinated by the Pro-Rector for International Relations.

The International Relations Service is composed of two Complex Organizational Units:

1. The UOC International Mobility coordinates initiatives related to international mobility, disseminating, monitoring, and communicating "outgoing and incoming" funding opportunities for students, faculty, researchers, graduates, and internal and external staff of the University.

It supports "outgoing" participants throughout all stages of mobility—before, during, and after—providing orientation and preparation services to ensure constant support throughout the entire process. For "incoming" mobility, it offers a reception and orientation service from the beginning of the exchange, through dedicated initiatives such as the Welcome Day/Week and Staff Training and Teaching Weeks, as well as a personalized welcome service for incoming Erasmus faculty during their visit periods.

In cooperation with the UOC Staff Training, it organizes training activities for the University administrative staff in the field of university internationalization.

It also manages innovative international mobility programs within the European EC2U alliance, as well as the inclusion of mobility participants, through the implementation of Erasmus Blended Intensive Programmes.

It handles the management of Erasmus KA1 funding and all other funding dedicated to the international mobility of students and staff (Youth Fund, Pro-3, MEF Funds), the distribution and reporting of University funding (national and European for international mobility), opportunities for pre- and post-graduation internships abroad, and the ongoing monitoring of activities, in collaboration with local hosting structures.

It is responsible for negotiating and signing all Erasmus+ inter-institutional agreements for credit and degree mobility and, in collaboration with the Academic Area, manages all phases of the recognition of activities carried out abroad. It is also responsible for the implementation of the European Student Charter (ECHE) and the definition of the Erasmus Policy Statement, in collaboration with the University's Governance.

Finally, it manages digitalization activities and the implementation of the European Student Card Initiative, contributing to the simplification and integration of administrative processes at the University level.

2. The UOC Marketing and Recruitment focuses on international marketing and recruitment activities with the goal of improving the University's positioning in local and global rankings, strengthening its prestige, and increasing the presence of international students, faculty, and researchers.

Specifically, it plans the international promotion activities for undergraduate and graduate programs through the management of: spaces on dedicated web portals, social media marketing, email marketing, creation of promotional materials (such as leaflets, guides, posters, videos), webinars, in coordination with the Service for Teaching Innovation and Digital Communication and the Communication Service. In this context, it plans and participates in international education fairs and promotional events abroad.

It manages the Welcome Office, which is responsible for providing information and assistance to prospective international students on academic programs and admission procedures, in collaboration with the UOC Admission Office. It organizes orientation events for "prospective students" (Campus Tours) and welcoming events for international freshmen (Welcome Week), ensuring effective integration and a high-quality academic experience.

It also handles the management of preparatory courses "Marco Polo," aimed at Chinese students, and "Foundation Year," aimed at international students who do not meet the twelve years of schooling requirement for enrollment in an Italian university. Finally, through the activities of the Visiting Staff Office, it promotes and supports the stay of faculty, researchers, and international staff at UNIPV.

The Center for Global Strategic Engagement (GLOBEC) plays a fundamental role in strengthening the University's internationalization strategy, working to enhance the University's international profile and promote a global dimension in the activities and services offered.

GLOBEC develops its activities in three areas:

1. International Initiatives: These include activities funded by third-party national and international entities.

2. Partnerships and Networks: This involves the establishment of new agreements, participation in international networks, and strategic programs of the University.

3. Cooperation for Development: This includes the activities of the CICOPS Commission (Commission for International Cooperation for Development), the Master's Degree in Development Cooperation, fundraising campaigns, and other actions to be carried out with universities in developing countries.