Parma, like most Italian cities, is a city with a stratified territory throughout a millennium-old history: the Roman and the medieval city, the Renaissance and the Baroque city, the Bourbon and the Enlightenment city, the revolutionary and the Habsburg city, the peasant and the entrepreneurial city, the City of Verdi and of barricades, the city with deeply rooted popular traditions, the city beyond the torrent. Its urban fabric and agricultural landscape are marked by ancient footprints of the Roman land-division system along the Via Aemilia. The confluence between the Parma and Baganza rivers, forming an upside down Y, is the territorial element characterizing the city and deeply influencing its urban layout.
The City of Parma is a virtuous example of high quality of life, well-being, social, cultural and environmental quality. A unique public and private partnership model, a close relationship with the academic and research world, a close relationship between the green economy and urban regeneration, social inclusion and cultural production. Parma is also characterized by a top-notch cultural youth-friendly system; a city with refined event management capabilities at a national and international level. The uniqueness of the city of Parma also lies in its ability to establish an open dialogue with its local community.
Since 2004 Parma hosts the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the EU’s leading authority for risk assessment regarding food and feed safety.
Since 2015, Parma has been officially proclaimed a “Creative City for gastronomy” by UNESCO. It is the cradle of the Italian Food Valley and among the favorite food and wine tasting tourist destinations. Parma boasts a whole range of prestigious PDO and PGI products (including Parmigiano Reggiano, Culatello, Prosciutto di Parma and Salame Felino). It is also home to an important network of producers’ consortia and companies who are able to enhance the value of its excellence. The agri-food district covers the city of Parma and its 29 neighbouring municipalities.
Parma has been appointed as Italian Capital of Culture for the year 2020, title that was extended to 2021 by the “Relaunch Decree”, made by the italian govenrment to support the country’s recovery following the global health emergency caused by COVID-19.
Ever since the nomination day, on 16th February 2018, Parma 2020+21 has become a metaphor for what the territory intends to achieve in terms of social regeneration from today to 2030.
The University of Parma is a State University. As such, it is self-governing and has administrative, organisational, and accountancy autonomy, while providing tailored services for students. Its centuries-old history dates back to 13th March 962, when Emperor Ottonian I conferred on Uberto, the Bishop of Parma, the initiation of the University in the ‘Diploma’: this document, which granted the Bishop the power to order and elect legal leaders (‘eligere et ordinare notarios’), was the foundation for an educational institution that would last centuries later, and is still preserved in the Bishop’s Archives in Parma today.
The University holds 9 Departments, and offers a rich catalogue of 40 First Cycle Degree Courses, 6 Single Cycle Degree Courses, 46 Second Cycle Degree Courses (7 of which entirely held in English), as well as many Postgraduate schools, Teacher Training courses, several Master Programmes and PhDs.
The ideal size of the University (27,000 students, with more than 5,000 graduates per year and about 1,700 faculty and staff members), together with the quality of life in Parma has always attracted a large number of students from all over Italy. More than two-thirds of our registered students come from outside of Parma and its Province: for this reason the University deserves top ranking for attracting the most non-resident students nationwide.
The different locations of the University allow students to study in comfortable, efficient structures even near green areas, such as the Campus: a 77-hectare area in the south of the city hosting scientific departments, modern and well-equipped lecture halls, comfortable study areas, technologically advanced laboratories, and a Technopole – as well as several sports facilities, a conference centre, and a canteen.
The main building of the University is located in the heart of the city and houses the Rector’s office, other administrative offices and the Department of Law, Politics and International Studies. In the city centre, you can also find the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries and the Department of Economics and Management. The Department of Medicine and Surgery is located in the city Hospital not far from the city centre, while the Department of Veterinary Science can be found in the immediate north-western outskirts of Parma.
| City of Parma | University of Parma |
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| Strada Repubblica 1 43121 Parma Italy |
U.O. Internazionalizzazione Via Università 12 43121 Parma Italy |
| Contact person: Gabriele Agnetti Strategic control office |
Contact person: Professor Sara Martin |
| Phone: +39 051 218051 |
Phone: +39 0521 03403 |
| Email: g.agnetti@comune.parma.it |
Email: sara.martin@unipr.it |
| Website (City): www.comune.parma.it |
Website (University): www.unipr.it |