University of Brescia

After a lobbying campaign that began in the 1960s, in 1982 the city of Brescia in northern Italy was proud to open its own university. The city itself is in a location of both stunning natural beauty, seated at the foot of the Alps, and of great architectural significance, the former monastery of San Salvatore becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010.  The University of Brescia is divided into four schools: Economics, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Surgery. A key component of Brescia is the focus on health and wealth. This is the idea that the cultural and scientific ideals that are a cornerstone of the university should be used to actively foster progress in the local community and Italy as a whole. As part of the dynamic, Brescia offers a focused master’s degree in science and technology, and a PhD course in technology for health.  Brescia is part of the Erasmus exchange programme with partnered universities, and all international students can receive accommodation on campus. The university also offers an "Italian for foreigners" course to help international students adapt to the language.  The university sports centre offers a broad range of activities for students. Those who wish to exercise can take part in activities such capoeira and pilates, while those with a more competitive streak can join the sports teams, such as those in volleyball and five-a-side football.  In 2016 Brescia hosted its first internationalisation conference, with academics from around the world meeting up for a two day discussion on the impact on globalisation on the sphere of education.