Overview

Geographical Conditions:

Italy is a peninsula located in southern Europe. To the north the Alps separate Italy from France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia. The rest of Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea; in particular by the Adriatic Sea to the northeast, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, the Tyrrhenian Sea to the southwest, and the Ligurian Sea to the northwest. At the bottom of the country, in the Mediterranean Sea, lie the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

Italy has a predominantly Mediterranean climate with mild, sometimes rainy winters and sunny, hot, and usually dry summers. Winters in Italy are cool and humid in the north and the mountainous zone. The summer can be quite hot in Italy, mainly in the south of the peninsula, with high nocturnal temperatures. The inland northern areas of Italy have a relatively cool, mid-latitude version of the humid subtropical climate, while the coastal areas and the peninsula south generally fit the Mediterranean climate profile.

Political & Legal System:

The official name of the country is Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic) and Rome is its capital. Italy is subdivided into 20 regions: Abruzzo, Aosta Valley, Apulia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Trentino-South Tyrol, Tuscany, Umbria and Veneto. Five of these regions enjoy special autonomous status that enables them to enact legislation on some of their local matters. The country is further divided into 14 metropolitan cities (città metropolitane) and 96 provinces (province), which in turn are subdivided in several municipalities.

Italy is a republic based on a parliamentary democracy. The President of Italy is the head of the state, who is elected for a single seven years mandate by the Parliament of Italy and some regional voters in joint session. The Prime Minister is the head of the government and holds executive power, which includes the implementation of the law and day to day business of the country. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Parliament, based on majority.

Executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers, which is led by the Prime Minister. Legislative power is vested primarily in the two houses of Parliament and secondarily in the Council of Ministers, which can introduce bills and holds the majority in both houses. The parliament is perfectly bicameral: the two houses, the Chamber of Deputies that meets in Palazzo Montecitorio, and the Senate of the Republic that meets in Palazzo Madama, have the same powers. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. It is headed by the High Council of the Judiciary; a body presided over by the President, though this position is separate from all branches. 

The Constitution forms the fundamental law of the Italian legal system, and provides the legal basis for the administration of public authorities. The first part of the Constitution recognizes, protects and grants: the dignity of the person as an individual and in social groups; the social dignity of all citizens without distinction. The right to work; religious freedom; the right of asylum to people who are denied the effective exercises of their democratic freedoms in their own country are guaranteed.

The Italian legal system has a plurality of sources of production. These are arranged in a hierarchical scale, under which the rule of a lower source cannot conflict with the rule of an upper source. The Italian Civil Code is based on codified Roman law with elements of the Napoleonic civil code and the German BGB (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch). The Penal Code (Codice Penale) has its origins in Roman law and the Middle Ages canonical law. Both the civil code and the penal code have been modified in order to be in conformity with the current democratic constitution. The Italian law codes constitute the codified law of Italy. There are five codes of Italian law: the civil code, the code of civil procedure, the penal code, the code of criminal procedure, and the navigation code.

Economic Status:

Italy boasts the eighth largest economy in the world and the third-largest economy in the euro zone. Italy has a diversified economy, which is divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-owned. The most important sectors of Italy’s economy include wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and food services, industry and public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities. The average GDP per capita in Northern and Central Italy significantly exceeds the EU average. Italy’s main export partners are Germany, France and the US, while its main import partners are Germany, France and China. Tourism is one of Italy`s fastest growing and most profitable industrial sectors.

Italy is a large manufacturer (overall the second in EU behind Germany) and exporter of a significant variety of products including machinery, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, furniture, food, clothing, and robots. Italy has therefore a significant trade surplus. It is the largest hub for luxury goods in Europe and the third luxury hub globally. Italy is also the world`s largest wine producer. The country is also well known for its influential and innovative business economic sector, an industrious and competitive agricultural sector and for its creative and high-quality automobile, naval, industrial, appliance and fashion design. Italy is one of the leading countries in fashion design as well. The city of Milan, located in Italy, is also known as the fashion capital of the world.

Of the world`s 500 largest stock-market-listed companies measured by revenue, the Fortune Global 500, nine are headquartered in Italy. The country`s major companies by sector are:  Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ducati, Piaggio (motor vehicles); Pirelli (tyre manufacturing);  Enel, Edison (energy);  Armani,  Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Benetton, Diesel, Prada (fashion); Ferrero, Barilla, Campari, Perfetti Van Melle (food & beverages);  Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini  (luxury vehicles);  Fincantieri,  Ferretti,  Azimut (shipbuilding), etc.

Soceity and Culture

Language:

Italian is the official and most commonly spoken language of Italy. However There are approximately thirty-four native living spoken languages and related dialects in Italy, most of which are Romance languages. Some of them include French, Greek, German, Sardinian, Albanian, Occitan, Croatian, Slovene, Ladin, Friulian, Catalan, and Franco-Provencal. Full bilingualism is legally granted only to German, Slovene and French and enacted in the regions of Trentino Alto-Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Aosta Valley, respectively.

Cuisine:

Italian cuisine is very famous and admired around the world.  World famous foods like the pizza, pastas, risottos, spaghettis originated in the country. The cuisine of Italy has developed through centuries of social and economic changes, with roots stretching to antiquity. Italian cuisine is known for its regional diversity, especially between the north and the south of the Italian peninsula. It offers an abundance of taste, and is one of the most popular and copied in the world. It influenced several cuisines around the world, chiefly that of the United States.

Italian cuisine is generally characterized by its simplicity, with many dishes having only two to four main ingredients. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of the ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation. Ingredients and dishes vary by region. Many dishes that were once regional have proliferated with variations throughout the country. Traditional meals in Italy typically contained four or five courses. The world famous desserts Gelato, Panna Cotta and Tiramisu also originated in Italy.

Italy is well reputed for its beverages: coffee, wine and beer. Italian style coffee (caffè), also known as espresso, is made from a blend of coffee beans. Italy is the largest consumer of wine. Italy hosts a wide variety of different beers, which are usually pale lager. There are also several other popular alcoholic drinks in Italy: Limoncello, a traditional lemon liqueur from Sicily and Southern Italy and Grappa, the typical alcoholic drink of northern Italy.

Tourist Attractions:

Italy is the fifth most visited country in international tourism arrivals. People mainly visit Italy for its rich culture, cuisine, history, fashion and art, beautiful coastline and beaches, mountains, and priceless ancient monuments. It is also home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. High arts and monuments are to be found everywhere around the country. Home of the Roman Empire and a major center of the Renaissance, art and architecture on the Italian peninsula have flourished for centuries. Italy is ranked 34th on the list of world`s safest countries, which denote the safety measures extended to the foreign travelers. Most visited cities include: Venice, Milan, Rome, Verona, Florence, Naples, Bologna, Tuscany, Sicily, Piedmont, etc.

Rome has become increasingly popular as a tourist destination globally. Popular tourists attractions in the city include the Colosseum, St Peter`s Basilica, the Pantheon and so on, which are part of the World Heritage property. Milan is one of Europe`s most important tourist destinations, and Italy`s second. Most tourists visit sights such as Milan Cathedral, the Sforza Castle and the Teatro alla Scala. Naples is one of the oldest cities of the western world. Its historic city centre is the largest in Europe and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Naples is also near the famous volcano Vesuvius. In the city there are many tourist attractions, such as the Royal Palace, the basilica of Santa Chiara, the Gesù Nuovo (New Jesus) church, Castel dell`Ovo, the Castel Nuovo, the Castel Sant`Elmo, the city`s Duomo, the Real Teatro di San Carlo (the oldest continuously active opera house in the world), the Palace of Capodimonte, etc. Florence (Firenze) is popular as the city of Renaissance. Florence is also home to Michelangelo`s famous statue of David. Pisa is home to the unmistakable image of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Venice (Venezia) is known for its world-famous canal and the St. Mark`s Square.

Italy has produced great artists like Leon Battista Alberti and Leonardo da Vinci. The most famous piece of art is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, which was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. When it comes to music, Italy is famous for its operas. Many of the world’s great musicians and composers like Giuseppe Verdi, Ruggero Leoncavallo and Luciano Pavarotti are Italian. Italian literature is the birthplace of great works like Dante’s La Divine Comida (Divine Comedy), which was written in the thirteenth century. The writings of Pietro Bembo, Nicolo Machiavelli and Ludovico Ariosto in the sixteenth century are also well renowned. Machiavelli’s The Prince is considered the first work of political science. Therefore it is not surprising that education in Italy has a longstanding and historic education system.

Lifestyle:

Breathtaking scenery, friendly locals, world-renowned food and wine — life in Italy appears to have almost everything one could dream of. Italy is one of the most diverse countries on the planet, and all of the regions have something different to offer. Therefore it has been a favorite destination of the people for many years. Italian culture is reflected in the arts, architecture, music and food. The country is acknowledged as the birthplace of Western culture.

Italians are known for their warm, welcoming and sporty nature. They love to relax, celebrate and socialize with family and friends. Even in their work life, Italians believe in considering the needs of their family and friends before their work responsibilities. Most of the Italians are a part of a sports club and they have very strong and world class team of sportsmen and women, therefore they made significant contributions in sports games at the global level. They are also known for communicating with hand gestures and facial expressions. At the same time, they are helpful, courteous, considerate and friendly – much more so once they know.  This certainly makes life in Italy easier.

In the fashion industry, Italy is home to a number of world-renowned fashion houses, including Armani, Gucci, Benetton, Versace and Prada. Fashion has always been an important part of the country`s cultural life and society, and Italians are well known for their attention of dressing-up well. "La bella figura" or good impression remains traditional. Although Italy is the home to the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, the Pope, the Italian religious reality is actually rather diverse and fragmented. If churches are a ubiquitous sight in large cities as in tiny small towns, the actual practice and mass attendance among practitioners is in line with that of other European countries. The existence of a religious or superstitious population does not hold the country backwards. The rich culture of Italy certainly makes the country diverse. Hence it is nicknamed as the Bel Paese (the Beautiful Country).

Health Care:

Italy is known for its generally very good health system, considering the fact that it has the world`s 6th highest life expectancy, low infant mortality, relatively healthy cuisine and diet, and healthcare system that is ranked 2nd and which has the third best medical performance worldwide. As with any developed country, Italy has adequate and sufficient water and food distribution, and levels of nutrition and sanitation are high. Healthcare is provided to all citizens and residents by a mixed public-private system. The public part is the National Health Service, Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (SSN), which is organized under the Ministry of Health and is administered on a regional basis. Surgeries and hospitalization provided by public hospitals or by conventional private ones are completely free of charge for everyone, regardless of their income.

The emergency medical services in Italy currently consist primarily of a combination of volunteers and private companies providing ambulance service, supplemented by physicians and nurses who perform all Advanced Life Support procedures. The immigration law requires international students to take out a health insurance during the stay in Italy. International students may take private insurance coverage before they arrive, or they may even opt for Italy’s public health insurance.

Education in Italy

The Italian educational system`s philosophy varies from teacher centered to student centered. It provides nursery school; elementary school; lower secondary, middle school; upper secondary school ,vocational training for and university, university institutes, or Fine Arts academies.  In terms of types of institutions, there are two broad institutional categories that make up the higher education sector in Italy: the university institutions and non-university institutions. The university sector is made up of 89 university institutions classified within the following categories:  58 state universities, 17 non-state universities, 2 universities for foreigners, 6 higher education schools, 6 distance-learning universities and 4 polytechnical schools. The non-university sector includes: Higher Education in the Arts and Music (AFAM institutions), State Academies of Fine Arts, Higher Schools of Design, National Dance Academy, National Academy of Drama, Higher integrated education (FIS), Higher education in language mediation and other Specific fields like archiving, military studies, restoration, etc.

The overall responsibility for education in Italy rests with two bodies: the Ministry of Public Instruction for preschool, primary, and secondary education and the Ministry for Universities and Scientific Research. There are close links between these two ministries and the Finance Ministry regarding budget matters and the Labor and Social Security Ministry for connecting schooling with the world of work. 

The University of Bologna, which is the oldest in the world, has been welcoming students since 1088. Italy is also home to some of the best business schools in Europe, including the prestigious SDA Bocconi in Milan, the country’s financial capital. Its MBA programmes frequently top global and European rankings, and many top business leaders are among its alumni. Internationally, Italy is a popular and budget friendly destination for overseas students. It offers quality higher education with more affordable tuition fees than other Western European countries. There are around 32,000 international students in Italy, including independent students and those on exchange programmes. Most of the courses and programmes offered are taught in the Italian language but the number of English language programmes available is growing. Therefore, it may be possible to find courses taught in English for students from other countries.

Reasons to Study in Italy

• Italy is a popular international study location not just due to its high multicultural ambience, but the country also has several top public and private universities.
• Italian universities and academies provide very high competences and also support and counsel students during the course of their studies.
• Several academies and universities provide grants, scholarships, fellowships, accommodation and catering facilities, which are set up by the Agency for the Right to Education.
• Italy also has the top rated programmes, professors and facilities that could be studied online, through distance learning or through classrooms. 
• The highly standardized curriculum makes education in Italy an attractive option for students.
• The country has garnered its educational popularity in the fields of design, architecture, fashion, applied sciences and arts. Students who plan to pursue these degrees will never regret their decision.
• Most of the study programmes are taught in English which makes it suitable for most overseas students to choose Italy as their study destination.
• Italy is one of the most affordable countries in Europe where students can study abroad and that goes for tuition fees and living costs as well.