As we all know that Italy is a hub for exceptional academic learning and professional growth, as it is evident, by the number of students who want to pursue their higher studies in institutions and universities across Italy. Also, Italy has an extensive history of development and originality. Students studying in this country are able to learn about its distinct past through firsthand experience. Furthermore, the advanced train system in Italy makes it easy to travel between major cities, enabling students to commute between their place of stay and place of study with ease.
One thing common across all the institutions across Italy is the feasibility factor in the tuition fees charged when compared to the other Western European countries. Adding to the ever-welcoming nature of Italy and its people, the country has a rich history and tradition of higher education. This makes it an attractive option for students. Italian Universities have always been driven by passion for Research and Innovation. Italy proudly holds the highest rate record of academic publications on research magazines of excellence in Europe, with a focus on Biology, Natural Sciences, Physics, Pharmacy, Medicine, Mathematics and Computer Science. Moreover, Italian researchers and professors are highly appreciated and hired in the most renowned International Universities across the globe, which gives an all new face and recognition to the academics imparted to all in Italy.
With 61 vibrant Public Universities, 30 Private Universities and 11 Public Research Organizations, ground-breaking university programs, AFAM (Centres for higher artistic education) and 339 courses held in English, Italy has it all for you. Living up to the face value of exemplary academics imparted in Italy, irrespective of the backgrounds they come from, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, a haven for opportunists and deserving candidates, comes as a fresh ray of hope for international study aspirants in these gloomy times of the pandemic.
Protecting and Defending Academic Freedom
Established in the year 1810, Scuola Normale Superiore is one of the premium and well know academies in Italy that serves as place for high level academic excellence. Students from anywhere are welcome here irrespective of their geographic origin, financial resources, gender and religious beliefs. The selection process is rigorous, and students are selected purely based on their skills and the passion for research. Students get to apply for an undergraduate course, to obtain a degree or acquire a Ph.D.
According to Mario Piazza, a full professor at the academy – “The undergraduates do not pay university fees, they have free accommodation for the entire course of study in both Pisa and Florence and they receive a small annual allowance”. He added to his earlier statement by saying – “Postgraduate students receive a scholarship which is higher on average than that received by doctoral students from other Italian universities”.
The study environment provided for the students here guarantees that they graduate out as intellectual, motivated adults. With two universities, University of Pisa and University of Florence, catering to the educational needs of the students, learners here get the facility of dual course of study. The ultimate goal of the academy is to see students reach their full potential without compromising on the academic excellence. Along with following strict teaching obligations, students across the courses get an opportunity to share their classrooms and ideas with the onboard faculty. In addition, the faculty has a crucial and demanding role to play in the process of student learning. Recruitment of the best faculty is prioritized and only such faculty is retained, whose research, teaching and service bring excellence to the students and the institution. Due to the friendly bond existing between the teachers and the students, their relationship is one of the most influential factors in the learning environment, which is Scuola Normale Superiore.
At Scuola Normale Superiore the Undergraduate Course and the Ph. D Course are accessible to all, irrespective of their nationalities. As some postgraduate courses are reserved for students who have graduated from non-Italian Universities and are offered in English, which is a universal language, candidates have made this academy their haven for learning. A good number of students from India have preferred to take admission here due to the variety of courses offered in the field of Physics and Biology.
According to Mario Piazza – “An Indian Biology graduate student made a gesture of great solidarity: he donated his April scholarship allowance to the Italian health services involved in the Covid-19 emergency, an initiative to which the Scuola Normale has given wide prominence”, talking to us about how Indian and overseas students, help the institution grow manifold, each year.
Implementation of Research in everyday lives
The Scuola Normale Superiore Institute believes in research-based studies as it helps students have a detailed analysis of everything. A proper in depth study of the topics has enhanced their knowledge and satisfied to their curiosity. Students have been trained to apply new thought processes through study and testing. The presentation of the research work has enabled them to grow into confident learners and passionate speakers. Pupils at the institute are offered internal and external courses, and thus, the Universities of Pisa and Florence cater to these courses.
Post the dawn of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the institution had been carefully catering to a small number of students, and thereby, face to face teaching has not been affected in a big way. The university, though, has adopted a “blended” mode, in which students alternate in the classrooms through a booking system. Health protocols are adhered to and adequate precautions are taken to keep the students safe from the contagious virus.
With having provided a stimulating environment, the Scuola Normale Superiore proudly boasts about producing alumni that has contributed towards Italian as well as European social development. Some of the world’s most prominent leaders have graduated from here. To name a few, we have the former Italian Presidents (Giovanni Gronchi and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi), three Nobel Prize winners, one for Literature (Giosuè Carducci), two for Physics (Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia) and a Fields medal winner (Alessio Figalli). Many of its students hold important positions in various universities across Italy and the globe, and therefore, at Scuola, every current student and alumni contribute to the world and society, working together to build an environment of fun and learning.
Mario Piazza – Full Professor
Mario Piazza is Full Professor in Logic and Philosophy of Mathematics, and Vice-director and coordinator of the PhD program in Philosophy, at the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (SNS). Previously, worked as the Full Professor in the Dept. of Philosophy at the University of Chieti-Pescara. He studied philosophy at the University of Rome and earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science from the University of Genoa in 1995. Simultaneously having been involved in tremendous research based projects, Mario guides every student at Scuola since 2000, into an environment of sharing and knowledge growth, building one leader at a time.
