Higher education in the broad sense is the set of different higher education systems:

• the university higher education, that includes universities and other equivalent institutions (Formazione superiore di tipo universitario ed equivalente), 
• the Higher education for the fine arts, music, and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM),
• the Higher technological tertiary education (Sistema terziario di istruzione tecnologica superiore – ITS Academy).

All the institutions belonging to these higher education systems issue first, second and third-cycle qualifications referred to the Bologna Process framework, (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD) with the exception of ITS Academies that offer short cycle and bachelor's programmes. 

A list of all institutions is available on the website of the Ministry of university and research (MUR). In addition, the portal universitaly.it provides, beside the list of all institutions, all necessary information to access higher education in Italy.

For a schematic representation of the tertiary level of education please refer to the Diagram of the education system.

University education

The university system is made up of 99 institutes:

61 State universities spread all over the country, except in the Region Valle d'Aosta. State universities include three polytechnics, two universities for strangers open to Italian citizens and three specialised small universities. 

7 universities of excellence operating under special regulation.

20 recognised non-State universities, distributed among ten regions.Recognised institutions are authorised by the Ministry of university and research to release certifications at the end of study programmes that comply with the minimum national standards. The authorisation is awarded upon positive assessment by the National agency for the evaluation of the university and research system (ANVUR) of the programmes, the quality of teaching, the economic sustainability and suitability of premises.

11 recognised private telematic universities that provide online courses with the obligation to conduct examinations and the discussion of the final report in person. 

All universities undergo an initial and periodical accreditation process. Accreditation is awarded through ministerial decree based on the evaluation done by the ANVUR. On a three-year period, the Ministry of university and research establishes the criteria that shall be used by the ANVUR to carry out the accreditation assessment. The initial accreditation occurs when a university location is accredited for the first time. The periodical accreditation occurs every five years, or less if otherwise established by ANVUR. Criteria for the assessment are the planning and organisational strategy, how resources are managed, quality assurance processes, quality of teaching and services to students and, finally the quality of research and the social impact. 

Universities are autonomous bodies. They adopt their own statutes and establish their own governing bodies as well as their teaching and research structures (legge 240/2010).

In addition to universities other institutes award qualifications equivalent to those issued by universities:

1) Higher schools for language mediators (Scuole superiori per mediatori linguistici, SSML) are private institutions offering three-year programmes and issuing qualifications equivalent to the bachelor's in language mediation sciences released by universities (DM 38/2002). SSMLs can also activate two-year programmes leading to qualifications equivalent to the master's in translation and interpreting released by universities (DM 59/2018). Qualifications allow access to the profession and to open competitions but do not allow admission to university courses for which a master's degree is required.

2) Specialisation institutes for psychotherapists (Istituti di specializzazione in psicoterapia) are either public or private institutions that organise specialisation courses addressed to graduates in medicine and psychology who have also enrolled in the relevant professional register. Institutes issue qualifications equivalent to the third-cycle qualification (Specialisation) issued by universities in the broader field of psychology (law 56/1989). 

(Source: Ministry of university and research, last visited in March 2024)

Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM)

The institutes providing Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM) operate throughout the country and are mainly State and public institutions:

• 71 State and 2 public Conservatoires (Conservatori di musica), each with its own orchestra and choir performing for the public, that offer courses in singing, performing with instruments, music composition, conducting and for sound technicians, 
• 25 State Academies of fine arts (Accademie di belle arti), which main purpose is to prepare students for the practice of the arts, like painting, sculpture, decorating and scenery,
• 5 State Higher institutes for Artistic Industries (Istituti superiori per le industrie artistiche –  ISIA) that offer a specific training in the design field (graphic design),
• 1 National Academy of Drama (Accademia nazionale di arte drammatica), in Rome, that offers training courses for actors and directors,
• 1 National Dance Academy (Accademia nazionale di danza), in Rome, which main purpose is to train dancers, soloists and choreographers.

Alongside State and public institutions, there are private institutes authorised by the Ministry of University and Research to issue qualifications equivalent to those issued by the State institutions. The authorisation must be periodically renewed following verification of the accomplishment of criteria like the quality of teaching, financial sustainability and of the location. These AFAM institutes provide courses in the fields of fine arts, design, fashion, music and new technologies.

(Source: Ministry of university and research, last visited in March 2024)

AFAM institutes are autonomous bodies. They adopt their own statutes and establish their own governing bodies as well as their teaching and research structures (legge 508/1999).

Higher technological tertiary education system (Sistema terziario di istruzione tecnologica superiore – ITS Academy)

ITS Academies (ITSs) are higher institutions delivering short-cycle and Bachelor programmes in the field of specilised technologies. 

The structure of ITSs is that of a specific type of foundations (half a way between an association and a private foundation). The minimum organisational requirements for establishing an ITSs are:

• at least an upper secondary school, either State school or an independent school with parity (paritaria) located in the province where the foundation is based, whose training offer is consistent with the technological area of reference of the ITS Academy, 
• a training institution accredited by the Region, 
• one or more companies belonging to the production sector of the ITS Academy,
• a university, or university department, or AFAM institution or any other public or private research body, including hospitals and care institutions, operating in the technological area of reference of the ITS Academy.

The regions, which have exclusive competence in the planning of training provision, provide for the establishment of ITSs within their own three-year action plans. To operate as tertiary institutions of higher technological education, foundations need first to be recognised and then accredited as ITS Academies by the relevant region. Regions establish the procedures for the recognition and accreditation, while the Ministry of education and merit defines the general minimum standards and requirements for the accreditation. Requirements for the accreditation refer to:

a) financial and organisational soundness,

b) good repute and reliability of the legal entity,

c) infrastructural, logistical and instrumental resources,

d) human and professional resources.

(legge 99/2022 and D.M. 191/2023)

The offer is available nationwide. At present, there are 146 ITS Academies with a total of 1 002 programmes that enrol 25 842 students and involve 3 564 partners, of which 1 484 companies. (Source: Indire, section dedicated to ITSs last visited in March 2024).