Organizers & Partners

The University of Bologna, founded in 1088, is the oldest university in Western Europe. Nowadays, it still remains one of the most important institutions of higher education across Europe.

The University of Bologna has a Multicampus structure, with campuses in Bologna and the Romagna region – Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini, and permanent headquarter in Buenos Aires since 1998.

With regard to the international reputation, the University of Bologna is top ranked in the most recognized world and national university rankings (QS, Shanghai, Times Higher Education, Censis Guide and the Sole 24Ore rankings). It has been successfully evaluated and thus funded by the Italian Ministry of Education for excellent research activities within its Departments. It is the second Italian University in terms of funds received by the European Commission under the Research and Innovation Programme Horizon2020. It is one of the main Universities in Italy partnering with local and national companies and getting funds for industrial research.

The Alma Mater holds first place among Italian Universities in terms of the number of students abroad and the quantity of funding received under Erasmus+ and is among the top 5 universities in Europe in terms of number of exchange students. The Alma Mater Studiorum offers a variety of excellent, internationally recognized programmes: 215 degree programmes of which 71 international and 47 taught in English.

The University of Bologna is committed to the values of sustainability, such as enhancing and safeguarding the territory, improving community wellbeing, promoting a knowledge-based development economy, social equity, and the ability of those involved to work effectively together for the common good.
Faithful to its mission, and thanks to a history that has consolidated over time, the Alma Mater Studiorum is fully aware that its activities can produce significant impact, both direct and indirect, on the community and on the region. Therefore, it continues to invest in the quality of training and in research related to the needs of society, as well as in a valuable organizational, institutional and multicampus structure, allowing their members to operate over a vast territory.

The Observatory is a signatories’ association, independent from political organisations or interest groups.
The signatory universities – through their rectors, presidents and vice-chancellors, who act on behalf of their institutions – are connected to the organization by their commitment, present and future, to comply with the principles of the Magna Charta Universitatum.
The Observatory undertakes its work to ensure the integrity of intellectual and scientific work in Institutions and society, thus reinforcing trust in relationship between universities and their communities, be they local, regional, national or global

The MIUR operates in the following areas: university education, programming the intervention on the university system; addressing and coordinating, supervising, financing and evaluating university activities as far as teaching and research are concerned. These actions concern public research agencies too. The ministry also coordinates the participation of national agents to international research programmes. It supports research activities of private firms, including through specific funds

The European University Association (EUA) represents more than 800 universities and national rectors’ conferences in 48 European countries. EUA plays a crucial role in the Bologna Process and in influencing EU policies on higher education, research and innovation. Through continuous interaction with a range of other European and international organisations, EUA ensures that the independent voice of European universities is heard.

The European Students’ Union (ESU) is the umbrella organisation of 45 National Unions of Students (NUS) from 39 countries. The NUSes are open to all students in their respective country regardless of political persuasion, religion, ethnic or cultural origin, sexual orientation or social standing. Our members are also student-run, autonomous, representative and operate according to democratic principles.
ESU was formerly known as ESIB – The National Unions of Students in Europe. ESU’s name and image is legally being used by ESU AISBL, BE0896.361.756, Rue de l’Industrie/Nijverheidsstraa 10, 1000 Brussels (Belgium).

Since 1984, CIMEA – Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence has been engaged in the field of information and consulting services relating to the procedures for the recognition of academic qualifications and to issues relating to Italian and international higher education and training.
CIMEA is the official Italian centre within the NARIC – National Academic Recognition Information Centres – network of the European Union and the ENIC – European National Information Centres – network of the European Council and of UNESCO.
CIMEA supports academic mobility in all its forms and facilitates the understanding of the components of the Italian and foreign higher education and training systems and promotes the principles of the Lisbon Convention in the field of academic qualification recognition.
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Italy, with the service “diplome” of CIMEA, is the first country to use blockchain technology applied to the field of recognition of accademic qualifications.

The CRUI is the association of the state and no state universities.
Established in 1963 as a private association of Rectors, the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) has over time acquired an acknowledged institutional and representative role, as well as a practical capacity to influence the development of the university system through its intense activity of study and experimentation.
Since 2001, the Conference of Italian University Rectors has been flanked in its managerial and executive functions by the CRUI Foundation, which is entrusted with developing projects and services in conformity with the strategies of the Conference of Italian University Rectors