72 Best universities for Development Studies in Italy

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 2.23M citations received by 93K academic papers made by 72 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

#180 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

2. University of Bologna

Emilia-Romagna | Bologna

For Development Studies

#65 in Europe

#226 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

3. University of Padua

For Development Studies

#87 in Europe

#279 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

4. Bocconi University

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#93 in Europe

#301 in the World

Founded: 1902

5. University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#95 in Europe

#304 in the World

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

6. Polytechnic University of Milan

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#103 in Europe

#340 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

#106 in Europe

#349 in the World

Founded: 1921

8. University of Florence

Tuscany | Florence

For Development Studies

#124 in Europe

#406 in the World

Founded: 1321

9. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Development Studies

#125 in Europe

#408 in the World

Founded: 1982

10. University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Development Studies

#127 in Europe

#412 in the World

Founded: 1404

11. Federico II University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Development Studies

#144 in Europe

#448 in the World

Enrollment: 73,553
Founded: 1224

12. University of Pavia

Lombardy | Pavia

For Development Studies

#149 in Europe

#462 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

13. University of Pisa

For Development Studies

#164 in Europe

#503 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 49,108
Founded: 1343

14. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Emilia-Romagna | Modena

For Development Studies

#182 in Europe

#543 in the World

Founded: 1175

15. University of Trento

Trentino-South Tyrol | Trento

For Development Studies

#188 in Europe

#564 in the World

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

16. University of Milano-Bicocca

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#190 in Europe

#570 in the World

Enrollment: 33,741
Founded: 1998

17. University of Genoa

Liguria | Genoa

For Development Studies

#206 in Europe

#611 in the World

Enrollment: 36,728
Founded: 1481

18. Polytechnic University of Turin

Piedmont | Turin

For Development Studies

#210 in Europe

#619 in the World

Founded: 1859

19. University of Verona

Veneto | Verona

For Development Studies

#221 in Europe

#644 in the World

Enrollment: 23,000
Founded: 1959

20. University of Siena

Tuscany | Siena

For Development Studies

#268 in Europe

#764 in the World

Founded: 1240

21. University of Salerno

Campania | Salerno

For Development Studies

#273 in Europe

#783 in the World

Enrollment: 33,332
Founded: 1944

22. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

For Development Studies

#278 in Europe

#801 in the World

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

23. University of Cagliari

Sardinia | Cagliari

For Development Studies

#280 in Europe

#820 in the World

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

24. University of Bari

For Development Studies

#293 in Europe

#843 in the World

Founded: 1924

25. University of Parma

Emilia-Romagna | Parma

For Development Studies

#305 in Europe

#874 in the World

Founded: 1117

26. University of Perugia

Umbria | Perugia

For Development Studies

#308 in Europe

#879 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

27. University of Palermo

Sicily | Palermo

For Development Studies

#313 in Europe

#887 in the World

Founded: 1806

28. Roma Tre University

For Development Studies

#320 in Europe

#910 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1992

29. University of Brescia

Lombardy | Brescia

For Development Studies

#327 in Europe

#923 in the World

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

30. University of Calabria

Calabria | Cosenza

For Development Studies

#338 in Europe

#973 in the World

Founded: 1972

31. Polytechnical University of Marche

Marche | Ancona

For Development Studies

#343 in Europe

#992 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1969

32. University of Catania

Sicily | Catania

For Development Studies

#351 in Europe

#1014 in the World

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

33. University of Aquila

Abruzzo | L'Aquila

For Development Studies

#352 in Europe

#1017 in the World

Founded: 1596

34. Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Development Studies

#367 in Europe

#1081 in the World

Founded: 1868

35. International School for Advanced Studies

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Development Studies

#378 in Europe

#1113 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1978

36. University of Trieste

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Trieste

For Development Studies

#381 in Europe

#1120 in the World

Founded: 1877

37. University of Bergamo

Lombardy | Bergamo

For Development Studies

#384 in Europe

#1129 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1968

38. University of Udine

Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Udine

For Development Studies

#401 in Europe

#1211 in the World

Founded: 1978

39. G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti

Abruzzo | Chieti

For Development Studies

#406 in Europe

#1235 in the World

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

40. University of Ferrara

Emilia-Romagna | Ferrara

For Development Studies

#408 in Europe

#1238 in the World

Enrollment: 22,800
Founded: 1391

41. University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli

Campania | Caserta

For Development Studies

#428 in Europe

#1292 in the World

Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1991

42. University of Sassari

Sardinia | Sassari

For Development Studies

#431 in Europe

#1300 in the World

Founded: 1558

43. University of Insubria

Lombardy | Varese

For Development Studies

#434 in Europe

#1316 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1998

44. University of Messina

Sicily | Messina

For Development Studies

#440 in Europe

#1334 in the World

Enrollment: 24,780
Founded: 1548

45. Parthenope University of Naples

Campania | Naples

For Development Studies

#458 in Europe

#1404 in the World

Founded: 1895

46. University of Eastern Piedmont

Piedmont | Vercelli

For Development Studies

#465 in Europe

#1421 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1998

47. Normal School of Pisa

For Development Studies

#466 in Europe

#1422 in the World

Founded: 1810

48. LUISS University

For Development Studies

#468 in Europe

#1435 in the World

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

49. Free University of Bozen

Trentino-South Tyrol | Bolzano

For Development Studies

#484 in Europe

#1514 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 3,886
Founded: 1997

50. Carlo Bo University of Urbino

Marche | Urbino

For Development Studies

#499 in Europe

#1584 in the World

Enrollment: 22,000
Founded: 1506

51. University of Salento

For Development Studies

#501 in Europe

#1592 in the World

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

52. University of Foggia

Apulia | Foggia

For Development Studies

#533 in Europe

#1700 in the World

Founded: 1999

53. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#540 in Europe

#1737 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1996

54. Polytechnic University of Bari

For Development Studies

#546 in Europe

#1751 in the World

Founded: 1990

55. University of Macerata

Marche | Macerata

For Development Studies

#548 in Europe

#1758 in the World

Enrollment: 9,646
Founded: 1290

56. University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

Lazio | Cassino

For Development Studies

#556 in Europe

#1792 in the World

Founded: 1979

57. University of Tuscia

Lazio | Viterbo

For Development Studies

#557 in Europe

#1802 in the World

Founded: 1979

58. University of Camerino

Marche | Camerino

For Development Studies

#565 in Europe

#1857 in the World

Founded: 1727

59. University of Catanzaro

Calabria | Catanzaro

For Development Studies

#589 in Europe

#1962 in the World

Founded: 1998

60. Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome

For Development Studies

#615 in Europe

#2118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1993

61. Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria

Calabria | Reggio Calabria

For Development Studies

#656 in Europe

#2279 in the World

Enrollment: 8,950
Founded: 1982

62. Basilicata University

Basilicata | Potenza

For Development Studies

#658 in Europe

#2281 in the World

Enrollment: 6,631
Founded: 1982

63. University of Molise

Molise | Campobasso

For Development Studies

#703 in Europe

#2524 in the World

Founded: 1982

64. University of Sannio

Campania | Benevento

For Development Studies

#726 in Europe

#2640 in the World

Founded: 1998

65. Maria Santissima Assunta Free University

For Development Studies

#798 in Europe

#3097 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1939

66. IUAV University of Venice

Veneto | Venice

For Development Studies

#800 in Europe

#3100 in the World

Founded: 1926

67. University of Teramo

Abruzzo | Teramo

For Development Studies

#822 in Europe

#3209 in the World

Enrollment: 5,057
Founded: 1993

68. Carlo Cattaneo University

Lombardy | Castellanza

For Development Studies

#941 in Europe

#3915 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1991

69. Kore University of Enna

For Development Studies

#944 in Europe

#3932 in the World

Founded: 2005

70. University of Naples "L'Orientale"

Campania | Naples

For Development Studies

#1005 in Europe

#4248 in the World

Founded: 1732

71. IULM University

Lombardy | Milan

For Development Studies

#1057 in Europe

#4513 in the World

Enrollment: 5,741
Founded: 1968

72. Foro Italico University of Rome

For Development Studies

#1116 in Europe

#4840 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Founded: 1998

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 Economics24

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics70

Environmental Economics56

International Economics60

International Relations and Diplomacy20

International Trade62

Investment Banking and Stock trading58

Political Economy40