73 Best universities for Development Studies in Italy

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Italy ranked based on their research performance in Development Studies. A graph of 2.38M citations received by 96.3K academic papers made by 73 universities in Italy was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Sapienza University of Rome

For Development Studies

#45 in Europe

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

2. University of Bologna

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

For Development Studies

#65 in Europe

#225 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 96,945
Founded: 1088

3. University of Padua

For Development Studies

#87 in Europe

#277 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 70,000
Founded: 1222

4. University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#94 in Europe

#306 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

5. Bocconi University

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#95 in Europe

#308 in the World

Founded: 1902

6. Polytechnic University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#104 in Europe

#343 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 48,645
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1863

7. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#108 in Europe

#352 in the World

Founded: 1921

8. University of Florence

Tuscany | Florence

For Development Studies

#123 in Europe

#402 in the World

Founded: 1321

9. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Development Studies

#125 in Europe

#409 in the World

Founded: 1982

10. University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Development Studies

#126 in Europe

#411 in the World

Founded: 1404

11. Federico II University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Development Studies

#142 in Europe

#444 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1224

12. University of Milano-Bicocca

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#146 in Europe

#454 in the World

Enrollment: 33,741
Founded: 1998

13. University of Pavia

Lombardy | Pavia

For Development Studies

#158 in Europe

#478 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

14. University of Pisa

For Development Studies

#167 in Europe

#513 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 47,736
Founded: 1343

15. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Emilia-Romagna | Modena

For Development Studies

#183 in Europe

#549 in the World

Founded: 1175

16. University of Trento

Trentino-South Tyrol | Trento

For Development Studies

#191 in Europe

#575 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 16,239
Founded: 1962

17. University of Genoa

Liguria | Genoa

For Development Studies

#207 in Europe

#610 in the World

Enrollment: 36,728
Founded: 1481

18. Polytechnic University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Development Studies

#211 in Europe

#622 in the World

Founded: 1859

19. University of Verona

Veneto | Verona

For Development Studies

#217 in Europe

#641 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1959

20. University of Salerno

Campania | Salerno

For Development Studies

#273 in Europe

#783 in the World

Enrollment: 33,332
Founded: 1944

21. University of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Development Studies

#274 in Europe

#788 in the World

Founded: 1240

22. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

For Development Studies

#278 in Europe

#808 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1987

23. University of Cagliari

Sardinia | Cagliari

For Development Studies

#284 in Europe

#824 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 26,069
Founded: 1620

24. University of Bari

For Development Studies

#289 in Europe

#832 in the World

Founded: 1924

25. University of Palermo

Sicily | Palermo

For Development Studies

#312 in Europe

#888 in the World

Founded: 1806

26. University of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Development Studies

#314 in Europe

#890 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

27. University of Parma

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

For Development Studies

#315 in Europe

#891 in the World

Founded: 1117

28. Roma Tre University

For Development Studies

#321 in Europe

#909 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1992

29. University of Brescia

Lombardy | Brescia

For Development Studies

#327 in Europe

#928 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 16,800
Founded: 1982

30. University of Calabria

Calabria | Cosenza

For Development Studies

#339 in Europe

#978 in the World

Founded: 1972

31. Polytechnical University of Marche

Marche | Ancona

For Development Studies

#342 in Europe

#984 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1969

32. University of Catania

Sicily | Catania

For Development Studies

#346 in Europe

#999 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 44,338
Founded: 1434

33. University of Aquila

Abruzzo | L'Aquila

For Development Studies

#355 in Europe

#1028 in the World

Founded: 1596

34. Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Development Studies

#367 in Europe

#1087 in the World

Founded: 1868

35. University of Trieste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Development Studies

#378 in Europe

#1115 in the World

Founded: 1877

36. University of Bergamo

Lombardy | Bergamo

For Development Studies

#385 in Europe

#1145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1968

37. International School for Advanced Studies

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Development Studies

#389 in Europe

#1155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1978

38. University of Udine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

For Development Studies

#400 in Europe

#1210 in the World

Founded: 1978

39. G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti

Abruzzo | Chieti

For Development Studies

#403 in Europe

#1224 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 24,716
Founded: 1965

40. University of Ferrara

Emilia-Romagna | Ferrara

For Development Studies

#407 in Europe

#1238 in the World

Enrollment: 22,800
Founded: 1391

41. University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Campania | Caserta

For Development Studies

#423 in Europe

#1278 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1991

42. University of Insubria

Lombardy | Varese

For Development Studies

#430 in Europe

#1303 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1998

43. University of Messina

Sicily | Messina

For Development Studies

#431 in Europe

#1307 in the World

Enrollment: 24,780
Founded: 1548

44. University of Sassari

Sardinia | Sassari

For Development Studies

#433 in Europe

#1314 in the World

Founded: 1558

45. Parthenope University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Development Studies

#446 in Europe

#1359 in the World

Founded: 1895

46. University of Eastern Piedmont

Piedmont | Vercelli

For Development Studies

#462 in Europe

#1417 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1998

47. LUISS University

For Development Studies

#469 in Europe

#1457 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 9,080
Founded: 1974

48. Normal School of Pisa

For Development Studies

#471 in Europe

#1460 in the World

Founded: 1810

49. Free University of Bozen

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

For Development Studies

#479 in Europe

#1498 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 4,216
Founded: 1997

50. University of Salento

For Development Studies

#498 in Europe

#1575 in the World

Enrollment: 19,401
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1966

51. Carlo Bo University of Urbino

Marche | Urbino

For Development Studies

#509 in Europe

#1618 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1506

52. University of Foggia

Apulia | Foggia

For Development Studies

#529 in Europe

#1694 in the World

Founded: 1999

53. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#538 in Europe

#1723 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1996

54. University of Macerata

Marche | Macerata

For Development Studies

#543 in Europe

#1748 in the World

Enrollment: 9,646
Founded: 1290

55. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Development Studies

#549 in Europe

#1778 in the World

Founded: 1990

56. University of Tuscia

Lazio | Viterbo

For Development Studies

#557 in Europe

#1803 in the World

Founded: 1979

57. University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Lazio | Cassino

For Development Studies

#559 in Europe

#1805 in the World

Founded: 1979

58. University of Camerino

Marche | Camerino

For Development Studies

#564 in Europe

#1845 in the World

Founded: 1727

59. University of Catanzaro

Calabria | Catanzaro

For Development Studies

#588 in Europe

#1965 in the World

Founded: 1998

60. Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

For Development Studies

#612 in Europe

#2076 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1993

61. Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria

Calabria | Reggio Calabria

For Development Studies

#660 in Europe

#2311 in the World

Enrollment: 8,950
Founded: 1982

62. Basilicata University

Basilicata | Potenza

For Development Studies

#661 in Europe

#2312 in the World

Enrollment: 6,631
Founded: 1982

63. University of Molise

Molise | Campobasso

For Development Studies

#704 in Europe

#2534 in the World

Enrollment: 9,000
Founded: 1982

64. University of Sannio

Campania | Benevento

For Development Studies

#728 in Europe

#2650 in the World

Founded: 1998

65. Maria Santissima Assunta Free University

For Development Studies

#795 in Europe

#3058 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1939

66. IUAV University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Development Studies

#805 in Europe

#3122 in the World

Founded: 1926

67. University of Teramo

Abruzzo | Teramo

For Development Studies

#819 in Europe

#3191 in the World

Enrollment: 5,057
Founded: 1993

68. Kore University of Enna

For Development Studies

#932 in Europe

#3850 in the World

Founded: 2005

69. Carlo Cattaneo University

Lombardy | Castellanza

For Development Studies

#934 in Europe

#3857 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1991

70. University of Naples "L'Orientale"

Campania | Naples

For Development Studies

#1006 in Europe

#4271 in the World

Founded: 1732

71. IULM University

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#1054 in Europe

#4529 in the World

Enrollment: 5,741
Founded: 1968

72. Foro Italico University of Rome

For Development Studies

#1103 in Europe

#4766 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Enrollment: 2,377
Founded: 1998

73. University of Gastronomic Sciences

For Development Studies

#1179 in Europe

#5211 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Enrollment: 273
Founded: 2004

The best cities to study Development Studies in Italy based on the number of universities and their ranks are Rome, Bologna, Padua, and Milan.

Economics subfields in Italy

Actuarial Science43

Agricultural Economics25

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics70

Environmental Economics56

International Economics60

International Relations and Diplomacy20

International Trade63

Investment Banking and Stock trading58

Political Economy41